About ten years ago, I worked for a small family firm in website design. One thing I could tell you about this family firm is that it did extremely well. The family was very well off, drove flashy cars, had big houses, etc. — you know the type of people. However, another thing I could tell you about them is that they were the most generous, kind, and downright loveliest people you would ever meet. They treated their employees extremely well. I’m talking quarterly bonuses, Christmas bonuses, gifts for promoting and successfully bringing in customers to the business, regular wage rises, etc.

In one particular instance: I had been working there for about four years, when out of the blue and without word of warning, my partner cleared out our joint account and savings account and left me. I was absolutely devastated. I had nothing and ended up having to take mental health leave due to extreme stress and depression.

When my bosses found out about this, they not only gave me a hefty wage rise, but they also paid me all my bonuses back plus more, which meant I had enough to pay for a house of my own. They also gave me a promotion. They were the kindest people I’ve ever met and worked for. And I will never forget what they did for me.

I no longer work there anymore, but there is a happier ending to the story: I am now married to one of those family members. And I couldn’t be happier.

I’m going with my boyfriend of two years to visit his family in Texas.

Boyfriend: “Now, just so you know, if things get uncomfortable, it’s not your fault.”

Me: “What?”

Boyfriend: “My grandmother is a huge b**** and hates everyone and everything. But she is the matriarch, so no one challenges her. I’m so sorry, but if she starts harassing you, no one will be able to stick up for you.”

I am young and very invested in the relationship, so I don’t hold that against him.

We drive up to the grandma’s house and go inside, and I’m quiet as a mouse looking around and trying to not be noticed. I see there are pretty prisms and crystals everywhere — cheap ones, similar to one I have with me on a necklace. I love how they make rainbows.

I know what to do now, and I go find the matriarch.

Grandma: “Oh. You must be the new girl. You won’t last.”

Me: “I will continue to exist regardless of who I date. I will last. I will endure.”

Grandma: “I don’t care about any of that…”

But she is looking at me and facing me!

Me: “That was a bit silly, wasn’t it? My name is [my name], and I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. I have something for you!”

Grandma: “I don’t want—”

I take off my necklace, and she stops talking to watch it. I reach forward and clasp it onto her.

Me: “Thank you for letting me give that to you. It means a lot to me.”

I pat her shoulder and step back. She touches my shoulder briefly and has the tiniest smile. Then, she silently walks away.

My boyfriend approaches me a few minutes later.

Boyfriend: “What did you do? She hasn’t yelled at anyone yet, and she told [Aunt] that she met you, using your name.”

The next few days are uneventful; we aren’t staying with grandma. Then, we return for dinner. She is wearing the necklace. She even says hi.

We are sitting at the table, and Grandma starts laying into some family members about something. I get tired of it.

Me: “Why are you doing this? You love these people; I can tell. But you are being so mean!”

Grandma: *Laughs* “Oh, this one has some moxie! I forgot people could stand up to me. I like you, [My Name].”

I broke up with the guy in the airport on the way home because he was cheating on me and his family was dysfunctional, but I enjoyed winning over that woman. I never told him how I did it, and he wasn’t observant enough to notice the necklace. I did find out that the woman died recently, which surprisingly made me very sad.

Be nice to your elders, and take no s***.

I work at a small timeshare, and I’m fairly new at it. A lady came to check in recently, and the first thing she asked me was if we had a pack-and-play. I am thirty-one, no kids, no interest in kids, know nothing about kids, and never want kids. I don’t even have friends who have babies or kids. I had no idea what this thing was.

Me: *Politely* “What is a pack-and-play?”

She immediately started screaming at me.

Lady: “When I made the reservation, they promised we had one!”

I had to interrupt her rant.

Me: “I’m sure we do have one, ma’am. I just don’t know what it is.”

She finally explains. It’s a stupid crib.

Me: “Okay. If it’s not already in the room, I will go get you one.”

I texted my property manager, and she verified that we had a pack-and-play and that it should already be in the lady’s room. She left.

[Property Manager] called me hours later. Apparently, the woman called and complained to our corporate about me because I didn’t know what a pack-and-play was. Corporate called my [Property Manager] and pretty much laid into her about training her employees better. She stood up for me and told them, “She doesn’t have kids. How the h*** is she supposed to know what that is?”

People are insane, and timeshare people are the most entitled people I’ve ever met.

I had been working at this minimum-wage job for six months when we got a new manager. I worked there because I was in college and they worked around my class schedule.

When this new manager started, they gathered us all up to say the following.

New Manager: “Your schedules will no longer revolve around your classes. That is not how the real world works. If you have a problem with this, then you are free to quit.”

I proceeded to work with the new schedule for a week and was late to my classes. I thought to myself, “What’s the point of a job if I can’t get to my classes?” So, I wrote up a resignation letter and emailed it to my supervisor. He was chill and was like, “Okay.”

Then, [New Manager] called me.

New Manager: “You have to give me a minimum of two weeks notice! You can’t quit!”

I went to the office and handed her my letter of resignation.

New Manager: “You are so unprofessional! You can’t use this place as a reference anymore.”

Me: “As I recall your exact words last week, if this schedule does not work, I should quit.”

New Manager: *Yelling* “How dare you throw that back in my face?! I’m going to report you to the university!”

Well, nothing happened, and I still get a kick out of how angry she was!

I’m helping a client who’s planning his staff party on the cheap.

Client: “I wanted to ask, do we have to buy the confetti or will you be printing it?”