A Drastic Change In Personality

(I work in the ladies’ wear department of a large store that has changing rooms for specific genders, although we make occasions for small children under the age of ten. There is a sign outside and on each door of the fitting rooms that it is one person per cubicle. I’m working at the fitting rooms with a coworker who has just let a little boy and his mother into the rooms, and I show them to an empty one. They have children’s clothes for the boy.)

Me: “Feel free to sit just outside the room, ma’am.”

Mother: “What?! He’s only seven! I can’t leave him alone!”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma—“

Mother: “Well, you know what? All the other shops allowed me in with him. I’m not shopping here anymore and I want to talk to your manager now.”

Me: “Ma’am, there’s no reason to cause a situation; there’s a double room available at the mo—“

Mother: “NO! I am so angry right now!”

(She storms out to the front where my coworker is and badgers her until we call a manager over. The little boy is standing with me with a red face.)

Mother: “[Little Boy], get over here now! We’re leaving right now!”

(The little boy then moved to his mother, starting to cry. My manager came along and pulled her to the side. A few minutes later my coworker and I heard her screaming and shouting, and watched her being removed from the store by a security guard, gingerly followed by the little boy. My manager came back a little while later with a rather red cheek. Apparently, this lady was well known for bringing the child in and stealing the most expensive children’s clothes we have in the store, but we never were able to catch her in the act.)