In this tale, Paris shares a remarkable incident that tested her calm demeanor and quick thinking when facing an unexpected and potentially dangerous situation. Prepare to delve into the extraordinary story of how Paris’s unique response to a would-be robber took an unexpected turn.
A Well-Run Store
Paris manages a cash-only business in a city where most establishments have gone cashless due to theft concerns. Their store attracts a diverse range of customers, from grumpy grandmas with hip pain to street panhandlers.
With a low tolerance for bad behavior, Paris has the authority to refuse service to anyone being rude or disrespectful. Her boss values customer satisfaction over a small profit, even if it means turning away tourists who want to experience something illegal in their own hometown.
Difficult Customers
Working in such a place means encountering people in various states of mind, including those going through psychotic episodes or entitled tourists who believe they are above the law. Paris has developed a calm demeanor when faced with these situations.
Instead of reacting aggressively, she chooses to treat unruly customers with a gentle parenting approach. If someone starts screaming in her face, accusing her of being a lizard person, Paris remains composed, asking clarifying questions to distract the person while shepherding them gently toward the exit.
No Backup
This method has proven effective, as shouting back rarely solves anything. On the rare occasion when they had to call the police due to violence, the response time was disappointing, forcing her to handle such incidents independently.
Although there is an alternative service for mental health emergencies, their calls to the dispatchers often go unanswered or result in immediate hang-ups.
Fight or Flight
After five years of this and another ten in customer service, Paris has learned to navigate these challenges on her own, causing her fight-or-flight response to evolve and dampening their overall enthusiasm for life. Many who have worked in customer service for a significant period can likely relate to this sentiment!
A Robbery
On one particular day, Paris was stationed at the front of the store, greeting customers and checking their IDs. The store had been quiet for a while until a man walked in. With a ball cap, messy backpack, and an oversized jacket in the sweltering heat, he resembles one of the street kids frequently seen in the area. Without much thought, Paris offers the standard greeting, “Hey! How’s it going?”
In a chillingly calm tone, the man locks eyes with Paris, hands concealed in his pockets, and declares, “This is a robbery.”
Huh?!
Paris hears the words clearly, but instead of succumbing to panic, an unexpected calm takes over. She decides to play dumb and adopts a “poofy kitty” posture in an effort to make herself look bigger and more intimidating, despite being a 5’5″ average-sized woman facing a man at least six feet tall!
Feigning confusion, Paris replies, “Huh?”
The man repeats, “I said, ‘This is a robbery.'” His voice remains flat, devoid of any emotion.
While physically unprepared for whatever may come next, her mind remains calm.
Show No Fear
Attempting to sound genuinely perplexed, Paris retorts, “I’m not really sure what you want me to do about that.” The man stares at Paris for several moments, and in return, Paris maintains eye contact, uncertain of what will happen next but mentally preparing to lock themselves in the room alone with the potential robber without showing any fear.
Then, unexpectedly, the man relents. “It was a joke! I’m joking! I guess you don’t understand dry humor!”
Confused and taken aback, Paris responds, “Nope, that’s not a joke.”
Dry Humor?
Insisting on his failed attempt at humor, the man becomes flustered and begins exhibiting all the classic traits of a “nice guy,” repeating himself and emphasizing the phrase “dry humor.”
Paris calmly interrupts, “Calling it ‘dry humor’ does not make it a joke. You walked into a business and threatened to rob us. It’s 2023 in the US, man. It wouldn’t have been funny before, but you really can’t say that kind of thing these days.”
She made sure to remind him about the security cameras meticulously placed throughout the store, capturing the entire incident.
Not So Brave Now
Seeing his bravado crumble, the man starts backtracking and complies when Paris requests to see his ID. While he rummages through his bag, Paris takes note of everything, searching for any sign of a weapon, although none are immediately apparent.
The man says he just wants to buy a few accessory items. Choosing not to escalate the situation further in case he snaps, Paris decides to sell him the merchandise and swiftly sends him on his way.
A Joke or a Close Call?
Paris still has doubts about whether the man’s claim of joking was genuine. It seems as though he expected to stroll into a store with an all-female staff and intimidate his way through a robbery. However, when Paris didn’t react as he anticipated, he quickly retracted his statement and became defensive.
Perhaps Paris’s assessment is mistaken, and the man is simply an oblivious individual lacking social awareness. In defense of his ill-conceived humor, Paris’s coworkers did have a good laugh at the situation – her own sense of humor is dry and dark, so they found it hilarious that of all people he’d spoken to her!
Paris couldn’t help but wonder if anyone else had encountered such “jokes” in their line of work.
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The post She Took on a Robber With Her Fierce Attitude and Won. And They All Had a Good Laugh About It! first appeared on Wealthy Living
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Master1305. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit