No Exit Through Here Please

So I had to do some last minute shopping yesterday morning. Well actually I had to drive a friend to do some last minute shopping, breadcrumbs and pasta for an Italian themed feast, and went to the nearest supermarket. She went in, and a few minutes later I went in to see if I could help. Help her, and maybe help myself to a few well deserved New Year snacks as well. I get in and she calls, seemingly done with shopping and back at the car, so I pirouette around and go back outside only to be confronted by the long arm of the law. Well actually, it was the not so long arm of the security guard, but still he felt sufficiently in charge to physically block me from exiting through the entrance that I had ventured less than two meters from and to go through the exit which was all the way at the other end of the store (at least a minutes walk to navigate my way over there).

As our little drama unfolded (him physically blocking the entrance to prevent me from leaving and others from entering the establishment) a gentleman in a white polo shirt walked up to the guard and asked for access to use the ATM just outside the entrance. With scarcely a pause in our animated conversation, he waved him buy and blocked my route to the door whilst the gentleman passed, all the while explaining to me how he was doing his job by not allowing me use the entrance as an exit. Now, like you are undoubtedly right now, I was bemused and perplexed by what had just unfolded, and now insisted vehemently that I will pass through entrance. He kept his power show up but as I persisted that I now wanted to use the ATM, another worker walked over to enquire what was causing the fuss. After I explained to him the situation, it was clear that he could not defend his colleague and suggested he allowed me to use the ATM like I insisted. The obdurate guard insisted that as I had not told him initially that I wanted to used the ATM, he would not allow me to go bye. At this point, I suggested to him that by denying me access to the ATM like the other patron, he was suggesting that I was being disingenuous in my request. At this point it was check-mate as calling me a liar without grounds would be too far beyond his remit of power.

A few minutes later, whilst withdrawing cash that I did not exactly need but was useful in replenishing a wallet lighted by spreading the season’s cheer to guards very much like the man I had just encountered, I felt oddly justified. If felt like a  good way to start the year, standing up for customer service and not swallowing the crap that is often served up to us in a daily basis. My parting shot to him was 'you have to be consistent'. Let's all try to stay consistent in being reasonable, discerning customers that demand our rights wherever we go.

How was your day?