Oops!

Tuesday, July 02, 2024

Yesterday at work, I followed a detailed checklist I had created for my role in the Fine Jewelry Department. Throughout my evening shift, I methodically checked off each task, which helped me manage the various requirements without feeling overwhelmed. When it was time to start closing the department, I smoothly handled all the necessary routines—fine jewelry has more closing tasks than any other area in the department store. As a result, I’m often one of the last employees to clock out.

Last night, after completing my checklist, I was indeed the last employee to clock out. As I walked down an aisle towards the employee exit door, my iPhone rang. My watch showed it was a call from North Carolina, so I dismissed it, thinking it was a marketer. Little did I know that I would soon face an unexpected problem: the exit door wouldn’t open, and I found myself locked inside the store.

Fortunately, the night manager was still outside the door, concerned that a last vehicle was still in the employee parking lot. While I pushed on the stubborn exit door, the store manager called out loudly, asking if I was still inside. She unlocked the door, setting off silent alarms, and I stepped out. We waited together to see what would happen next.

How could I have known that the call from North Carolina was actually the night manager trying to reach me?

As we waited, the store’s General Manager called the night manager and provided instructions on how to resolve the situation. Thankfully, no police arrived, the alarm was reset, and my “savior car” took me home.

Had I been left entirely alone, I wouldn’t have been able to contact anyone for help. This experience taught me the importance of having store-related emergency phone numbers handy as part of my checklist.

Dear friends, Gratefully, I didn’t have to walk outside with my hands raised in surrender! Diana