It’s the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you be of good cheer
It’s the most wonderful time of the year(*)

Long before we started NotAlwaysHopeless we had lots of stories that put smiles on our faces and cheer in our hearts.  We offer you a present of a sampling of those older stories!

Faith In Humanity In Small Doses — You never know who will turn your day around.

We Love (To Pay) To See You Smile — A smile on your face today can mean a new job tomorrow!

Good People Are Not A Dime A Dozen — A small good deed becomes a special experience.

Please Let The Coffee “Be Good” — A joking and friendly clerk give a big boost!

How To Make An Employee’s Day — Something that seems small can make someone feel very important.

Not All Knights Are In Shining Armor — When the best people turn up at just the right time.

Tipping The Scale — One big smile earns another.

Random Acts of Cuddleness — Helping others inspires.

Good News For A Change, Part 2 — What starts out as a typical NAR story turns into a feel-good tale.

There’s Something In Those Poppy Seeds — BAGEL BAGEL BAGEL BAGEL

Want more stories to warm your heart and lift your spirits?  We have plenty over at NotAlwaysHopeless.

(*) “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” Pola & Wyle, 1963

(I’m working for a movie theater over the Christmas break, one of the biggest weeks of the year. My manager has asked that I go out to buy dinner for the four or five of us who agreed to pull double shifts to help ease the workload. I’ve driven over to our usual fast food joint for this, with a coat over my uniform.)

Worker: *to me as I enter* “Hi! Welcome to [Restaurant]. We’re experiencing a bit more of a rush than expected—“ *gestures to the line* “—but we’re getting most people served about ten minutes after they arrive.”

Me: “That’s fine. We’d guessed and took it into account.”

Worker: “Thanks!” *goes on to explain it to the guy behind me*

Customer: “What? No! That’s inexcusable!”

Worker: “I’m very sorry, and we completely understand if you want to go somewhere else.”

Customer: “No, I want [product]; I’ll get [product]. You should know better.”

(I spare a quick look of sympathy to my fellow worker before she moves on to the next people coming in.)

Manager: “Excuse me, folks. I’m very sorry, but it’s looking like it might be a little longer.”

Customer: “Outrageous! How much longer?”

Manager: “Only another five minutes or so. In the meantime, please take [semi-expensive drink] as an apology.” *starts handing out drinks*

Customer: “Not enough!” *grumbles before shooting me a look* “You. You work at [Theater], don’t you?”

Me: “I do.”

Customer: “Let me go ahead of you.”

Me: “What? No.”

Customer: “Yes. You’re representing your company here. Let me go in front of you; I’m in a hurry.”

Me: “I’m here on my own time, getting food for my coworkers. I’m not going to make them push back their dinner.”

Customer: “You’re in uniform!”

(He points at my pockets; while my coat covers most of the uniform, the pockets are dyed a bright color in line with the chain’s color scheme.)

Me: “I’m in another business entirely; I’m hiding my uniform. I’m here as another customer, not as an employee.”

Customer: “I’ll tell your manager. You’ll be fired!”

Me: “And it still won’t get you your food any faster.”

Customer: “That’s it!” *to the manager* “Make him go back to the end of the line so your real customers can go faster!”

Manager: “Sir, we have an ongoing relationship with [Movie Theater]. They’re regular customers.”

Customer: *shaking a finger at me* “Fine! But I’m going to tell your manager how rude you were to me. You’re fired!” *storms out*

Next Customer: “Look. If you need a witness, here’s my card. That guy was out of line.”

Me: “I’m fine.”

Next Customer: “You sure?”

Me: “I’m wearing a coat over my name badge, and we’ve got three theaters in the area with [Fast Food Joint] as the closest.”

(I have just clocked on for my closing shift. As my shift-lead-in-training and the manager teaching him are working on cleaning behind some of our food units, I am helping them. At the same time, this means I do not notice the woman who has just entered the building. However, my shift-lead-in-training does and alerts to me it.)

Shift Lead: “Hey [My Name], there is a woman at the register.”

Me: *quickly notes the woman in question, who is now walking away with an empty soda cup* “Ma’am?”

(She moves over to the soda machine, fills up her cup, and then takes her time with the lid. All of this is very normal, so I am content to wait at the register for her to come back over, as is custom. In the time I help two more people out, I watch her as she paces about slightly, adjusts her jeans, and never once looked back behind her. Normally, I would be watching someone by this point, anyway, as we tend to get a lot of odd ones, given we’re in the middle of downtown Seattle. Suddenly this woman starts to make her way towards the door.)

