Many stores close at a set time but the employees remain onsite to do things like restock shelves, take inventory, or perform other essential activities.

What would you do if you were working late one night and then suddenly you saw a customer who had somehow gotten into your store?

That is what happened to the manager in this story, so after getting over her shock, she actually helped the customer get what she needed.

We closed several hours ago, but customer muscled their way through the front doors to be served.

Our store was opening up a new department, and some of the day staff had been called in to help the night staff fill the shelves for tomorrows big opening.

Working long days (and nights) can be so difficult.

There was quite a lot of night staff raucously running around throughout the store, and a small handful of day staff cloistered in the new department, shuffling around dead eyed and slack-jawed like they were auditioning for the next season of The Walking Dead.

I was at the new departments computer going over the new stock, when I see someone approaching from the foreground, I look up expecting to see a staff member, but instead I see a very heavily pregnant woman slowly waddling up to the counter.

Where did this leady come from?

This woman is in utter shambles, her hair is disheveled, her drooping eyes are sunken and engulfed in deep dark circles, she’s wearing pink pajamas complete with fluffy pink slippers, contrasted heavily by what is surely a contender for the most hardcore leather jacket I’ve ever seen.

That thing had chains coming off of it’s chains it was so hardcore.

What is she doing here?

It took her the better part of a minute to walk down the aisle and up to the counter, during that time my mind was racing.

How did she get into the store, and how did she get this far into it without being stopped by anyone, this was not someone who would casually escape notice. Anyway, she gets up to counter and we converse.

Tired rundown pregnant lady will be TRL, while my very tired self will be Me. Also, all of TRL’s speech isn’t much louder than a soft whisper.

This is going to be a weird conversation.

Me: (Baffled and bewildered) Hey…

TRL: (After catching there breath, looks up and smiles weakly) Hey…

Me: How did you get into the store, we’re actually closed right now.

TRL: The front door was open.

So, she basically broke in.

(We had examined security footage the day after to see how she got in, and sure enough, the heavy automatic doors were open by about half an inch, and despite her condition, after several laborious minutes she had somehow found the strength needed to muscle the doors open wide enough to squeeze through.)

Me: I see… Well… We’re still closed, so…

No madam, they can’t operate the register.

TRL: I was told that you can still operate the cashier. (She meant register, but she said cashier.)

Me: (Even more baffled and bewildered) Who told you this?

TRL: (Looking over towards the direction of the entrance) They said that the cashiers were locked, but that you had a card that could open it.

Nobody would have told her this.

(Instinctively, I reached down to my belt for the admin control card and rested my hand on it for a moment.)

Me: Yes… My card can override the system… However, all the money has already been counted from the cashier registers…

TRL: Oh… I see… Hm… What… What if I paid by card, that would work, right?

Wow, I can’t believe she is going to let her buy something.

Me: That would work, but we’re… (deep inhale and exhale) Closed, but I suppose, you’ve already come this far… Okay then, sure, lets do this.

TRL: Ah… Thank you. This is greatly appreciated. (Turns around and starts waddling off)

Me: 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, I’ll be there.

TRL: (Smiles, and then nods)

She must have something that she needs very badly.

So she waddles off, a great deal faster than she had arrived, as if possessed of newfound purpose. Meanwhile, I shook off some of the nights zombification, and I slowly shuffled my way to front of the store. After about 10 minutes later, I saw her waddling into view and towards the counter.

She was carrying her single item in both hands, and with great care, reverently placed it atop the counter. When I finally got a good look at the item and my mind registered what it was, my heart almost broke in two.

Ahh, she has a baby at home.

It was Infant Cough Syrup. Suddenly, there was a moment of pure clarity where everything just made sense, and sure enough, after TRL paid for her item, thanked me once again, and left, I spoke to my coworkers who all confirmed the conclusion I’d already reached.

TRL ran into several staff all of whom confronted her, but none of whom could bring themselves to turn her away once her purpose was revealed.

All these employees are really going above and beyond.

The night staff were the first to intercept TRL, all of whom apologized profusely that they couldn’t help, but directed her towards their team leader who might.

The team leader then directed TRL towards the new department where there were day staff. (I asked what they would’ve done if it were any other night, and they said that they would’ve just given TRL the item).

The employees should have walked with her.

Once TRL reached the new department, the day staff confronted TRL, and directed them towards me, and a few even mentioned my admin card, and that she would most assuredly get served.

TRL had tried several petrol stations before she’d arrived at our retail park, desperation had brought her, and one way or another she was going to leave the retail park with what she came for.

This turned out to be a heartwarming story. The employees deserve kudos for going above and beyond for a customer in need.

Let’s see what the people in the comments think about it.

Yup, I had the same thought as this person.

This is absolutely true.

Here is a commenter who loved the story.

This is a good manager.

Me too, it turned out to be a great story.

This turned out to be a heartwarming story.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.