Unfiltered Story #208822

I work at the biggest theme park in Canada. We often get kids coming in with petty change and paying for candy. I find it very cute.

Little Kid: How much is cotton candy?

Me: $5.54

Kid pays with his change and walks back to his parents. His mother sees his chocolate bar and storms up to me.

Mom: HOW DARE YOU LET MY CHILD BUY COTTON CANDY BY HIMSELF! IT’S ILLEGAL! I’LL SUE YOU PEOPLE!

As far as I knew, it was only illegal to sell kids alcohol, porn, and cigarettes (or stuff of that nature). As a merchandise associate I was not allowed to give a refund, as it needed a Team Lead’s code, so I tried reasoning with her.

I wave my Team Lead over as I try and get the women to calm down. My manager is busy talking to the supervisors and waves me off.

Me: Ma’am I am so sorry, I thought your son had permission. I thought you gave him the money.

Mother: YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK!

Me: So I’m supposed to wander around the store, through dozens of parents to find you and get verbal permission, despite there being a growing line and him having money that paid exactly how much cotton candy cost? I assumed that since he had exactly the right amount you knew what he was buying.

Mother: YOU F*CKING HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUT! I’LL SUE! YOU ALWAYS CHECK!

My Team Lead (TL) ran over to us, seeing the women wasn’t calming down, and I quickly explained the situation.

TL: Did you give him money for cotton candy?

Mother: WE GAVE HIM MONEY! WHAT, YOU THINK A 7 YEAR OLD WORKS? YOU’RE A BIGGER IDIOT THAN HER! [Meaning me]

TL: Please lower your voice, I don’t yell at you and you don’t yell at me. Why did you give your son money if you didn’t want him to buy anything?

Mother: We wanted to teach him how to spend his money wisely but this idiot sold him cotton candy!

TL: Your son chose to buy cotton candy. That’s how he wanted to spend his money. We can’t choose how he spends his money and we didn’t know he wasn’t allowed to. He chose cotton candy over a tee shirt or something.

Mother: BUT HE SPENT THE MONEY WRONG! I WANT A REFUND!

TL: Is that your son? [Points to kid next to women]

The mother turned her head to see her son eating the last of the cotton candy. She grabbed his wrist and storms out of the store.

My coworker, who had just signed in, walked over to me.

Co-Worker: I am sooo glad I don’t get morning shifts. That’s when all the crazies come out.