Not Very Closed-Minded, Part 44

Our store is located in a mall that doesn’t open until 10:00 am, so the store doesn’t open until then, except for specific sales for cardholders. But people still walk around the mall before 10:00, so we keep our gate down until about 9:55 so people don’t come in early. Sometimes, our gate will be open just far enough to crouch under, but obviously only for employees to come in and out.

It’s about 9:40 am. I am opening registers — which involves counting all the money in them — and a coworker is on the other side of the room stocking shelves. Our store is rather big, so if you’re at the registers or where my coworker is, you can’t see the store entrance. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a person walking into the room. I look up to see that it’s not an employee but some woman I’ve never seen. Both my coworker and I stare at her, speechless that someone climbed in under our gate. After what feels like way too long, I speak up, nervous since I have a drawer full of cash open in front of me.

Me: “Um, excuse me, but we don’t open for another twenty minutes.”

Customer: “Can’t I just look around until you open?”

I am trying to be as professional as possible.

Me: “I’m sorry, but—”

Coworker: “No! Get out!“

The woman seemed absolutely shocked and left without a word. She came back about forty minutes after open and wouldn’t make eye contact with either of us as she shopped.

Related:
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 43
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 42
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 41
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 40
Not Very Closed Minded, Part 39