An empty grocery store is the ultimate liminal space. All those cavernous aisles, strip lights and overly cheerful advertising seem a whole lot more eerie when there's no one else around experiencing it with you.
It's not the worst place to find yourself stuck, but it's definitely a situation that's far from ideal. This is what @khaosblackmetal found out not so long ago. After he spent a strange few hours being locked inside his local Aldi at night, he made a TikTok that documented his captivity and his escape.
Realizing that the video probably needed a little context, Khaos explained how he had ended up in that predicament.
"This was April 2020, shortly after all the toilet paper disappeared and most people were staying in their homes. I was fresh in from Puerto Rico and hadn't kept up with the news about what was happening back in the States.
I needed groceries, so I drove to Aldi. There was one other shopper and the cashier. I walked by her as I entered. After 10 minutes of shopping, the lights turned off for two seconds, then turned back on. I thought that was the cue that the store was closing soon.
Walking back to the checkout, I saw the cashier leaving and I ran up to the window, waving at her as she drove off. She never noticed us.
I saw the door was locked. Not knowing if opening it would sound an alarm, I called the police. The dispatcher got a good laugh and said she'd notify the store manager.
The manager arrived and was confused that two shoppers got locked in the store and the security system wasn't working like it should. We asked if we could pay for our stuff and he told us to come back and pay the next day."
Unsurprisingly, many viewers were amused by the story, although many couldn't help pointing out that someone was probably getting fired the next day. Note to self: maybe avoid going shopping when it's too near closing time.
