Your Frustration Is Totally Validated

Our store offers free parking for two hours, after which time we do not validate. These and all other parking-related facts are posted on several large signs in each of our two parking lots. 

Today, we’re in the middle of a sale period, on a Saturday, during the summer.

Incident #1:

A customer comes up to me on the sales floor.

Customer #1: “Excuse me, we’re about to leave, and it’s our first time here. What do we have to do for the parking?”

Me: “We don’t validate the parking. It’s free for two hours; just put your ticket in on the way out.”

Incident #2:

A customer grabs my arm as I’m pushing a restock cart.

Customer #2: “Can you validate this?”

I don’t take the ticket they’re waving in my face.

Me: “It’s automatically validated for two hours.”

Incident #3:

A customer finishes checking out.

Customer #3: “Oh, and I forgot to give you my ticket to validate—”

Me: *Quickly* “No, we don’t validate it. Just put it in, and if you’re under two hours, it’s free.”

Incident #4:

A customer silently slides me their ticket while checking out. I silently slide it back.

Customer #4: “Oh, did you validate it already?”

Incident #5:

Customer #5: “So, we’re going to be just over the two-hour limit. Can you validate the parking?”

Me: “We don’t own the meters, only the lots. The two hours are free, but we can’t validate after that, so there’ll be a $5 charge for the third hour.”

They show me a ticket with a time from four hours ago.

Customer #5: “But we’re just over the limit!”

Incident #6:

A customer starts waving a receipt for a small item.

Customer #6: “But I spend so much money here. Can’t you make an exception and validate my ticket?”

Incident #7:

A customer thinks they’re being clever, but is in for a nasty shock.

Customer #7: “Excuse me. I lost my ticket. Can you validate my parking? I’ve been here for under two hours, I promise.”

Me: *Sighing* “We don’t have any spare tickets for the lots. If you’ve lost yours, there’s a kiosk by the elevators where you can get another ticket, but you’ll have to pay a $20 lost ticket fee.”

Customer #7: “What?! But… you should have a sign or something! This is ridiculous!”

Incident #8:

After waiting politely in the slow-moving customer service line, a customer approaches.

Customer #8: “Excuse me. I’m so sorry to do this; I know how irritating it is. I just checked out with my husband, and we’re just over the limit—”

Me: *Tiredly* “It’ll be $5 for the third hour, ma’am.”

Customer #8: “Right, that’s what the sign said. I just figured I’d ask. Sorry about that!”

The customer turns to walk away.

My coworker and I pull out validation tickets and speak in unison.

Coworker & Me: “Wait!”