It’s Curtains For Closing Time

(I work in a small, locally owned business in an old building. Connected to our store is another small shop. Our owners have agreed to leave the passage between our stores open to promote business. We understandably get customers wanting to purchase the other store’s goods at our register, and other similar confusions. Most days, our hours are the same. One day a week my store closes an hour before our sister store. We have large, heavy curtains that can be drawn across the entrance between our stores. I am in the middle of closing procedure, have drawn the curtains, turned out most of the lights, and locked the front door. Our space has two adjoining rooms, so I can hear what’s happening in the other room, but can’t see. I hear loud thumping noises and footsteps. It is a woman and her seven- or eight-year-old son.)

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we are closed. Today we close an hour earlier than [Adjoining Store], but feel free to browse further there.”

Woman: “Oh? You’re closed?”

Me: “Yes. As you may have noticed, all the lights are off in this store, and our hours are clearly posted on the other side of the curtains separating us from [Other Store.]”

Woman: “Well, it’s all so unclear. It looks like you’re open.”

(Meanwhile, her son is bounding around, disarranging the displays and generally being disrespectful of the space.)

Me: “I’m sorry, but we are closed. Our register is no longer open. Feel free to look at [Other Store]’s stock. They are open for another hour.”

Woman: *grumbles in direction of son* “Well, I guess this b**** won’t let you have a toy.”