I work at an Italian restaurant, and I am explaining the menu to a couple who just sat down. I am mere seconds in when the woman starts scolding me.

Customer: “No! You’re not pronouncing ‘Bruschetta’ with the right roll on the R! When my husband and I spend money on a nice Italian dinner, then we also expect it to be the same experience as when we visit Italy ourselves!”

Me: “Sorry, ma’am, but I can’t roll my Rs like that.”

Customer: “Then why are you working in an Italian restaurant?”

Me: “Because this is Saskatchewan, and we’re between a McDonald’s and a Korean BBQ place… and this is an Olive Garden.”

As many who’ve purchased a cellphone in the last few years now know, phone manufacturers don’t include charging blocks with their phones anymore, only the cables. On top of that, the cables that are included are made to fit the newer, fast-charging USB-C blocks that most people don’t have instead of the old, bigger USB-A blocks.

As someone who works in cellphone sales, this happens most of the time when I go to sell someone a new phone.

Me: “In regards to charging this phone…” *gestures toward the phone they are buying* “…ALL YOUR OLD CHARGERS WILL WORK. However, if you wish to use the cable that your new phone comes with, you may need to buy a new charging block, as well. They changed the end of the cable that goes into the wall, and if you don’t have this kind of charging block…” *shows them the new block* “…your new cable won’t work.”

Customer: “MY OLD CHARGERS AREN’T GOING TO WORK ON THIS PHONE?!” 

Sigh…

I’m next in line at the recycling centre, waiting to redeem the little slip of paper listing how many cans and bottles I’ve dropped off in exchange for some grocery money. It’s a LOT of cans, and I’m in a good mood, so when I see that the clerk has a tip jar for their staff fund, I decide to pay it forward.

Clerk: “And your total is $18.40!”

I pass back the loose change.

Me: “Here, keep that as a tip.”

Clerk: “Oh, thank you!”

Customer: *From behind me* “Where’s my tip?”

I turn and see an older man glaring at me. Stunned and partly assuming it was a joke, I gesture to his deposit slip on the counter next to him.

Customer: “No, that’s not mine! It’s my friend’s; I’m doing this for him!”

Me: *Realizing that he isn’t joking* “Well, that’s… very nice of you?”

Customer: “He’s at home because he’s in a wheelchair and can’t come here to do it himself, so I’m dropping bottles off for him! Where’s my tip?”

I’m speechless. The customer stares at me expectantly.

Me: “Uh… that’s very big of you to help your friend, but I think that’s something to talk with him about…”

And with that, I quickly walked out before he could raise any more of a stink. Seriously, buddy, why ask a random stranger for their recycling money instead of asking your friend for a cut?

I am a manager at a paper recycling plant. One of our positions is described as “paper shredder”. We receive boxes of papers that need to be fed through a shredder due to containing information that must be destroyed before the papers can be recycled. The shredder’s job starts at 9:00 am and ends at 5:00 pm, or when their load is done. Which days they work are not fixed; they only schedule their day off.

We hire a guy on a “supported employment” system; they help people with physical disabilities or mental deviations get hired by paying their wages for a “trial period” of so many hours and then meeting with the superiors to decide whether a hire is accepted properly.

[New Hire] is a friendly worker who happens to be on the autism spectrum, and he quickly proves himself a swift worker.

One day, we get the biggest load since [New Hire] joined, and I let him know as such. 

Me: “This one’s probably gonna take you the whole day and some of tomorrow.”

New Hire: “Bet you I can get through the whole thing before lunch.”

Me: *Laughs* “[New Hire], if you get through the whole thing before lunch, I will let you go home and mark you down for the whole day.”

Our workplace does not have a computerized clock-in at the time of this story.

New Hire: “You’re on. And if I can’t, then I’ll get everyone donuts while I grab lunch.”

Me: “Deal.”

We shake on it, and [New Hire] gets to work.

Two and a half hours later, [New Hire] asks if we have bandages; he’s done the workload, at the expense of several paper cuts. After directing him to the first aid kit, I check his work station. The bins are empty, the shredder is not damaged, the pile behind the shredder has been raked aside to avoid being caught back in the gears, and there’s a small pile of paper clips in the trash bin. Not only did he get it done, but he got it done without cutting corners.

I own up to my side of the deal, sending him off with the name of a store that sells gloves ideal for handling paper in (to avoid further paper-cut-riddled clockouts) and marking down on his time sheet for the max shift length.

Fast forward to the end of [New Hire]’s trial period. A representative from the supported employment company comes in with [New Hire]. She gives me a questionnaire to assess [New Hire]’s performance, mostly statements with agree/disagree ratings. [Representative] has me read them aloud to make sure I’m not misinterpreting anything, and we reach this item.

Questionnaire: “Worker completes their assigned tasks within the alotted time.”

[New Hire] and I traded looks and both started laughing while I marked the statement as “Strongly Agree”.

Unfortunately, while my company and I were eager to take on [New Hire] full-time, a certain health crisis reached Canada shortly thereafter, and [New Hire] was let go for safety reasons. Contacting him after things recovered to offer him his position back was, sadly, not an option. Wherever he is now, I hope he’s working just as swiftly as he did then, for an employer who’ll reward him for his effort and efficiency.

The electronics store I work at closes at 7:00 pm except for Sundays, when we close at 6:00 pm. We are not allowed to stop people from entering before closing, but we DO have security on hand at closing to help us escort out anyone who tries to waste our time.

It’s 5:55 on a Sunday, and the store is empty. I’m standing at the door, having a conversation with one of the security guys, when a customer walks in, sees the security guy, and freezes.

Customer: “Did, uh, something happen?”

Me: “No, we just close at 6:00 today. You can still come in, if you know what you’re looking for, but…”

I try not to let my disappointment show as the customer quickly steps inside.

Customer: “Where are the headphones?”

Me: *Gestures* “Over there.”

The customer dashes over to our headphone display. I turn to resume my conversation with the security guy… and stop myself as the customer comes right back.

Customer: *All in one breath without stopping* “Nothing in my price range for a quick decision, I’ll come back tomorrow, sorry to bother you!”

He made his way out, leaving my day just a little bit better as he did.