August 7th 2015
4:15 A.M.
Just a thought-
Standing outside in a dark desolate clinic parking lot peering into the glass at 1am will not make the white vinyl lettering on the window beside you posting the office hours change and the locked doors suddenly open for you. The only thing that will come of this is scaring the pee out of the night janitor and frankly I don't want to clean that up!
This somehow happens. I don't know why people feel like tapping on the window of a locked up deserted building to ask the janitor cleaning the fingerprints off a fish tank "are you open" through a locked door will do you any good.
First; Most businesses, especially places like a medical facility have their hours clearly posted at the front door. I'm pretty sure there is actually a law about it. So seriously don't tap on the window just read the sign and walk away. If all else fails (you can't read; you don't have a phone or watch to check the time), try the door. If it's a glass double door with a sensor that would regularly open as you walk up to it and it doesn't open, they're probably CLOSED. If it's a push/pull door and it won't push or pull, they're probably CLOSED. And if it's a standard door with a knob that you have to turn but it won't open after you've turned the knob and pushed or pulled, they're probably CLOSED.
Second; If you're out in a town of about 6500 people and the McDonalds across the street is closed chances are whatever it is you're trying to get into is closed. That is unless it happens to be the one and only grocery store in the area, then maybe if you're lucky they will happen to be a 24 hour one.
Third; If you have not made it into the building yet or can not get in and you see someone with a cleaning cart, mop, broom, vacuum, or any sort of cleaning device they are likely a janitor so really just don't bother them, they probably couldn't help you if they wanted to. If it is a place that serves food and you (peering through the window) see a person mopping, sweeping, etc, even if they are open they are clearly trying to get ready to close so please don't walk all over their freshly cleaned floors or tap your grubby fingers on their newly windexed glass.
I have been in these situations and many others have too but for the few who haven't let me fill you in...
You're stuck in a crappy part time minimum wage food service job, you hate, that is way too stressful and leaves you feeling like you want to down a six pack and cry at the end of the night. It's 9:45pm, you've got 15 minutes left till close and it's already been a hellish night. Some lady screamed at you because you didn't put enough olives on her sandwich. Thankfully it's been dead for the past hour and a half and you've had a chance to get some of your closing duties done. You pray you can finish the last of the gigantic pile of dishes and get out of there on time. Suddenly you spot a flock of teenagers near by heading towards your store. The freshly cleaned lobby that took you 45 minutes is in danger and you wish you could run to lock the door but you have no choice but to stand there and smile as they pool in. One or two of them actually orders something, a few head to the bathroom and the remainder nestle in scattered around, putting their skateboards on your tables and tracking muddy foot prints all over. This is the moment when you feel the tears welling up and you wish you had some whiskey stashed in the back. You know this group. They will stay until after you're closed and you'll have to kick them out. They will all pick at the sandwich and cookies one girl bought and leave crumbs and melted chocolate chips all over. One of them is likely to knock over his coke. You're never getting out of there. Finally, after the longest 15 minutes of your life, you are closed. You walk over and turn off the "Open" sign right in front of the loud inconsiderate vultures. You hope that for once they will just go "oh we're sorry, you're closed, we will get out of here." and leave but it won't happen. If you hide in the back doing your dishes and putting stuff away long enough they might leave on their own but more than likely you will have to go tell them "I'm sorry but we're closed and I have to ask you to please leave". A few will roll their eyes at you and in your mind you're throwing chairs at them screaming with tears rolling down your face. Slowly one by one they collect their backpacks and skateboards and mosey out until eventually they are gone and you can lock the door behind them. At least the torture of watching your hard work reversed is over but now you are back to square one and you will be stuck there till midnight.
A lot of people will read that and think "story of my life" and to you I am so sorry. To the handful that have not endured this: please please realise this is not at all exaggerated. I can picture this group. They are real! I hated them! You may think "oh well this must have been in some big overpopulated city" but it wasn't it was in a little town out in the boonies. Please don't be this kind of person. If a place is about to close and you can avoid going in please do! Make like the rain and come back another day! If you really must get your sandwich or burger or whatever last minute make it simple and don't stay to eat. And if it's allowed tip your server!!! It sucks at the end of the night when you "split your tips" between the 3 people on shift and you get like 50 cents but it's really nice to get a thank you and a tip even if it's just a buck and especially after a long day. Also please understand that we are all human so don't flip out on some poor person because they didn't give you enough olives or something like that. You might be hungry and exhausted after a long hard day at work and annoyed you had to stand in line for 10 minutes because the person in front of you didn't know what they wanted but understand your server is probably just as frustrated and exhausted as you.
From food service workers to janitors and everywhere in between we are all human so please if you take anything away from this rant just remember that no one likes to be stuck late at work, or to have the crap scared out of them, or to be yelled at by some stranger. Just try to take into account the way your actions effect others. The world does not revolve around anyone. It has rules and boundaries that are there for good reason. Do not be oblivious or naive and consider that one day you may be on the other side of the situation and picture how it would make you feel.
