Black Friday Strikes Earlier Every Year

(I own a tattoo parlour, and for the last 15+ years we’ve given Black Friday deals. However, due to the popularity of these appointments (15% off, plus waiving the supply charge), we open bookings on a specific day in September. Shop policy is that all appointments must be made in person so a deposit can be paid, and a quick consult can be given. In mid-August we advertise which day BF appointments can be made. As soon as we start advertising, a woman calls and tries to book an appointment. I tell her that she’ll have to come down to the shop on the specific day and time if she wants to book on BF. She absolutely loses it and hangs up the phone. Later that day she comes in, screaming about how she needs to book an appointment on BF. Again, we tell her no, and she storms out. Then booking day rolls around. We open at 10 am and there’s already a line up. I’m upstairs booking in a customer when the woman comes back.)

Woman: *pushes to the front of the queue* “All right, I’m here to book my appointment. I want [Highly Sought-After Artist] to do a [horribly cliché design] all over my back. It’ll probably take all day, so make sure he doesn’t book anyone else.”

Me: “Certainly, ma’am. Although you’ll have to wait at the back of the queue for your turn. If [Artist] still has time available, I’ll definitely book you in.”

Woman: “What?! NO! I’ve been trying to get through to you people for ages! I want to book my tattoo! NOW!” *stomps her foot*

Me: “Once you’ve queued like everyone else, I’ll most certainly help you. Until then, excuse me.”

(I manage to ignore her long enough, and she finally leaves, all the while screaming. I figure this is the last I’ll see of her, but Black Friday rolls around and lo and behold, she shows up, claiming she has an appointment.)

Woman: “I’m here for my appointment with [Artist]. I was getting [design], remember?”

Me: “Ma’am, you don’t have an appointment. I told you months ago you would have to queue like everyone else, and you refused. And, quite frankly, I’m going to refuse you services based on how you’ve acted every time you’ve been in here. Please leave.”

Woman: “YOU DUMB C***! I BOOKED AN APPOINTMENT! I PAID MY F****** DEPOSIT! SCAMMING B****! I WANT MY F****** TATTOO RIGHT F****** NOW!”

Me: “Look, lady, you’ve got five minutes to leave or I’m calling the police.”

(She screeches like a banshee and actually rips one of our artist’s paintings off the wall and smashes the frame. No charges are pressed since the actual painting was fine, and we don’t want to deal with her anymore. Weeks later, she comes back with sunglasses and dyed hair, but still recognizable by her hand tattoos.)

Me: “Ma’am, please leave. You’re banned from this shop due to all the Black Friday grief you caused last month. You need to leave now, or I’ll call the police.”

Woman: “Uhh, no. That was my sister.”

(Police ended up escorting her out.)

This story is part of the Black Friday 2022 roundup!

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