I was two hours past my shift, waiting for maintenance to finish a pool filtration repair, when Linda arrived—loud, barefoot, and dragging two dripping kids. “We paid good money! Keep the pool open!” she demanded. I calmly explained the pool closed at 10 p.m. for chemical treatment and that warnings were posted. She wasn’t having it and stormed off.

Ten minutes later, Kyle, our new night clerk, radioed me. “I gave Linda the gate key,” he admitted nervously. Turns out she manipulated him with tears and promises. I told him, “Not my problem,” and walked off—until I heard splashing. She and a group of moms had unlocked the pool and let about a dozen kids dive in.

But the pool had already been treated with shock chemicals. The kids started yelling, “It smells!” and “My skin burns!” Linda panicked. She called me in a rage, screaming, “You poisoned them!” I reminded her of the policy and ended the call.

She didn’t stop there. She called the cops and left me a voicemail threatening to ruin me. When officers arrived, I calmly played the message, showed the posted signs, security footage, and explained our schedule.

Turned out she’d broken the emergency lock—classified as tampering. Officers questioned her and Kyle. He admitted he’d handed over a key, but she’d pushed her way back in and forced the gate. Her bluff backfired.

Linda was charged with trespassing and banned. The kids? Fine after a rinse. Kyle apologized. I just told him, “Next time someone demands something unreasonable, point to the sign.”