Unfiltered Story #292994

When I was fresh out of college, I had health problems that forced me to move in with my mom for a while. During that time, I took a job at a pasta factory that paid well but had really terrible hours: one week would be 8-4, next would be 4-midnight, then it would cycle back. There was no wiggle room on this. Also it was closed four months of the year. I learned that part a week before it shut down.

One of my coworkers had the nickname Loopy, and I didn’t really believe the stories as to why until, one day, the one guy in charge of the machine maintenance came into the break room with a jar of peanut butter and crackers. I have a mild peanut allergy, and, as I was more interested in being able to breathe than being social, I stood up and started to leave.

Loopy, of course, got in my way and demanded to know where I was going.

Me: “I’m heading to my car.”

Loopy: “Why? Come sit with us!”

Me: “Loopy, I have a peanut allergy. Rather than ask [mechanic] to skip lunch, I’m just going to eat outside.”

Loopy: “Bullshit you don’t have an allergy! You just want to control what we eat! I should be allowed to eat whatever I want!”

Me: “Uh, please let me out. Preferably before he opens the jar.”

Loopy: “You can’t control what I eat!”

I managed to slip around my coworker during the rant and enjoyed my sandwich and soda in my car, despite the cold winter. Thankfully, the mechanic was working on the pasta extruder, and I was working on the opposite end of the factory floor. Crisis averted, although Loopy probably still disagrees.

I don’t miss that job.