We have a story floating around my store that happened before I even started there, so it’s at least five years old…

As we deal with a large deal of money on a daily basis, we have a panic button installed by each register. Someone pushed it one day, not knowing what it was, and nothing happened…

Until THREE DAYS LATER when corporate called, demanding to know why they had pushed the panic alarm.

No police. No fire. No security. He pushed the panic button, and it took them THREE FUCKING DAYS to find out.

Now, we flash to today.

I’m busy out the ass because Idiot is running off to clean (At least I don’t have to deal with it…) and New! Cuz (They have the same name) is in the window, leaving poor Terah alone up front, when the power hiccups.

It hiccups and goes out for five seconds. No big, I just keep helping customers when it comes back on, until Shift Leader 2 shows up, saying that the burglar alarm is going off and we don’t know the code, she’s called all the office people and whoever calls back, I’m supposed to tell them.

So, about twenty minutes pass, and PinkGirl calls back and explains how to reset it. I tell Shift Leader 2 and go back to my busy-out-the-ass line. All’s good.

Until a Security Guard comes in and comes up to me, whispering ‘Terah, do you have a Panic Button?’

Terah: Yeah, we all have one. Why?

Guard: Can you check it? (still whispering)

Terah: …not without pushing it, what’s up?

The panic alarm was going off and the city police had called Tribal Officers, who called Security to haul ass down there. We had the city cops AND Tribal with lights going in our parking lot.

I explained about the power hiccup, and he seemed relieved.

Guard: OH! That’s probably what it was. Okay, I’ll go tell Shift Leader 2 to send your help (Idiot) up for you when I go sign the book.

…y’know, I probably would’ve been just fucking pissed over having all those cops down at the store, with having to explain to custy’s that we WERE NOT being robbed, but I was just thrilled that this time, at least, it didn’t take them three days to respond.

--Terah