Closing Down Their Plan At Closing Time

It is almost closing time, and I am about to take some rubbish out to the dock while my manager is starting on the closing duties, which include counting and removing the cash from the tills.

Manager: “On your way out the back, could you check around for a man and a kid? If you see them, let them know we’re about to close. They came in a few minutes ago while I was on the phone.”

I don’t see them, so I continue to put the rubbish out and do a couple more things before I hear the manager announce that the store is closed. As I leave the dock, I see the man and girl coming around a fixture with their back to me. They both are craning their necks as if they are trying to see down to the counter area. The man suddenly crouches and ducks into an aisle, with the girl following behind doing the same.

I slam the door with a loud bang.

Me: “Hi. Just letting you know we’re closed. If you have any purchases, please take them to the counter.”

They are both startled, look at me wide-eyed, stand up, and start heading to the front of the store. I go through the centre of the store, keeping an eye on them from a safe distance. I run to the door after they rush out to close and lock it.

Manager: “What was that? It looked like you were chasing them out. What did you do to them? They looked terrified!”

Me: “They were trying to hide down the back. I scared them when I came out of the dock, and they took off.”

Manager: “Why would they hide?”

Me: “They probably thought you were alone.”

Manager: “But why hide? I don’t understand.”

I point to the bags of cash she’s putting into a satchel. She looks down and then looks up.

Manager: “No way. That can’t be right. You’re too suspicious.”

I shrugged but pointed out that they had been positioning themselves in the perfect spot to hide near the door through which she would be taking the money. She looked wide-eyed as it clicked.

I stopped working there not long after. [Manager] lasted until the head office started trying to force her to work in the store for hours on her own. The area was too dangerous for anyone to work alone.