Karen’s Gone Wild

A Woman Demanded a Store Worker Who Was on Their Break Assist Her

She was rude, demanding, and unconcerned the worker was resting during his shift

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

“Privilege is not knowing that you’re hurting others and not listening when they tell you.”
― DaShanne Stokes

The Scene

I’m in a big box store. There is a Starbucks coffee shop. I mean, you can walk directly into Starbucks from within the store. It was about 10:30 a.m., and I needed another cup of coffee. I have been out and about since 7 a.m. I had to drop my cat off at the vet early, drop off shirts at the laundry, get gas and run my car through the automatic car wash, no vacuuming, because my dark blue car was coated with yellow pollen from my oak tree.

I had finished my shopping for laundry detergent and breakfast sausage. I go to Starbucks and order my regular: a venti skinny vanilla latte and two pumps of vanilla and extra whip (don’t judge me). The barista behind the counter recognizes me even with my mask because I am in the store a minimum of once every two weeks. When I leave the store each time, I get a coffee, sit in my car, and enjoy it.

The Situation

Sitting and eating quietly at the back of the Starbucks is a young person who works at the store. He has on the bright red top that all the associates wear. He has a coffee and a pastry. This Gen Z person gives me a slight nod as I stand waiting for my drink; I nod back.

The way the Starbucks is constructed, there is no door to the open area of the big box store. You can see straight in. A nicely dressed but frowning woman pushed a cart filled with shopping items into the Starbucks. She did not stop to get coffee but walked over to the kid sipping his coffee and asked him for help.

What? You came out of the store into the Starbucks to ask a person you see sitting and drinking coffee and eating a doughnut to stop what they are doing to help you. Interesting, I watch. The store employee answers in a neutral voice that he is on his break. He said,” If you walk back onto the main floor, you will see another employee who can assist you.”