Bladeturner: More Dangerous Than A Bladerunner

(The ice machine on the soda fountain occasionally quits working. It’s an easy fix, digging around in the ice to pop the door that ice comes out of, because it will freeze shut. There are blades — not super fast, but very heavy — in the ice to push it towards the door. I notice a grocery clerk talking to a customer I had just helped with fried chicken in our deli; he has just scooped ice out of the top and handed it to her.)

Me: “Here, I’ll fix that. It does that all the time. It’s really easy.”

(I take off the top and start digging around in the ice. I’m at the back of the machine and don’t even realize the lady — who is wearing a cop uniform — is still there. Suddenly, with my hand still in the machine, the blades start moving. I get my hand out just in time, staring at the machine in disbelief. I poke my head around the machine to see the lady holding down the ice button.)

Me: “The blades are turning.”

Customer: “Oh, yeah, I can see them. It still isn’t working, though.”

Me: “I meant that the blades are turning because you hit that button, and my hands were in there!”

Customer: *blinks* “Oh, sorry.”

(She walked away while I got back up and dug in the ice until I popped the ice door open. I made extra sure there was NO ONE around, and that was the second time that had happened to me, although I can’t believe I had to walk a COP through that. My manager and coworker laughed at me when I told them what happened.)