The operation hours of retail establishments are clearly posted and legally defined—hours during which the business is open for customer service and during which the business is closed for restocking, cleaning, and employee rest. Violation of these hours by customers is typically met with closure and locked doors. However, a retail security consultant, named Marcus, encountered multiple reports of customers who entered closed stores without any apparent key or lock-breaking mechanism. When security footage was reviewed, the footage showed doors remaining locked, yet customers moving freely inside. The security consultant's report suggested that some customers occupied a different legal/spatial status than ordinary patrons.

A store manager named Patricia witnessed an unusual event: a customer approached the store during closed hours, found the door locked, and simply walked through it as though it were not locked. When Patricia checked the security system, the door data showed it remained locked throughout. Yet the customer had clearly passed through. When Patricia confronted the customer, he said: 'Closed is a suggestion. Some people understand that doors are negotiable.' The customer completed his shopping and left. Patricia did not call security. She did not file an incident report.

On retail management forums, when unusual customer behavior is discussed, someone occasionally posts: 'I worked at a store that had a customer who visited during closed hours. He moved through the store like the hours didn't apply to him. When I asked my manager about it, she said: 'Some people exist outside the store's operating schedule. Serve them well and ask no questions.' That comment receives hundreds of upvotes. One retail manager replied: 'That describes a customer I had. I realized eventually that his presence or absence existed outside my control or authority. I just adapted to it.' That comment has 8,000 upvotes.