Ali Brennen-Pierce
Google
If I could leave negative stars I absolutely would. Being an individual with an invisible disability, I had to use the restroom quickly prior to purchasing an item. A woman working there came up to me quite abruptly and told me to purchase something. I let her know quietly that it was a bit of an emergency and I would buy something after. She blocked my way and pointed to the counter and demanded I buy something. I said again that i would after and said again that it was an emergency (with some extra details as she didn’t seem to understand what I meant) She demanded again. I said that my husband would gladly buy something while I used the toilet. She then pointed at him and demanded he go buy something right now. My husband, seeing my discomfort and hearing this employee raising her voice at me came to check I was okay. The woman tried to shepherd my husband to the counter and when he didnt move, I expressed to her that my husband would get something but was currently trying to
Protect me as she was being very intense. She left in a huff, the lovely woman in front of me in line held the door for me and gave me the key.
My husband then went to buy something and tried to talk to another employee and the man tried to argue with my husband. Once I was finished in the restroom I went to the male employee (not knowing at this point that my husband had tried to talk to him) and I let him know what I used to carry a medical disability card with me expressing my immediate need of washrooms and that I hadn’t carried it for years as everyone is always very understanding and I have never faced an issue. He told me all about an elderly man he let use the washroom without buying something. He then went on to on express that there would be no way to know if I had a disability to which I told him that many disabilities are invisible. He was very rude and basically said that it was ridiculous to think someone would guess at an invisible disease and how would he ever know. He also said that he had no proof I was telling him the truth. At this point I honestly wanted to show him the scars that I have across my entire torso but decided against it - I expressed (yes my sass starts to come out here as at this point I was feeling pretty angry) that typically by being a kind person to people generally helped. He said something along the lines of ‘thanks for the lecture’ and at this point, I’m crying, absolutely told him to go to hell in less polite words and left dancing while I flipped him off. Mature response? No, but for everyone else with an invisible disability, had to do it. Peace y’all - get a coffee elsewhere ❤️