One Mother’s Simple Photo Request Took A Strange Turn When An Employee Insisted State Law Prevented The Store From Developing Her Film
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Some customers hear an inconvenient deadline and immediately search for an employee to blame.
This mother needed disposable-camera photos within a week, but local processing required a cross-country send-out and several weeks.
That legal and logistical reality did not stop her from repeatedly demanding an impossible exception.
Read on for the full story.
How Dare You Follow the Law
I’m a shift supervisor for a retail drug store chain.
One [of] the services we provide is photo [development]. Like a lot of places, our main type of photo is digital.
But, film takes longer…
We do offer film development however it is a send out service and could take 2 to 3 weeks.
Usually, when people call asking if we provide film service, I tell them of the wait time.
If they sound upset or ask where has faster service, I let them know that it is illegal to process film in our state. That way, the customer doesn’t waste their time calling other retailers.
This is due to the environment, so you’d think that’d make people happy.
It’s illegal due to EPA violations and corrosion to pipes.
Usually, a customer is still upset, but thanks me for saving them a lot of time.
Depending on how the conversation goes, I do inform customers that if a hobbyist has a closet darkroom, one could technically get away with it. However, I do not know where to find them.
Then, one day, along comes Karen.
So, one day, I’m in the photo department when I receive this Karen phone call:
Me: Photo department! OP speaking. How can I help you?
Karen: do you do disposable cameras?
Me: Yes! However it is a send out order and it takes 2 to 3 weeks.
This is where things get intense…
Karen: 2 TO 3 WEEKS!!!! My son needs these pictures next week. Know anywhere that has one-hour photo?
Me: It is illegal to process film in this state, so all places will be send-outs and have a significant wait time.
Karen: ILLEGAL TO PRINT PHOTOS!?!?! My son needs these photos for his project next week or he will fail. Can’t you just print his photos?
So, they patiently break it down.
Me: In order to print film, first the film needs to be processed in a bunch of chemicals. Then, the film is run thru a light machine. We no longer have any of that stuff. The chemicals harm the environment and cause pipe damage, which is why film processing is illegal in this state.
Karen: If it’s illegal where do you send them.
Me: To a state where it’s still legal.
Karen: Which state?
Me: (mentions state)
The state I live in is on one coast of the USA; the state where we send them is on the other coast.
Oh, but Karen did not like that one bit.
Karen: (STATE)!!!! No wonder it takes so long. Don’t you have anywhere closer?
Me: The company that we have a contract with is in that state.
Karen: My son needs these photos next week. Can’t you just do them.
By now I’m juggling whether I should tell her about closet darkrooms, but I decide not to.
This goes for several rounds of “it’s illegal and we don’t have the equipment.”
Finally, they just went with the truth.
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Me: I don’t know what to tell you.
Karen: Thanks a lot for failing my son. (Hangs up)
Hate the law not the messenger.
Could the employee have done something more to satisfy this customer?
Read what everyone on Reddit is saying in the comments below.
People wondered what state the OP was referring to.
Another person marveled at how times had changed.
Then, there was the Redditor who defended the OP.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a fast food employee who shuts down a customer angry about her change with a single word.
And one person was stunned that this state had banned development.
The shift supervisor repeatedly explained that in-state film processing was illegal and the store lacked the necessary equipment, but the customer kept demanding otherwise.
When reality refused to cooperate, the mother accused the employee of failing her son instead of questioning why his project waited until the last minute.
The job description now included developing film, repealing environmental law, and rescuing school projects before lunch.
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