beach vibes | caffeine dreams | stay golden ~
Background:
I worked at a busy Waterpark similiar to Six Flags as a lifeguard/attendant. It was the middle of summer, there were thousands of people in the park, and good ‘camping/setup’ spots where limited by lunch time.
Situation:
While lifeguarding over a fake beach/wave pool, we were periodically required to tell customers on the dining table that the seating was short term seating only, while they eat their food etc. Otherwise people leave there towels and bags over every table, and flip out if anyone tries to eat at ‘their table’
Most people are cool and clear out after eating, freeing it up for the next customers. These tables are constantly packed when it’s busy.
One lady has decided that she’ll pull 2 tables, and 8 chairs together, spread all her stuff around, and start reading a book (with a coffee). This is incredibly rude, and pisses a lot of customers off (rightly so).
So after the waves turn off (20 min on, 10 off) I do the walk through with the same speal “Limited seating, appreciate if you could free up once you’re finished your meals etc etc” I get to this lady who says:
“Im drinking a coffee”
“I understand, but you can’t really set up 'base’ here, we keep the dining tables free for people with food to have somewhere to eat. There are plenty of spaces here, here n here”
“yeah, thanks…”
Another half hour goes, I go through the tables again, same speal etc, get to this lady.
“Sorry Ma'am, but I really have to ask you to move on shortly, you’ve taken up 8 seats and 2 tables for the last hour while only occupying one…”
“I’m reading a book! Get your manager if you have a problem, show some initiative! (She actually said that…)”
So call the duty manager over, he has a chat, calms her down, comes back to me and says “She claims to have a heart problem and can’t walk around much or be in the heat etc, so just let her be”
Not a problem, I’m not going to harass a lady with a coughheart problem, and the Manager is cool with it so I dont care.
Revenge:
About 3 hours later I was rotated on one of the more popular group waterslides. The lineup was over an hour.
Low and behold, look who it is! The same lady, with some of her friends.
She gets to the front of the line, attempts to step into the ride:
“Sorry Ma'am, unfortunately I can’t let you ride this today”
“Why not!??!”
“As it’s a 'thrill’ ride, people with heart conditions aren’t permitted to ride” (not entirely true, they are just not advised to ride, I wasn’t going to tell her this though)
“I don’t have a heart condition!”
“I’m sorry if I was misinformed, but I’ve been notified that you have a heart condition, and so really wouldn’t feel comfortable putting you in this situation, risking it etc, your friends are fine to go though!”
They all took off yelling and laughing etc
“This is b.s! I want to speak to your manager!”
“Certainly”
I radio’d to the Manager, briefly let him know the situation, and heard the amusement in his voice when he said he’ll be around soon.
She waited another 30 mins standing at the top of this line, only to be greeted by, guess who, the same Manager she claimed she had the heart condition to. While putting on his incredibly sincere and concerned voice, told her how he couldnt possibly risk putting her in a situation like this, opening them up for court action etc. She tried pleading to him that she didn’t really have a heart condition, and how it was something else etc.
