Management Concern Is A Car Wreck

(The manager at my store is typically very friendly and affable, as long as you show up. However, he has a reputation for being extremely unsympathetic to anyone who calls out of their shift, ranging from apathy to outright anger.)

Me: “Thank you for calling [Store]. How may I help you?”

Coworker: “Hey, this is [Coworker]. I’m going to be out a few days. I was in a car accident.”

Me: “Oh, no. What happened?”

(She explains that she was rear-ended while at a stop light, which knocked her out into the intersection and caused another car to hit her. She’ll recover fine, but she’s got minor whiplash and some nasty cuts and bruises from shattered glass and getting banged around, and may have some broken bones in her arm. The manager happens to be passing by and I relay the information.)

Manager: “Oh, no! Please let me speak to her?”

Me: “Oh, uh, sure!”

(Surprised at the actual care in his voice, I hand the phone over to him. These are literally the first words out of his mouth.)

Manager: “When are you going to be able to come in?”