The Night an Entitled Guest Learned the Hard Way
It was supposed to be a normal night—just a little overtime, waiting for maintenance to finish up. But then she showed up. And let me tell you, this woman turned my quiet evening into a full-blown disaster.
By the time it was over, karma hit her like a speeding train. And I got front-row seats to the show.
The Setup
I was already two hours past my shift, stuck at the hotel because the maintenance guy was running late. My manager, Ray, had asked me to stay in case he needed access to the storage closet where we kept the chemical logs. Normally, I’d be home by 10:15 p.m., but tonight? Tonight was different.
At 9:55 p.m., I gave my final warning to the last few pool guests.
“Five minutes left, folks! Pool closes at 10!”
Most people nodded, packed up their stuff, and left without a fuss. One dad even thanked me.
But then… Linda arrived.
Enter the Villain
Linda was in her 40s, with sunburned skin and frizzy chlorine-soaked hair. She stomped up to me barefoot, a dripping kid on each hip, her face twisted in rage.
“We paid GOOD MONEY to be here!” she screeched, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. “My kids want to keep swimming! You have to keep the pool open!”
I checked my watch. “Sorry, ma’am. Pool closes at 10. It’s policy. Plus, we’ve got chemical treatments scheduled—it’s not safe to stay.”
She rolled her eyes like I’d just insulted her. “Show me something OFFICIAL!”
I walked over to the sign behind the gate and tapped it. “‘Pool Hours: 8 a.m. to DUSK.'”
“That doesn’t say 10 p.m.!” she shrieked.
“Dusk is usually between 6 and 9 p.m.,” I said, smiling sweetly. “Honestly, you’re getting extra time.”
Her face turned red. She huffed off, dragging her kids behind her.
I thought that was the end of it.
I was wrong.
The Betrayal
Ten minutes later, my radio crackled.
“Uh, hey, Liam?” It was Kyle, the new night clerk—young, nervous, and way too eager to please. “I, uh… gave Linda the gate key.”
“You WHAT?!”
“She said her kids were crying! She promised they’d only be in for 30 minutes!”
I groaned. “Kyle… the pool is closed. And the chemicals are already going in!”
“I—I thought—”
“You thought wrong.”
I should’ve walked away. But no—I stayed just long enough to watch Linda and a dozen kids march back into the pool like they owned the place.
Then came the screaming.
Karma Strikes Back
“EWWW! IT SMELLS!”
“MOM! MY SKIN BURNS!”
Linda shot up from her lounge chair like a rocket. “KAYLA! GET OUT! NOW!”
Too late.
The kids had jumped straight into a chlorine shock treatment—the same one I’d told her about. The water was loaded with chemicals that needed hours to balance out.
Now, they were all soaked in it.
The Meltdown
Linda stormed into the lobby, her kids wailing behind her. She screamed at Kyle, demanding my phone number.
And he gave it to her.
Within minutes, my phone rang.
“YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE!” Linda’s voice screeched through the receiver. “WHERE ARE YOU? GET BACK HERE!”
I sighed. “Ma’am, the pool closes at 10. Chemical treatment starts immediately after. I told you this.”
“I WANT THE MANAGER!”
“He’ll be here at 8 a.m.”
She lost it.
“YOU LITTLE BRAT!” she screamed into my voicemail later. “YOU NEVER SAID THE CHEMICALS WOULD BE THIS BAD! I’M CALLING THE POLICE! YOU’RE GOING TO JAIL!”
I saved the voicemail and sent it straight to Ray.
The Final Showdown
An hour later, two police cars rolled up.
Linda was on the curb, arms flailing, kids wrapped in towels like soggy little burritos. Kyle looked like he was about to faint.
The officers asked for my statement. I handed over the voicemail, the schedule log, and—most importantly—the security footage.
Turns out:
- Kyle gave her the wrong key.
- She picked the lock when it didn’t work.
- She yanked open the emergency override to get back in.
- And the cameras caught her threatening me.
One officer turned to her slowly.
“Ma’am, did you tamper with the lock?”
She froze. “I—I was given a key!”
“But you forced the emergency lock. That’s unauthorized access.”
Her face went pale.
“And who suggested going back into the pool after hours?” the other officer asked.
Linda pointed at Kyle.
Kyle stared at his shoes. “She said her husband was sick… I thought it’d be okay for a few minutes…”
I almost laughed.
The Aftermath
In the end:
- Linda got charged with trespassing and filing a false report.
- The hotel banned her for life.
- Her kids? Totally fine—just itchy from the chlorine.
As I clocked out, Kyle shuffled up to me, looking like a kicked puppy.
“Hey… I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
I shrugged. “You’ll learn. Just don’t hand out keys to angry moms next time.”
He nodded. “Thanks for not throwing me under the bus.”
I grinned. “Linda did that herself.”
And with that, justice was served—short, sweet, and very satisfying.