(I work for a collateral recovery company. We hire guys on behalf of the bank to repossess cars. One day, I get a call from a debtor, wanting to file a claim.)

Me: “Hi, [Customer], how can I help you?”

Customer: “I need to file a claim against your towing company.”

Me: “What is the nature of the claim?”

Customer: “The people who took my car removed equipment, and now I have to take it to a mechanic to get it put back together. Who is going to pay for this?”

Me: “I can get you to our claims department to get the paperwork you will need. May I ask what the equipment was that the towing company removed?”

Customer: “My license plate.”

Me: *stunned silence*

(By the way, plates are considered your personal property, and are legally required to be removed at time of repossession.)

Customer: “Hello?”

Me: “I don’t understand. Why do you need to take it to a mechanic?”

Customer: “Because I’m a girl! I don’t know how to work on cars!”

(I’m a girl, too. I explained to her how to replace the plates using the two flat-head screws attached to her vehicle. After she started to cry, I informed her that I would call the lot and have them put the plate back on. She just had to turn around and go back there.)

(I’m ringing up an older gentleman who is buying one bottle of wine.)

Me: “Do you have your [Store Rewards] card?”

Customer: “Not on me. My phone number is [number].”

Me: “Thanks. May I have your birthdate for the alcohol?”

Customer: “No. I don’t give out personal information.”

(I am working alone and a family with small children walks in. The children start running around, messing with the displays and trying to go behind the counter, while both parents ignore them and order. I am trying to both control the children and take the order at the same time. I am very much an animal person, but not so much a children person.)

Father: “Children are amazing, but they do take a lot of patience, huh?”

Me: *frustrated but still smiling* “I am actually not planning on have children. My dog is my baby!”

Father: “Yes, but you have to be patient with children.”

Me: “And that’s why I love my dog!”

(He was fuming, but his wife got the hint and quickly gained control of their three young kids. Thank you, kind woman!)

(I work at an amusement park. I am working at a pitching game when a guest comes up to me. I wear skirts to work, as I find them more comfortable.)

Me: “Hi, sir. How are you today?”

Guest: “So, they put you at this game because you are a girl, and guys will play it just to show off.”

Me: “…”

Guest: “It’s not like you know anything about baseball.”

Me: “Actually, my brother plays baseball, and I’ve been watching his games for the past 13 years.”

Guest: “But you’re a girl. How much do you really know about sports? Not like you play them, or anything. After all, you likely only learned to cook, clean, and take care of a house.”

Me: *blank stare*

Guest: “What? Girls who wear skirts to work are always super religious and traditional.”

This story is part of our Women’s Equality Day roundup!

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(I’m finishing ringing up a customer and what appears to be his grandson.)

Me: *giving them their order* “Enjoy your movie!”

Customer: “Want to see something cool?”

Me: *curious* “Um… Okay.”

Customer: *holds up a picture on his cell phone of himself holding what looks like a very large fish* “I caught that myself, back in the creek over there!”

Me: *not knowing what to say* “Oh. Nice!”

Customer: “He took the picture!” *gesturing to his grandson*

Me: “Good job!”

(They took their order and left. I’m still slightly confused as to why he would want to show me that. It made for an interesting story, though!)