Maybe She Needs Ice Cream Therapy, Too… Or The Regular Kind

I grew up low-income and never had a bra that actually fit properly. So, when I’m twenty, my best friend convinces me to get a bra fitting done. Due to some traumatic things from my childhood, I ask [Employee #1] if [Best Friend] can be in the room with us — the fitting rooms are individual spaces, so no other women — and she agrees without any question. At the time, there are no other women trying anything on or getting fitted. It’s just the three of us,

I should mention at this point that my best friend is gay and has a boyfriend who he has since married. But even if he weren’t, I trust him completely.

Everything in the fitting room goes well, I get my proper sizing, and I leave to go look for bras. As my friend and I are exiting the fitting room, a woman sees us.

Woman: “What was he doing in there?”

Now, I absolutely get that she might be uncomfortable, and I respect that completely. It’s what happens next that is upsetting.

Me: “I asked him to be present for my fitting. It was just us and an employee back there.”

Woman: “Well, he shouldn’t be back there. He shouldn’t even be in this store. How do I know he’s not a pervert?”

Me: “I’m really sorry, ma’am, but I promise he was only here to help me.”

She glares at us and wanders off, and I think it’s the end of it.

Then, I hear yelling at the front of the store. The woman is actually screaming at the employees to call the police because of a “pervert” in the store.

Woman: “MEN SHOULDN’T EVEN BE IN THIS STORE, AND YOU LET HIM IN THE DRESSING ROOM! DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF MEN WANT TO BE IN THE DRESSING ROOM?!”

Employee #2: “Ma’am, women are allowed to bring their boyfriends and husbands into this store.”

Woman: “CALL. THE. POLICE. NOW.”

Employee #1: “Ma’am, I was in the room with him, and he did not bother any women. He was on his phone the entire time, and there were no other women in the entire dressing area.”

Woman: “HE WAS PROBABLY FILMING! OR TAKING PICTURES! HE’S A PERVERT! NO MAN SHOULD HAVE A CAMERA IN THE DRESSING ROOMS!”

Employee #1: “Ma’am, please stop yelling.”

Woman: “IF YOU DON’T CALL THE POLICE, I WILL.”

True to her word, she dialed 911 and began screaming about witnessing a man taking photos in the dressing room. She began describing my best friend down to the clothes he was wearing.

Figuring it was better to just wait for the police, my best friend and I waited by the checkout. When the police showed up, the woman went running up to them, screaming about how she was in the dressing room when the “pervert” began taking photos and filming. 

Both employees, my best friend, and I explained what had actually happened and how her behavior rapidly escalated. My best friend even offered over his phone to be inspected, which, surprise surprise, revealed zero images of women in a state of undress.

At this point, the police asked if there were cameras for the store. They were not accusing us, but they were also treating the woman well and not acting until they could verify the story one way or the other. 

Obviously, no cameras were directed at the fitting room stalls. But they did show the fitting room entrance, and they showed that the whole time the three of us were inside, the woman was out browsing on the floor.

The woman’s story disproven, the police went over and explained to her that making false accusations of this matter is extremely serious and that all evidence disproved her story. 

She broke down crying and sobbing that nobody believed she’d been violated. 

At this point, the police told my best friend and me that we were free to go. We checked out and skedaddled out of there. And then, we indulged in some ice cream therapy at a shop near the mall.