Who Died And Made You Store Security?

I work for a company that sells backup power sources for both residential and commercial customers. My job is to go into big box stores and set up displays and represent my company while trying to get potential leads. I am not an employee of any of these stores, but I technically work there when my show is there.

A few months back, about three months into the health crisis, I came to the store I was working at that week. Normally, I go in through the back, but the back door was closed and locked. I went around front as I had just remembered that they started the senior/disabled-only shop hour. There was a crowd of younger people sitting outside waiting to be let in.

I am thirty years old, but I was wearing my business suit and store vendor name tag, so the employee let me go straight in with no questions asked. I was also holding part of my display, so I was clearly going in to work. I saw a lady and she, like most of those outside, looked a little annoyed.

Lady: “HEY! HOW COME THEY GET TO GO IN AND WE DON’T?!”

I thought she just didn’t see my name tag, so I turned around to face her so she could see it.

Me: “I work here.”

Lady: “NO, YOU DON’T! YOU DON’T HAVE A STORE BADGE!”

I pulled my lanyard up to show her my tag.

Me: “You’re right; it’s a vendor badge for this store.”

Employee: “Ma’am, they do work here.”

Lady: “You have no right to be here! You don’t look disabled, and you’re clearly not over sixty-five!”

I just started to walk away, and she attempted to follow me in. The employee stepped in her way.

Employee: “Ma’am, please go back outside.”

She pushed him. I saw this out of the corner of my eye, so to try to deescalate the situation, I stopped and said:

Me: “Ma’am, I have two things that allow me to be here during the shop-early hour. One is my vendor badge and the other is my disability card.”

I showed her the card my county issued to me.

Lady: “I WANT TO SEE THE MANAGER!”

The employee radio calls for a manager.

Employee: *Politely to the lady* “Please wait for the manager outside, ma’am.”

Lady: “NO! I WANT TO SEE THE MANAGER NOW! THEY AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!”

The woman is making enough ruckus to get other waiting customers to defend us. She still waits inside. The manager comes over and asks me what the problem is. The lady cuts in.

Lady: “They’re not supposed to be here! They don’t work for this store, and they’re faking a disability!”

This manager is aware of my disability in case of emergencies at work.

Manager: “You’re right and wrong. They don’t for my store, but they do work at my store, and they have every right to be here during the senior- and disability-only hour. You need to leave the store until we’re fully open.”

Lady: “I will not! I demand you have this person removed!”

Manager: “You can either leave willingly or be removed by police.” *To me* “Go ahead and head to your station.”

I did just that, as I now had ten minutes to set up a display that normally takes me thirty minutes to set up.

About an hour later, I realized I had forgotten a cable in my car and went to go get it. On my way, I saw a police officer leaning over the passenger window of his cruiser. He was telling the lady that she could either leave quietly now or he could take her to jail. She saw me and was livid. Priceless.

The officer took her to jail. She was charged with criminal trespass and disturbing the peace.