Hello everyone, After what transpired last week, I felt compelled to share this even though I didn’t intend to. I’m Audrey, a 25-year-old lady who had to act independently when the situation demanded it. You won’t want to miss this story, so stay put!
For background, my mother is among the most compassionate individuals you will ever encounter. Unfortunately, her cancer treatment forced her to leave her wonderful work.
She needed to find employment immediately to help pay the bills, even though she is now in remission, so she took a job as a waitress at a nearby café. Even on her worst days, she never moans and always has a smile on her face.
It was just Mom and me against the world while I was growing up. From late-night movie marathons to our favorite literature, we have always been close.
I can’t think of a finer role model than her; her tenacity and optimism are infectious. It has been sad and amazing to watch her suffer yet never lose her spirit.
Here comes Karen, the entitled woman. She began frequenting the café daily, insulting my mother and making crude remarks without cause. Here are some instances of her nasty behavior:
I made the decision to go see Mom at the café one day when I was on my lunch break. She was serving Karen, who was obviously in full diva mode when I discovered her.
Karen said, “Pardon me,” and made a dramatic hand gesture as though calling for a servant. “I let my napkin fall. Give me another one, please.
With a smile and a fresh napkin, Mom, who was always patient, gracefully gave it to Karen. Karen wasn’t finished, though.
“Is it, Marilyn?” Karen glanced at the name badge on my mother’s uniform. Try not to be so slow the next time. She muttered, her voice brimming with contempt, “I don’t have all day.”
Mom simply nodded, still grinning, while I balled my fists beneath the table. “Obviously, ma’am. Do you require anything else?
Karen waved dismissively at her phone, ignoring her.
On another occasion, I was present when Karen chose to point out every flaw in the service. She yelled, “This coffee is too hot.” Additionally, this pastry is chilly. Have you checked at all? And take a look at this table! It’s dirty!
“I’m so sorry, ma’am,” Mom said in apology. I’ll immediately clear the table and get you a fresh pastry.
“And those flowers, too!” Karen went on. They’re withering. Perhaps you should bring some from your own garden if you are unable to keep fresh ones here.
Mom just answered, “I’ll see what I can do, ma’am,” even though her expression lowered a little.
Karen’s personalization was the worst. “It’s so unfortunate when people don’t take care of themselves,” she exclaimed loudly to a friend one afternoon after giving Mom a thorough examination. Take a look at her; she always appears worn out. Some people, I suppose, are simply not suited for success.
Being the angel that she is, Mom never wanted to voice her displeasure or cause trouble. However, things went too far last week.
Mom’s uniform was smeared with coffee when she arrived home in tears. Karen threw her coffee at my mom, saying it was too cold, as it turned out. Seeing her in that state broke my heart.
“What took place?” I questioned as I dabbed at her tears.
Audrey, it’s nothing. She attempted to brush it off as “just a bad day at work,” but I could see the hurt in her eyes.
I demanded, “Mom, please tell me.”
She let out a sigh. Karen. Her coffee wasn’t hot enough, so she flung it at me. She simply yelled at me and left after I tried to apologize.
“Why is she so hostile toward you? What’s wrong with her? My voice was a mix of worry and rage as I asked.
“Audrey, this goes beyond a customer being rude to a waiter. Karen is a former classmate, Mom said after hesitating for a long moment. Ever since your father picked me over her in the past, she has harbored resentment toward me.
“That’s it!” My voice trembled with rage as I spoke. “I will not allow her to get away with this!”
“Please, Audrey. “I’ll take care of it,” my mother said. She spoke in a convincing tone that was full of love and care for me.
In an attempt to calm my mother, I shook my head. But as soon as we embraced, I began to plan how I could give Karen a lesson she would never forget.
Audrey’s Retaliation: Glitter Bomb Operation
I made the decision to act independently after deciding that enough was enough. It was really easy to find Karen on the internet. She was fixated on her appearance, as seen by a cursory examination of her social media profiles. She boasted about her immaculate beauty and her opulent lifestyle.
My investigation led me to come up with a wonderful plan. I started by creating a phony Instagram account and pretending to be Lila Sanders, a high-end beauty influencer. With some purchased engagement and a few sponsored followers, the account looked authentic.
The following step followed. I began responding to Karen’s posts, giving her praise, and eventually persuaded her to believe the phoney narrative.
