Poor Woman in Shabby Clothes Isn’t Allowed into Expensive Store, Next Day Doorman Opens Door for Her – Story of the Day

Catalina was walking through a commercial area when she saw a doorman stopping a woman from going into a clothes store. She asked the woman what happened and discovered an appalling truth, which made Catalina devise a plan.

Catalina checked her phone as she walked, wondering what to eat for dinner when a commotion a few feet in front caught her attention.

"Ma'am, I can't let you inside. I'm sorry. This is a high-end store. Go visit Target or something," a doorman told a woman and returned to the store. The lady's shoulders fell in defeat, so she started to walk away.

Something about the doorman's words rubbed Catalina the wrong way, and she couldn't let it go. She ran up to the lady before she could get away.

"Hey, what happened back there?" Catalina asked.

They smiled at each other knowingly and turned to the doorman. "Do you remember her?"

The lady looked up in surprise, and the water in her eyes made Catalina almost seethe in anger. Something terrible had happened.

"That man didn't let me into the store," she revealed and swallowed hard, then she pointed to her clothes and shrugged. "Because apparently, I don't look like the kind of customer who goes into that store."

Granted, she wasn't wearing the most expensive clothing in the world. Her shirt looked old and worn out, but it was clean. Her slacks were acceptable, although too big for her, which indicated that she got them second-hand or on sale. Still, to Catalina, what the lady was wearing wasn't a basis to turn her away.

Catalina closed her eyes, anger boiling inside her. No one deserved such treatment. No matter what. While most stores had the right to refuse service in this country, it didn't seem fair for them to turn someone away just for their appearance.

"What's your name?" she asked the woman, her eyes showing her kindness.

"Martha."

"Let me ask you something else," Catalina continued. "Why do you want to go to that store? I can recommend a few places with beautiful clothing that would never treat someone like they did."

Martha shook her head. "My daughter has walked down this street for years and dreamed of having a dress from that store. I've been saving for a long time, and finally, I have enough in time for her prom. I need to buy her a dress there. I don't care what the doorman or the other employees think of me. It's all about my daughter. She deserves it. I lost my husband not too long ago, and she was such a daddy's girl, " she explained, her eyes brimming with tears again.

Martha's words transported Catalina to her childhood. Her situation was not the same because her parents always made relatively good money, but they were too busy and absent from her life most of the time.

When her grandfather died, she was inconsolable. He was her best friend and the one who encouraged her to fight for what was right. That's why she became a civil rights lawyer and moved to Washington, D.C. It was also that lawyer in her that drew her to the confrontation between this beautiful, hardworking woman and the mean-spirited doorman.

Catalina nodded and offered her condolences to Martha with a pat on her shoulder. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. "You know what? You're coming with me," she insisted, taking Martha by the arm and dragging her away.

***

The following day, Catalina drove Martha to the store. She parked right in front, and they both got out of the car.

Martha walked up to the door, and the same doorman smiled at her, opening the door with a flurry to usher her into the store.

Catalina grinned cheekily at the exchange because her new friend didn't look anything like she did yesterday. She was wearing a crisp, fresh suit Catalina had loaned her. Her hair and makeup were professionally done, and it was obvious that the doorman didn't recognize the lady he had mistreated the previous day.

Catalina smiled at the doorman as she walked into the store, and she watched as Martha picked dress after dress, trying to decide which one her daughter would like best. She gave a few suggestions, but ultimately, Martha made the final decision and paid for the dress in full.

Once again, the doorman smiled brightly as he opened the door for them to walk out, and instead of ignoring him, Catalina stopped.

"Martha, wait a second, please," she said to her new friend. Martha was carrying a huge box containing the dress she had just purchased. They smiled at each other knowingly and turned to the doorman. "Do you remember her?"

"Uh, I'm sorry, ma'am. No," he replied, confusion clear on his face.

"You stopped her from coming into your store yesterday. She had the money to buy something, but you just turned her away. Now, you just smiled at us as if you did nothing wrong," Catalina stated, trying not to sound accusatory.

"I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't –"

"She doesn't want an apology," Catalina interrupted, but Martha decided to step in.

"I don't need you to apologize. I need you to do better, for this store to do better. Because I had every right to shop here. I had the money to buy something here, but you turned me away just because of my clothes. That's not fair. And I hope it doesn't happen again," Martha said in the calmest voice possible.

"I'm sorry," the doorman repeated, bowing his head down in shame. Catalina smiled, noting that some of the other employees heard their conversation.

Her face beamed at the pride she felt for her new friend. Her backbone and poise were impressive. She didn't want to accuse that man of any wrongdoing. She didn't want it to happen again to her or anyone else. Fighting for what's right didn't always involve an actual fight. Sometimes, it was just a show of strength to fix an injustice.

"Let's go, Catalina. My girl needs to get ready for her prom," Martha turned to her friend, who smiled, and they both got in her car.

Her daughter cried when she opened the box and found a beautiful dress inside. She was the best-dressed at the event, but most of all, she was the happiest because her mother had given her such a remarkable surprise.

Afterward, Catalina got Martha a better job at her office and watched as her friend climbed the corporate ladder like a champion.

What can we learn from this story?

• Fighting for what's right doesn't necessarily need to involve a fight. Martha and Catalina showed the doorman how wrong he was the previous day by just pointing out his biases.
• It's best not to judge people, no matter the situation. The doorman turned Martha away due to her appearance – her shabby clothes – but he learned his lesson when she returned the next day.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a little boy who got kicked out of a store before he could buy a toy for his dying brother.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.