I was doing some gas station jobs this weekend in western New Mexico. 99.9% of the time I have no issues at all, sometimes people will ask why I am taking photos of the gas pumps and if something is wrong. I assure them there is nothing wrong and tell them what I am doing. Saturday I got that 0.1% pain in the tush lady. I was taking my photos as normal, nothing exciting. She approaches me and demands to know why I am photographing her car. I assure her I am not, I am photographing the building. She tells me her car is in the pictures and demands that I erase them. I told her no problem, I can do that and I will retake the photos as soon as she leaves. She then tells me she is not going anywhere she has a right to be there as much as I do. I stay calm and tell her I would not rush her, once you are done with your business and leave I will retake the pictures. She then tells me she can stay all day if she wants to. I agreed with her and told her that was her right and I would not interfere with it. She then accused me of photographing her kids (who were not kids but young adults) I again told her I did not take any photos of any person much less children. By this point, I am getting annoyed. I just want to take my pictures and move on to the other jobs. So I told her "Look I am not taking pictures of you, your kids, or your car. I taking pictures of the gas station. Which I was hired to do. You can stay here all day if you like and sit in your car at the gas pump, that is up to you. However, I have a job to do and others waiting after it. I am going to continue my job and you can sit in your car. If you would like to have your car out of my photos please move it when you are done and I will wait. Other than that there is nothing more I can offer you. I have a job to do and I would like to get on with it if you do not mind." She huffed and puffed and took off out of the station. I did delete all photos that I had taken while she was there and redid them. I went into the store and told the clerk what happened and that I had deleted all the pictures in case she called. The clerk was so nice and apologized for her and said she is very difficult and their debit cards never work when they come into the store and she always causes a scene. When I got back in the car my 75-year old mom was so excited she said "Oh my god I just saw my first Karen and it wasn't you. I'm so proud of you."

I had one once where the lady claimed i was taking pictures of everyones license plate numbers for the government.

Another time i was doing a fast food and was taking pictures. When I got to the speaker to place my order a homeless guy was there asking why i was taking pictures. He was yelling into the speaker telling them I was taking pictures.

Sounds like you handled the situation well, you were polite and professional.

Unfortunately every now and then you run into someone like this that no matter what you do they are not able to back off or understand any reasonable explanation. I think they just need to be rude and combative and not interested in hearing your response. You handled it very well with amazing patience and as a bonus got to impress your mom.

I love the comment your mom made. Once I had a bar shop and we were packed in there (pre-covid). The regular to my right saw me taking pics of my food and tattled on me to the bartender, geez.

What's a Karen?

OMG. A Karen is an entitled woman.

The woman in Central Park with her dog off the leash who called the cops when an African American asked her to put her dog on a leash. It was in a "dogs on leashes only" area. She called the cops and said the man was threatening her, a black man threatened her.

He just asked her, civilly, to follow the law and leash her dog.

THAT's a Karen.

"I want to see your manager!" Karen

The only time I asked to talk to a manager was a mess at Walmart. There was a crazy, dirty, loud, scary woman with a large dog (NOT a support animal) who cut the line in front of me and was shouting and cursing. Totally out of control.

When it was my turn, I asked for a manager. She came out, dread on her face, sure a Karen was gonna raise Cain.

I told her how beautifully the very young clerk had handled the customer. I praised her to the skies. I told the manager not one in one hundred would have handled it so well, calming the woman, not losing her cool, just awesome.

The manager thanked me for taking the time to tell her. She said it was delightful to hear something good for a change, that ALWAYS when she's called out to hear a customer, it's a complaint, not praise.

I do hope the young lady was adequately rewarded.

And this was BEFORE COVID.

My philosophy is, if I'm gonna complain when things go wrong, I should also praise when something is done so right.

I have sent you a PM @cindycribbs

I also like to give praise to the employees when they go out of their way or they handle someone well. On that note, I have also called corporate offices to complain about managers who thought it was appropriate to treat their staff horribly or belittle them in front of customers. I am a firm believer in you treat those working with you well or you work alone.

@jlcarter1975 wrote:

I love the comment your mom made. Once I had a bar shop and we were packed in there (pre-covid). The regular to my right saw me taking pics of my food and tattled on me to the bartender, geez.

I thought everyone took pics of their food! You know, to brag to their friends about what they're eating...

I was at Parrot Mountain in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in 2015. It was not a shop. I was just on vacation and there was a rude tour guide who kept bothering me. He accused me of taking pictures of him. He was the guy who had parrots hanging all over his shirt and head. He was leading a group of people through the park and he just happened to be in front of me. He said "Could you maybe ask my permission before you take a pic of me?" I tried explaining I wasn't. He came back after 5 minutes saying that I was trying to take his picture and interrupting his tour!! I even showed him my phone to prove there weren't any pics of him. He told my husband "Your wife is taking my pics." Like I was some 5 year old. We left the park after spending about 15 minutes for $50.

I wrote an email to their HR and they apologized for his conduct. They promised a free tour for the next time and a free picture session. Like I would go there the next time...So, that was my Karen!!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2021 02:06AM by Mum.

Had my own encounter with a "Karen" recently, and suffice it to say, she will remember me, This Karen took it upon herself to inject herself into another conversation I was having with a person in a store that did not involve her in any capacity. This was not a shop.
Karen had been eavesdropping, and she decided to create an issue where none existed, just to make trouble. So she swooped into this conversation, telling the other person that " I heard what that lady said and I am on your side yadda-yadda. There were no sides and no conflict. Karen thought she would flex her muscles. haha.

I told her to mind her own business. She began to scream that I was threatening her. Untrue. A total and complete histrionic drama queen !! I told her again to mind her own business and stay out of discussion that do not involve her. She went to manager and demanded I be removed from the store. Did not happen. She got her azz handed to her by me in no uncertain terms. My money says she won't be shopping at that store location anymore. Good. I am sick and tired of these self righteous ignoramuses.