Me: *louder* “Ma’am! I can ring that up for you.”

Woman: *stops, turns slowly and looks at me*

Me: *smiles*

Woman: “Why are you trying to STOP ME?” *raising her voice and taking large steps closer to me with every word* “I am POOR. It’s almost Christmas. LET. ME. HAVE. THIS.”

(My shop is normally very giving; we understand people have hard times. But all we ask is that people are honest and upfront with us about it; that way we can work something out with them. But this woman does none of that; she outright attempts to steal from us.)

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I can’t do that.”

Woman: *narrows her eyes at me and glares*

Me: “Ma’am, I am only doing my job, and I have to ring you up for that soda. I don’t have the power to just let you walk out of here with that cup.”

(She keeps glaring at me. Knowing she won’t listen to me, I know there is only one option left, since I’m “low” on the chain of command.)

Me: “Let me see what my manager says.”

(I turn and walk a few steps back and explain to my shift lead that she just tried to walk out of here without paying. Having heard and seen the situation, he realizes it’s not worth trying to make the woman pay the $2.25 she would owe us, so I’m given the okay to let her go. The entire time, the woman has been very nasty and rude with me, I might add.)

Me: *walks back* “He said you’re good to go.” *returns to my register to help someone*

Woman: *overly cheerful voice that makes it seem like I’ve been nothing but a bully* “Oh, THANK YOU, KIND SIR! Thank you so much! Merry Christmas to you!”

(Later when I explained the entire ordeal to my general manager and then coworkers, they just sort of shook their heads and told me if she came back they would have security escort her out. Happy holidays, I guess?)

(I am working customer service emails when I pick up this one.)

Customer: “I am disgusted with your company and will never shop with you again! Do you feel £10 compensation is enough?! My guest was injured by the toy flying out the Christmas cracker and hitting my guest below the eye. Disgusting!”

(On checking the notes, I can see that someone issued a refund of £12 for the cost of the crackers, and £10 goodwill. Personally, I would have offered nothing, but it is already done. I reply to the customer with the stock, standard apology, but make it clear she a has a goodwill gesture of £22 and is getting naught else. Knowing they will reply, I keep an eye on the email.)

Customer: “You ruined my Christmas and injured my guest. £10 compensation is disgusting and I will take this further.”

(I am tempted to ask for the doctor’s report to show the extent of the injury. It goes quiet for a few days, until…)

Customer: “I will take this to social media to see if this is a fair offer. It did not state on the back of the box that this would happen!”

Colleague: “Considering that they are old enough to have guests, I’m sure that this is not the first time they have used crackers.”

Me: “And I am pretty sure common sense would apply, considering most crackers come with toys. I’m sure no one else needs big bold letters to state the obvious.”

(They never replied back; good luck to them in life, I say.)

(We’ve just learned that the theater will be opening over an hour early on Christmas Day, and that due to higher-than-usual ticket sales, due to a certain well-publicized space opera movie, almost the entire staff has had to be scheduled to work despite management promising to try and give people the day off who requested it early. I’ve just found out that, despite being promised that I would get the day off after having worked the past four Christmases, I’ll have to be there at 7:00 in the morning and stay until at least 4:00 in the afternoon. It’s the Friday before Christmas when a guest comes to buy tickets for Christmas day.)

Guest: “I need six tickets to [Space Opera Movie] for Christmas Day before noon. And I only want a showtime where we can all sit together.”

Me: “Unfortunately, all six showtimes before noon are either sold out or nearly sold out, and none have six seats together. Actually…” *checks all the showtimes on my computer* “…the only showtimes with six seats together are after nine pm that day.”

Guest: *blowing up* “It’s Christmas! Add more showtimes!”

Me: “Unfortunately, sir, that’s our schedule with added showtimes. They decided to open over an hour early that day to fit in more screenings.”

Guest: “Don’t ruin my Christmas!”

Me: “I’m really sorry, but there’s not much I can do. It’s possible they might switch other movies around to make more showtimes, but we probably won’t know for sure until that day.”

Guest: “I just can’t believe this. They know people are going to want to see that movie. They should open even earlier! You know you’re ruining people’s Christmas, right? RIGHT?! JERK!”

(He stormed out complaining and saying he was going to call our corporate office to demand we open even earlier. And he wasn’t the only one that day to complain about Christmas, or to try to tell us we needed to open even earlier just for them. I always love that people like to throw hissy fits about Christmas at the theater and say we’re “ruining” Christmas for them… yet we’re sacrificing our own Christmases for them by showing up and working while they get to spend the day with their families. Please be kind to people who have to work during the holidays, people!)