Moms Of Gall Street

(I am a cinema attendant at a movie theatre. A woman and her clearly young teenaged kids approach me and hand over tickets for Wolf of Wall Street.)

Me: *looking at the two young kids* “Um, boys, do you have any ID?”

Woman: “Why do they need ID?”

Me: “Because it is an R18 restricted film, and they look far under age. Legally we have to ask.”

Woman: “I’m their mother, so it doesn’t matter. I give them permission to see this.”

Me: “Well, no, I can’t actually allow them to enter, ma’am. It’s law that unless they are over 18, with valid ID, they can’t actually go into the movie, parental consent or not.”

Woman: “Oh, my God, are you kidding me? I’m their mother, and I say they are over 18!”

Me: *not convinced* “I still need valid ID.”

Woman: “They are over 18. Don’t you believe their d*** mother?”

Me: *facing the kids again, as the woman is getting agitated* “Boys, what are your birthdates?”

(Both boys struggle for a while to remember when they are born, one answering at being 16 years old and the other at 23, most obviously NOT being 23.)

Me: “I’m sorry; I can’t let you into the movie, boys. You’re not 18, and it’s a pretty hard restriction.”

Woman: “I paid for these tickets, so you will let us into the movie theatre! They let us buy them downstairs without this bull-s***!”

Me: “These are pink Kiosk tickets from the machine. The machine clearly states the restriction, with a warning that you will be checked for ID upstairs. You can return downstairs to swap them for another movie.”

Woman: “I don’t want to f***ing swap to another movie! We want to watch this one!”

(At this point I’m about to use my walkie to contact my manager and let them know to come up to sort out the customer, when the another customer interjects.)

Customer: “Lady, I don’t know how this girl talked to you without throwing you out on your a**. What kind of a mother are you, letting your young boys in to watch a movie about sex, drugs, hookers and h*** knows what else?! Take your tickets, go watch something else, or just plain p*** off!”

(The woman was stunned for a while, before taking off to get her tickets changed. I called to the desk to let them know she was coming and what had happened. She tried to get a full refund and free tickets for the ‘terrible service and inconvenience.’ She was refused.)