Following a week of cordial correspondence, I claimed to have an extra VIP ticket and messaged her about an exclusive, invite-only beauty event that was taking place in town.
“Hello, Karen!
I hope all is okay with you. Your recent blogs have been amazing; you have such perfect style!
I’m contacting you because I have an additional VIP ticket to a private, invite-only beauty event that will take place in the city the following week. It will be an excellent chance to network and indulge in some opulent pampering. Since you are so passionate about fashion and beauty, I thought you would be interested.
If you want to join, let me know!
Lila Sanders, best
Karen seized the opportunity. “My goodness, that sounds incredible! I would really like to go! Her joy virtually jumped off the screen as she replied to the reply.
I informed her that the Grand Hotel was the venue for the event. “Be sure to look your best because the dress code is very strict.”
She immediately responded. “Sure! I’m very excited! I really appreciate the invitation.
Knowing that Karen would soon come to regret ever playing with my mother, I grinned to myself.
Karen arrived all decked out, grinning smugly as she walked into the hotel foyer. I saw from a distance as she made her way to the front desk, her assured manner gradually changing to one of bewilderment.
Mr. Daniels, the hotel manager, was already waiting and appeared to be quite unhappy. I had contacted in advance, posing as Karen, and cancelled her actual spa day reservation, stating that she was unable to attend due to her severe illness.
“You mean my reservation has been canceled?” Karen’s voice increased, drawing the guests’ attention. “I didn’t make any changes!”
Mr. Daniels gave a headshake. “I apologize, ma’am, but someone posing as you canceled the reservation. The cancelation fee and other expenses have already been billed.
When Karen tried to explain herself, her face flushed. “This is absurd! I want my money back!
“Unfortunately, that isn’t feasible,” Mr. Daniels stated firmly. “It is too late to make a new reservation; we had everything prepared for your visit.”
Distressed and ashamed, Karen was forced to pay, attracting inquisitive and critical glances from the other guests. As she groped for her credit card, I could see her eyes darting around, trying to avoid the looks.
I couldn’t resist grinning to myself. However, I wasn’t finished yet. Do you recall the phony beauty event? I had made arrangements for Karen to receive a delivery of inexpensive, sticky, glittery “beauty products” in upscale-looking packaging.
I pictured the drama playing out at Karen’s house as I watched her exit the hotel.
The delivery was waiting for Karen when she eventually arrived home. When she excitedly unwrapped the parcels, her pricey clothing and immaculate living room were covered in glitter and sticky goo.
She yelled, desperately attempting to remove the glitter that adhered to everything it came into contact with. “What the—?” I knew it would take days to completely clear the mess, which was practically impossible to do.
As she desperately attempted to restore her reputation, Karen’s social media posts took a sharp decline. Her formerly flawless photographs now revealed a harried woman who was frantically attempting to keep up her façade. To my mother’s relief, she even had to take a vacation from her regular café visits.
But when I made the decision to speak with Karen face-to-face, it was the last straw. During one of her frequent visits to the café, I entered and strolled casually up to her table.
I said, my voice steady, “Karen.” “I am well aware of your identity and activities. You believe that making fun of my mother elevates you, but it just exposes your resentment and inadequacies. You hold onto small grievances from high school, while my mom overcame cancer and works hard every day. Your behavior is pitiful, and you are only making yourself look foolish, so it’s time to mature and move on.
Karen’s face flushed scarlet, and she lost all ability to speak. Having heard our exchange, the other patrons of the café gazed at her in mute condemnation. With her head lowered in embarrassment, she hastily packed her belongings and departed. Since then, I haven’t seen her in the café.
My mother wasn’t overly happy about the deception when she learned what I had done. “Thank you for defending me, Audrey, but was all of that really necessary?” Her voice was a mix of humor and anxiety as she asked.
“You’ve always supported me, Mom, giving up everything to make sure I’m happy. I squeezed her hand and said, “This was nothing compared to what you’ve done for me.”
She let out a sigh, yet she couldn’t help but smile. “Justice in the glitziest, stickiest way imaginable, huh?”
“Just right,” I smiled. “Karen needed to experience the consequences of her actions.”
I hope you will think twice before snapping at someone who is merely trying to make your day better, Karen, if you happen to see this. And you really are the strongest person I’ve ever met, Mom.
