A disgruntled Costco shopper in Oregon has recently gone viral after she was filmed having a full-on meltdown in the store upon being told she would have to wear a mask in order to keep shopping.
In toddler-like fashion, the appropriately dubbed “Costco Karen” refused to simply leave the store, and went on to throw a tantrum, insisting she doesn’t have to leave because “this is America.”
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At the beginning of the video, the unnamed shopper can be seen interacting with a *supremely* patient Costco employee.
Upon being told that she has to put on a face mask in order to shop, as per the company’s new safety policy amid the coronavirus outbreak, the woman says she has a “medical condition.”
However, the employee replies that would actually mean she has even *more* reason to wear a face covering.
The video continues as the woman adamantly refuses to put on a mask, even though it’s dangling from her own ear.
She insists she has a right to refuse and exclaims, “I am a United States citizen!”
“OK, well, you have to wear your mask in Costco though,” the employee with infinite patience calmly replies. “It’s a private property.”
After being asked one more time to put on her mask, the woman refuses and says she no longer wants to be a Costco member.
“OK, want me to get that taken care of for you?” the employee asks. “Well, then you’re going to have to put your mask on.”
Let’s all just take a brief moment here to appreciate that amazing comeback before we continue with this story because *damn*.
In typical Karen fashion, the woman then demands to speak to a manager.
But when the employee requests she go wait outside for the manager, the woman plops herself down on the ground in protest (not unlike a toddler).
She then refuses to move, even while she blocks another customer’s path.
Forever remaining level-headed in this bizarre situation, the Costco employee offers her a chair to sit on, and even asks if she needs help standing up, both of which Karen passionately refuses.
You can see the whole meltdown for yourself, since someone in line at the store spied a perfect Karen moment and decided to film it.
As of writing, the video has over 90,000 views with thousands of people expressing disbelief at the grown woman’s behavior.
Many eyebrows are raised by her claim of a “condition.”
“The medical condition she has is called ‘Entitlement’ and all she needs is a dose of ‘Covid-19’ so that she can really have a reason not to breathe,” this person wrote.
Others praised the Costco employee’s handling of the situation and for being just so unbelievably patient with the woman.
“All the workers that have to deal with these entitled, ignorant people should get a medal,” one user said. “That one employee’s patience was amazing.”
Another added, “I’m amazed at how polite she was. I wouldn’t have been as nice.”
And in case you’re wondering how the store’s manager handled the woman’s tantrum, we have a video of that, too.
In the followup clip , we can see the manager and another employee approach the woman to say she must wear a mask if she wants to shop in the store.
“We’re not going to do this today,” the manager tells her.
Unfortunately, the video cuts out after he gives her two choices (wear a mask and shop or keep it off and leave), so we don’t get to find out how this truly bizarre interaction ended.
Although it can be entertaining to witness these sorts of “Karen” meltdowns, it also highlights a serious issue plaguing the U.S. right now.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), daily coronavirus cases in the country have risen from around 14,000 on June 1 to 54,357 on July 1.
And so long as there are people like these “Karens” who think they’re above mask policies, those numbers are sure to continue to grow.
