Closing.

I close on Tuesday nights. I don't mind closing--I get a lot of work done, I get to sleep in the morning, and it's a change of pace.
When I close, I make the closing announcement. At quarter of nine, I remind everyone that we are closing in 15 min. At five of, I make another. And at nine, I get on the horn and tell everyone we are closed.

So it baffles me when, 15 minutes later, someone comes up and wants to purchase a book. I am VERY generous with the time I give between when we close and when I close my register. I'm even more generous these days, after having a person come the next day and complain that I wouldn't let him buy a magazine. (We had been closed for 15 min and the entire register system had already been closed down, which means I couldn't even sign in, let alone run a credit card. This was unacceptable to him. To which I really want to reply, "I think it's unacceptable that I have already given you three warnings that we're closing, yet you seem to think that my time is not important and that you can continue to browse the magazines while I'm on the intercom practically begging you to let me go home and be able to eat dinner before 10pm. Plus, I'm sleepy.")

Anyway, I had two particularly annoying customers tonight at closing. One was this man who comes in periodically to buy magazines. They must be in mint condition, and they each get their own bag. He always comes in at ten of nine, though, and then asks periodical questions that I can't answer. The periodical man is only in from 9-5, and while I'm somewhat familiar with our magazine dept, I don't really know where to find things. This guy wanted some magazine that I failed to locate, and asked if anyone else was more knowledgeable. I said that unfortunately at this late hour there was no one else to help him. He looked and me and said, "So you're not going to help me find my magazine?" His voice has taken on a threatening tone that kind of freaked me out. Not like I think he'd hurt me, but in the way that he thinks I'm withholding this information from him and that he can coax it out of me. Oh sir, believe me, if I had any information to make you go away, I WOULD USE IT.

And it's not exactly that I'm not going to help him find his magazine, in that I refuse to help him, because I did try, but that I can't help him because I don't have access to that information. He then asks for the phone number of the store. Great, he's going to call and complain about me. "THE STUPID GIRL AT THE DESK REFUSED TO HELP ME FIND MY MAGAZINE AND SAID SHE DIDN'T KNOW BUT SHE DID AND JUST DIDN'T WANT TO TELL ME." cause really, that's the kind of person I am.

I had already closed my cash bag when the other man came up, and I said that I would be happy to do a credit card purchase. OF COURSE he wanted to use cash and only cash. And he wanted to pay with a $100 bill. And then said, "You close really early. I shouldn't be punished for wanting to buy a book later."
But, but, BUT. I warned you! I made announcements! I used the words, "Closing promptly at nine." Why did you think you were exempt from this rule? I AM HUNGRY AND I WANT MY DINNER. Should I have said this? If I said, "I know you're all happily browsing with full stomachs after your lovely dinners, but I haven't had mine yet, and I'm really hungry and tired. Please don't make me stand for another minute, because I've already stood for 480 and I'm about to fall over." Do you think that would make a difference?


Nope. Not at all. Because it isn't about me, it's about the customer. AND THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT.