One Store’s “Closed” Sign Wouldn’t Stop This Woman From Coming In To Get This Precious Item

A Customer He’d Never Forget

Stores have a “closed” sign for a reason. However, customers can often have a “desperate times call for desperate measures” attitude that sometimes overrules the usual norms. For one retail worker, it seemed like it was going to be another ordinary end-of-the-day shift as he put in a new stock for tomorrow. However, he’d soon run into one woman who was determined to get what she came for, and he’d never believe why she was so desperate to get into their store.

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A Hectic Late Night Shift

Our narrator, Dylan, considered himself to be an average guy who worked at your average retailer. His store was opening up a new department, which meant both day and night staff would be on-call to set up the shelves to debut for the next day. It was fairly hectic as everyone wanted to make sure they were on time for the grand reveal. People were running around, stacks of products in their hands, and doing everything they could to make sure tomorrow was good-to-go. The poor day staff wasn’t used to pulling a double, so Dylan noticed them clustered together like a zombie horde, obviously hiding out in the new department to avoid the chaos. Dylan couldn’t help but think things would go faster if they just kept the night staff working while the zombies could go home and sleep, but c’est la vie.

Dylan continued doing his business and went to the new department’s computers to go over stock items and make sure everything was where it should be. Staring at the blue screen, he ticked off each item and thought about what he’d watch before passing out on the couch that night. All of a sudden, he noticed an obviously disheveled looking woman walking towards him. She wasn’t wearing the usual retail uniform and he instantly knew that this was a customer gone rogue.

Closed Means Open Once You Get In, Right?

Dylan peered over the computer at the mess of a woman in front of him. She was obviously pregnant — also obviously very far along in her pregnancy — and was wearing an outfit that was apparently thrown together last minute. Her eyes darted around until they finally locked onto Dylan’s. “Oh no,” he thought. Dylan couldn’t believe this random customer had come in. He knew the front doors were supposed to be locked, and even then, the obvious “closed” sign should’ve made this lady turn the other way. Sadly, she was here in the living, sweaty, frantic flesh.

Dylan was just sorry he had to be the one to deal with her. He couldn’t help but notice what an absolute mess this woman was. Obviously, this pregnancy was kicking her tail. She had deep bags under her eyes, her hair was barely put together in a misshapen bun, and she wasn’t even wearing everyday clothes. She had on pink pajamas with a classic pair of fluffy pink slippers, all wrapped together by an admittedly awesome black leather jacket. Dylan had never seen such a cool leather jacket. It legit looked like something someone in a biker gang would wear with heavy chains, large studs and all.

Because she was obviously tired, it took her a solid minute to walk over to Dylan but once she did, Dylan knew this was going to be an interesting conversation.

She Looked Like A Disaster Waiting To Happen

Once she approached the counter, Dylan got an even closer look at the hot mess in front of him.

“Seriously, how did she make it past all the front registers? I know someone from the night staff had to be up there, and with that outfit she definitely stands out,” he thought.

Dylan coined the term “Tired rundown pregnant lady” — TRL for short — for this bizarre woman because, seriously, what pregnant woman would bust into a closed store at this hour? Dylan was able to mutter out a bewildered, “Hey,” to the woman. However, when TRL started talking, she wouldn’t even talk above a hushed whisper. Dylan had to lean in to even hear her.

She caught her breath and then looked him in the eye with a weak smile.”Hey…” she whispered.

Dylan scratched his head and looked around to see if any other workers were milling about, but he didn’t see a one.

“How did you get into the store?” He asked, shaking his head. “We’re actually closed right now.”

She responded matter-of-factly, “The front door was open.”

Dylan had to fight not to drop his jaw. What did she mean “the front door was open?” He shook his head and continued: “I see. Well, we’re still closed so…” he trailed off the last few words, hoping she would pick up on the hint. Sadly, she didn’t.

“I was told that you can still operate the cashier.”

Dylan’s brow furrowed. Cashier? Does she mean…register? Just how out of it was this lady? “Who told you this?” Dylan asked.

TRL looked in the direction of the entrance and flopped a hand in that general direction, “They said that the cashiers were locked, but that you had a card that could open it.”

Dylan instinctively looked down at his admin control card and hovered his hand over it for a moment. He wondered why in the world one of his coworkers would tell her that instead of just turning her away. This was getting weirder by the minute.

He was hesitant to answer but eventually said: “Yes… My card can override the system. However, all the money has already been counted from the ‘cashier’ registers.”

TRL looked around nervously, thinking. She muttered out a few oh’s and hm’s before she eventually said: “What…what if I paid by card? That could work, right?”

