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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Man stands outside store for 2 hours awaiting store to be open on Sunday

24 replies

Ifo · 28/09/2025 13:10

I’m working at another store to my usual place. Today I started at 8am putting out the delivery of produce. It was pouring down with rain. A man stood outside the store. A colleague commented that he spends two hours outside in all weathers just to buy a newspaper.

Said to the colleague, are there any newsagents, small shops etc that sell papers. Never been into the town where I am temporarily work at, for a good 15 years. Yes about 6 within 10 min walk.

Then when the store opens at 10am, the colleague says the man whinges about the tills slow to sign into. Yes that happens at my store. Probably a company wide issue. You cannot sign in until the time on the tills, not on watch or phone is at 10am on Sundays.

Overhearing the conversation, other colleagues chipped into the subject. In conclusion it was - why can’t he go to one of these 6 newsagents etc at 8am to buy a paper and go home. Then has 2 hours more to read it.

Another one claims that he probably walks past one of these shops to the store!

Why does the man spend 2 hours waiting for the store to open every Sunday!

OP posts:
Mydahliasareshit · 28/09/2025 13:13

Because he's probably very lonely and wants to get out and 'have a mission'. I wouldn't overthink this one.

WhatInTheFreshHellIsThis · 28/09/2025 13:14

If I was you, I would have asked him. Once I see a mini mystery like that, I’d have to solve it. There must be a good reason why he stands there for 2 hours.

Katemax82 · 28/09/2025 13:24

Maybe he forgets it's Sunday trading hours@

JLou08 · 28/09/2025 13:33

Possibly part of a strict routine, leaves the house first thing every morning to get a paper from the same shop. The shop probably opens at 8 every other day but Sunday's he needs to wait. He may be autistic.

Bodypumpmum · 28/09/2025 13:59

If he wants to stand around whats the problem

jonthebatiste · 28/09/2025 14:08

Because it’s not about buying/reading the newspaper.

ComfortFoodCafe · 28/09/2025 14:10

Because its about going outside & having something to do. Its nothing to do with the newspaper. He probably doesnt even read it.

LIZS · 28/09/2025 14:10

Probably routine, a reason to get up and out. Maybe he is there every day at 8 but just not noticed as much when store is already open.

hyggetyggedotorg · 28/09/2025 14:11

JLou08 · 28/09/2025 13:33

Possibly part of a strict routine, leaves the house first thing every morning to get a paper from the same shop. The shop probably opens at 8 every other day but Sunday's he needs to wait. He may be autistic.

This was my thought. DS1 is autistic and whilst he is very intelligent in lots of ways, it wouldn’t necessarily occur to him that he could buy the same paper elsewhere. Even if he did know he could, he may well prefer to still wait for the shop he was familiar with. Less chance of surprises.

user1476613140 · 28/09/2025 14:23

Creature of habit.

TotallyUnapologeticOmnivore · 28/09/2025 14:26

Never underestimate how little some people have to do with their day.

Weightlosstimeforgood · 28/09/2025 14:26

When my grampa had Alzheimer’s he would wait outside church 2 hours before it started as he would worry about missing it. His perception of time was totally skewed. This is what sprung to mind for me reading this

APTPT · 28/09/2025 14:29

What harm is he doing? Why are you bothered?

mzpq · 28/09/2025 14:30

Why does the man spend 2 hours waiting for the store to open every Sunday!

Why has no-one asked him?

My guess is mental illness, someone else's guess will be different and so on and so forth.

DramaLlamacchiato · 28/09/2025 14:30

Maybe he catches a bus and that’s the time it gets him there?

Shitmonger · 28/09/2025 14:33

Maybe he wants to get out of the way in his house for whatever reason. I used to see an older man at the dog park that would hang around for around three hours every Saturday morning because that was when his wife did her cleaning blitz and she wanted her husband and dog out of the house.

MoominMai · 28/09/2025 15:12

DramaLlamacchiato · 28/09/2025 14:30

Maybe he catches a bus and that’s the time it gets him there?

Doesn’t explain why he wouldn’t just walk a few minutes to one of the newsagents already open though. He could then get back sooner. I think maybe autistic/strongly prefers that particular store despite the inconvenience.

LlynTegid · 28/09/2025 15:15

I wonder if he gets there to be out of the house at 8am, perhaps if he is married his relationship with his wife is not very good (which could be his fault not hers of course).

I agree about asking why.

fatphalange · 28/09/2025 15:19

Maybe he’s homeless with nowhere else to be
or has some kind of illness
or is a creep who fancies one of the staff
or is a bit quirky
or works undercover observing the stock deliveries and suchlike.

DramaLlamacchiato · 28/09/2025 15:23

MoominMai · 28/09/2025 15:12

Doesn’t explain why he wouldn’t just walk a few minutes to one of the newsagents already open though. He could then get back sooner. I think maybe autistic/strongly prefers that particular store despite the inconvenience.

True

Tamfs · 28/09/2025 15:25

I'm a soft touch, and nosey. I'd probably take him a cup of tea and say hello. He might well tell me to fuck off, but it might also be a nice thing to do.

APTPT · 28/09/2025 15:28

Tamfs · 28/09/2025 15:25

I'm a soft touch, and nosey. I'd probably take him a cup of tea and say hello. He might well tell me to fuck off, but it might also be a nice thing to do.

If he is an autie, he might never come back lol.

FreyjaOfTheNorth · 28/09/2025 15:32

Why is it even any of your business? Leave him to do what he wants to do. How would you feel if he started a thread on a public forum about something you do that’s neither illegal, immoral, nor harmful?

Just do the job you’re paid to do and let others go about their business as they wish.

MrsToothyBitch · 28/09/2025 15:57

Having worked Sunday retail, some people are just like this. You stop wondering about their reasons / motives/ inner workings. They're just annoying.

We used to go in at normal time for 11am opening if we were managing on Sundays - there was usually merch work or administration to do and we'd get quite busy during trading so that was the time to do it. I was redoing a Christmas toiletries display by myself once and realised there was a menacing looking guy across the street. Staring in. Glaring in. He had obviously been there awhile and he stayed until opening. He was there to collect a parcel. Which he did with bad grace ... the opening times were printed on the door. No way in hell did I reward him with any acknowledgement. I was also there alone til the girls arrived for trade- no way was I letting an angry looking random in.

You grow immune to being glared at and bellowed at through glass by people who "just want" to collect something or buy one thing when you're closed but prepping to open / go home. How do you not go into suspended animation the second you close and taunt the poor customers by hoovering around all the lovely fresh displays that they'd just looooove to fuck up big time touch.

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