A middle-aged-looking man in a business suit comes into the store.

Customer: “Do you have any mini USB chargers?”

Me: “I’m not sure; let me check.”

Customer: “Not to buy! My phone just needs to charge, and I need my GPS to get home.”

Me: *Feeling sympathetic* “Of course. Let me see if one of these chargers will work with it.”

I check the various ones we have laying around to test things people want to sell.

Me: “No, it doesn’t look like it.”

Customer: “I found what I need!”

He points to tablet displays.

Customer: “Is it all right if I just borrow one of these?”

Me: *Pause* “I guess so.”

Customer: “Okay! I’ll just be back, then. I need to get some food!”

Me: “Sir! Wait, you can’t leave your phone here.”

Customer: “But I’m just going next door.”

Me: “Sir, that doesn’t matter. We’re not allowed to have you leave it here. You can stay in the store and let it charge, but you can’t leave it. If somebody were to take it while you were gone, it would be a problem. Besides, it’s against policy; I could get in trouble.”

Customer: “Oh, okay.”

The customer wanders around the store for a bit.

Customer: “Okay, well, if somebody takes it, that’s just what happens. I’ll be back.”

Me: “Sir, please, you can’t leave that here! If something happens, I could get fired!”

Customer: “Oh… Okay.”

The customer wanders around some more.

Me: “You could always go get your food and then come back and charge it and eat here?”

Customer: “No, just a few more minutes; it’ll be fine.”

The customer moves closer to the door.

Me: “I’m really sorry. It’s just that I could get fired; that’s why I just can’t let you leave it.”

I’ve had to stop what I’m doing to try to keep an eye on his phone for him and to make sure he doesn’t leave, which is hard because there’s a lot of stuff in the way and I can’t just abandon my current work.

Customer: “Well, thanks!” *Leaves*

A little while passes.

Me: “Hey, [Coworker], did that old guy leave his phone, or did he actually take it with him?”

Coworker: “Well, I don’t see anything. Either he left with it or it’s not our problem anymore.”

I work in a call center selling a certain kind of Internet. One of the selling points of this Internet is that we restrict the addition of new subscribers in an area, so although someone has coverage in their location, we still may not be able to provide them service, and selling Internet to someone who can’t use the service results in getting fired.

Me: “Thank you for calling [Company]; this is [My Name]. What’s the zip code where you’re looking to establish service?”

I get her address and find she doesn’t have service.

Me: “Ma’am, I’m sorry. It doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to provide you service.”

Customer: “You can’t provide service?”

Me: “No, ma’am, according to my system, the tower in your area is full.”

Customer: “Well, that is ridiculous! My neighbor has service!”

Me: “Yes, ma’am, as I said, the tower in your area is full, and we are unable to add any new subscribers.”

Customer: “Just give me the service!”

Me: “Ma’am, I cannot do that, because if I do, I’ll get fired.”

Customer: “Well, I want the service! Kick someone off the tower to give me a spot!”

I start getting very annoyed that this woman isn’t understanding what I am saying, so I start having fun.

Me: “Okay, I’ll get right on that. There, we have a spot all open for you.”

Customer: “Oh, great! So, when can I expect the service to activate?”

Me: “Well, ma’am, to get our service, it’s $115 upfront, and $49.99 a month. Now we have some great—”

Customer: “THAT’S TOO EXPENSIVE! I’M NOT PAYING THAT!”

Me: “Ma’am, it’s fine; there wasn’t room on the tower for you, anyway. I’m hanging up now. You have a nice day.”

Dear readers,

Autism is a very well-known, but very little-understood condition. Most people assume it means you can’t talk, or interact with people, or you’re good at numbers. If there’s anything we’ve learned editing your stories over the years, is that it is sooooo much more nuanced than that, with so much variety on the ‘spectrum’ that many of you would be surprised. We thought we’d make a collection of stories to help spread awareness of what some of these beautiful people have to endure due to common ignorance.

We have rounded up 23 stories about people with autism, and we hope they help in relating to them for many of you!

 

An Automatic Autistic Response – It wouldn’t be a discussion about misunderstanding autism without the anti-vaxxers!

Somebody Has A Chip On Their Shoulder – Some workers need to realize that autistic customers making special requests is not them “being picky.”

Making Up And Breaking Down – Don’t spray unwanted chemicals in people’s faces ANYWAY – regardless of if they’re autistic or not!

(more…)

A lady comes down in a fury.

Guest: “Excuse me. I have to have a non-smoking room!”

Me: “It says here that your travel agent booked you a smoking room.”

Guest: “Well, I want a non-smoking room! Can’t you see that my kids are allergic?”

The kids are coughing and crying.

Me: “I’m sorry, but there are no more non-smoking rooms available.”

Guest: “Well, then, get me another room someplace else! Who wants to stay here in this horrible hotel, anyway?!”

I try to find her another room, but due to an event in town, all hotels in the area are booked. When I tell her this, she gets even angrier.

Guest: “If you don’t find me a non-smoking room right now, I’ll make a big scene! Don’t make me make a big scene! You’ll be embarrassed!”

Me: “Ma’am, with all due respect, you are making a big scene right now. So don’t bother threatening us with that.”

Finally, she calmed down a little when she saw that she was not impressing me with her threats, but she still complained to corporate about her travel agent’s mistake. They gave her a gift certificate.

The phone rings and my coworker answers it.

Coworker: “Hello can I help you?”

Caller: “Yes, I need a room with a jacuzzi. Do you have any?”

Coworker: “No, our rooms don’t have any jacuzzis.”

Caller: “You are so rude. All I need is a room with a jacuzzi.”

Coworker: “I’ve already told you that we don’t—”

Caller: “Boy, don’t get an attitude with me!”

The caller goes into a rant, calling my coworker names and cursing. My coworker hangs up and then goes off and takes a lunch break. I’m by myself, and a few minutes later, a woman comes in.

Woman: *Authoritatively* “Do you all have jacuzzis?”

Me: “No, we don’t, ma’am.”

Woman: “People are soooo rude here! What’s it gonna take for me to get a room with a jacuzzi?!”

She stomps her foot and storms off.

Me: “…?”