Unfiltered Story #223045

Myself and my husband both work at a community centre that provides emergency relief (food vouchers and parcels, help to get medications, pay bills such as rent, electricity etc) generally only 4 times a year but some people take advantage of this.
I had just been promoted from a volunteer to a paid worker while my husband has been a paid worker for 2 years. We go to a local pub for dinner to celebrate. After dinner we decide to put a couple of dollars in the pokies. He goes to the bathroom and to get drinks while I choose a machine. There are only handful of people in the gaming room, I find a machine I like and put a couple of dollars in it and second spin I get the free games. I notice an older lady standing behind me watching as I win over $60. As I go to play it down to an even $60 I can hear her mumbling behind me but don’t pay any attention. I happen to get the free games again taking my total up to just over $100 I get a coin bucket and push collect when I’m pushed off my chair. I look up to see the old lady grabbing dollar coins from the machine.
Me: what the h**l?
Lady: this is my machine. Your playing my machine, so this is my money.
I’m confused as there was no credit on the machine or reserve sign up.
My husband and the gaming manager race over to help me.
Husband: what the heck are you doing to my wife?
Lady: shes trying to steal my money. That’s my machine.
Manager after radioing for security: ma’am your werent playing a machine. I have to ask you to give this lady her money back and leave unless she would like to press assault charges. You will also be banned from here.
Lady: no this is my machine, I always play this machine. I spend more here a week then they’d make in a whole month. You ban them.
By this time two security guards have arrived and my husband has helped me up, I decline to press charges and she escorted out screaming about how its her machine. We are given vouchers for drinks and the restuarant.
The next week at work Im being trained in the welfare side of things as i had only worked in the second hand shop before when the same lady comes in. She doesn’t recognise me but I pull the senior worker who is training me aside and explain what has happened. She explains that this lady comes in every week demanding food vouchers, payment for her prescriptions and help with rent and bills. They had already decided to just give her a food parcel and advise her on finacial counselling if she’d came back within three months but after I explained what had happened this is what happened.
Senior worker: I’m sorry mrs (lady) but we are unable to assist you anymore. I can give you the numbers of some other places that may be able to help you.
Lady: what? No, you are a charity, you have to help me. I need food vouchers and these bills paid now.
Senior worker: I’m afraid that no we dont have to help you as we generally only assist every three months and if its more then that we only give food parcels. You have been here every week for the last 3 months demanding assistance. Im sorry we cant help you anymore for the next 12 months.
Lady: what? This is an outrage. How am I ment to pay my rent? How am I ment to eat? I have diabeties you know. If I die because of not eating its all your fault.
Senior worker: ma’m as I said Ive got a list of numbers here that may help you but can I suggest not spending more a week then I make a whole month at (pub).
I try not to laugh as the lady looks between me and the senior worker and she finally recognises me and my husband and another worker arrive to escort her out all while shes screaming how it was her machine and her money and how she was going to die because we wouldnt give her food.
The manager contacted other services in the area to warn them about her.