Dylan was flabbergasted by her determination to buy something DURING CLOSING TIME. He scratched his head, exhaled and shook his head. There was no way he could fight this amount of strong will.

“That would work… But we’re closed? But I suppose, you’ve already come this far…” He looked up at the lady and he could see the desperation in her eyes. Whatever she was buying, it had better be important was all he could think. “Okay then. Sure. Let’s do this.”

The woman waddled off to get what she needed when Dylan stopped her. “Wait. This register isn’t operational yet. Once you have your items, take them to the register at the front. The one closest to the exit, and I’ll be there.”

She smiled and nodded at him.

“Jesus, this woman,” Dylan thought. What in the world could she need that’s so darn important? What Dylan didn’t realize is that he’d soon feel like a jerk for even questioning her motives.

He Wondered What Possessed This Pregnant Lady

Dylan watched as TRL waddled at a much faster pace than when she first approached him. He guessed because she’d been given permission, she was more determined to get whatever it was she needed and book it outta there. Good for the store at least. Dylan went to some of his zombified staff to wake ’em up. After all, if it wasn’t for them, he wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. His workers shrugged him off and Dylan figured he might as well head towards the front to meet up with TRL. That’s when he noticed the treasured item this woman was bound and determined to get, no matter the hour.

His heart sank a bit and the guilt settled in as he noticed a small bottle on the counter.

Her Purchase Cured All Of His Doubts

Infant cough syrup.

Dylan’s eyes were opened as he realized why and how this woman came to his store. He couldn’t help but notice how carefully TRL was handling the bottle (obviously because of its importance). She gently placed it on the counter with both hands and she nervously looked out the door, rubbing her belly. Dylan went around the counter and hung his head in shame for misjudging her. His mind was filled with pure clarity of what type of situation this poor woman must’ve been in. He smiled at TRL, whose name turned out to be Betty (he felt even worse not knowing the poor woman’s name and that he kept calling her “Tired Rundown Pregnant Lady”), and carefully bagged the medicine for her. He smiled and wished her a good night as she left the store, and once she left, he again shook his head and slapped his face for feeling like a total jerk. He only wished someone had warned him about the situation.

That’s when he decided he would ask his coworkers what the heck was going on that poor Betty had to run to the store alone to get medicine for her baby. What his coworkers shared with him came as an absolute shock.

Nothing Is Stronger Than A Mother’s Love

The first people Betty first ran into were the usual night staff and they gave her the usual, “Ma’am, we’re closed, please come back another time.” However, Betty explained how she needed cough syrup for her baby and instantly every worker she ran into did their best to help. No one could turn away the mother, and the workers kept passing her along to the next person until she ended up at Dylan’s register. Dylan’s store was the only option for the poor mother after she’d tried several gas stations, but had been unable to find what she needed. Dylan wondered, though, wasn’t the door locked? How did she even get in?

Well, CCTV footage showed him just how determined this mother was to help her poor baby. Someone had left the automatic doors open barely an inch and it was just enough for Betty to use her entire force to squeeze through the doors. It took a few minutes — literally, a pregnant woman had to squeeze through a half-inch opening — but Betty managed to get inside. The entire staff applauded her on that effort alone. But what really shocked Dylan and the rest of the retail workers were the people who helped Betty out before she’d her final destination.

Everyone Was Willing To Give A Helping Hand

Betty might’ve gotten through those doors alone, but she didn’t get there by chance. As much as Dylan was flattered at being called a hero for helping a tired, desperate mother instead of turning her away, he believed there were greater roles at play in this woman’s life. When Betty found out her poor infant was suffering from a bad cough and fever, she knew she had to rush to the store for medicine. She couldn’t exactly leave her toddler and sick infant home alone, though. That’s when, thankfully, her elderly neighbor volunteered to look after her kids, despite it being past 10 pm. Betty then called up a taxi. She figured that’d be easier than trying to drive around herself, especially since she was already exhausted from caring for two kids all day. The taxi driver was a kind, older man who took one look at Betty and could tell she had an emergency run to make.

He drove Betty around the town from gas station to gas station, until they finally reached Dylan’s store. However, Betty’s meter was quickly rising with so many failed stops. Sadly, she barely had enough money to cover the entire fare. That didn’t matter to this taxi driver. When he learned that she simply needed medicine for her baby, he turned off the meter and left it at a much cheaper price, and he wished Betty and her kids a safe, happy life.

Dylan learned that day to never judge a book by its cover and to always be willing to help someone in their time of need and desperation.