Tales from the "Door"

So here I am at Scienceworks, rostered at the “Door” for the next hour or so.

Imagine a place you want to go. Now put a person in front of you who wants you to already have a ticket in order to get in there. That’s the Door, and it’s about a third of my day. It’s as close to First Contact as I’m ever going to get, probably, and customers often play their part in my culture clash/alien life scenarios.

Encounter 1

Them: Do we need a ticket to come in here?

I: Yes you do.

Them: Is it this one? (Proceeds to show me the ticket that EVERY visitor gets upon general entry to the museum)

I: I’m sorry sir, that’s not the one. (Unspoken: Why would they pay me to take a ticket from you that everyone gets at a desk that is nine steps away from me? Why is it not clear that I am sitting here as a visual clue that SOME people will not be allowed access to this space?)

Encounter 2

Them: Is that an iPad?

I: Yes it is.

Them: Can I have it?

I: Has that ever worked on anyone before? And no.

Encounter 3

Them: Is this where the dinosaurs are?

I: (shouting over the roar of a 1/4 scale Apatosaurus that is plainly visible behind me) Yes.

Them: (Cupping their hand to their ear.) I’m sorry?

I: (Pointing at the beast and speaking louder still) The dinosaurs are in there, yes!

Them: Oh. Well we were looking for the Planetarium. (Wanders off…)

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