Closed? You Can’t Be Citrus!

I work in a garden store, and thus, we have shorter hours due to fall/winter, so we close at 6:00 pm. Very often we have customers stay well past, until 7:00 pm. To prevent this, I walk around and tell customers that our registers will automatically close at 6:15 (they don’t). Usually, my area clears out well before then.

But tonight, these ladies really want to test it. I am tidying up one of the tables at the back of the store when these two older ladies walk out from inside, holding three small items.

It is 6:08.

Customer: “Where are your citrus trees?”

Me: “Oh, just letting you folks know, we did close at six, and our registers automatically shut off fifteen after, but we will be open tomorrow morning at eight.”

Customer: *Stares at me* “Okay, where are your citrus trees?”

Me: *Points* “White arches.”

Customer: “Thank you. Come on, Ma. They don’t want us here.”

The two of them walk to our citrus line. I look over at my coworker, who works in that section and is nearby.

Coworker: “I’ll help them.”

People, if an employee tells you they’re closed, they are closed. Whatever you’re buying can probably wait.