You Wasting Your Time Is Not My Concern

I work at a museum with a ride you can pay extra for. However, the line takes a very long time to get through, so when it’s busy, we have to stop selling tickets quite a while before closing. The exhibit has an entrance and an exit door. I go to put out the closed sign and shut the entry door. A little girl sees me do this.

Girl: “Are you guys closed?”

Me: “Sorry, we are.”

Another girl, who I assume is her sister, speaks up.

Other Girl: “Look, the exit door is still open!”

Three girls and their dad sprint over to the exit door before I can close it and run up to the ticketing desk where my coworker is cleaning up.

Dad: “Hi. We’d like to buy three tickets for the ride.”

Coworker: “I’m sorry, but we’re closed.”

Dad: “But the museum doesn’t close until five!”

Coworker: “Yes, but there are still lots of people in line, and by the time we get to all of them, it will be five.”

Dad: “So, if we wait until the end of the line is done and it’s not five yet, can we go?”

Coworker: “No, I’ve already shut down the card reader and turned in my cash.”

Dad: “Okay.”

The family sits in the waiting area for the whole thirty or forty minutes it takes to get through the line. Once the last group rides, it’s a couple of minutes past five.

Dad: “Cool, so can we ride now?”

Coworker: “No, we’re still closed.”

Dad: “But we just waited here for thirty minutes!”