Some People Are Just Asking To Be Mismanaged

I work as a manager for a logistics company, and one of the jokes we have in the office is that there is no logic in logistics. The reason we say this is some of the things our customers and drivers tell us on a daily basis. Here is one small example of what I deal with.

Driver #1: “I demand to speak to a manager!”

Me: “How can I help? What’s going on, [Driver #1]?”

Driver #1: “Well, three weeks ago, I asked for vacation time for today. Two weeks ago, I decided I wasn’t going to take it and decided to come in. My name isn’t on the schedule!”

Me: “Wait… You decided you didn’t want the time off? Did you tell anyone?”

Driver #1: “NO! Why would I do that?! I am outraged! I demand an apology! You should have known I was coming in, though I asked for time off! This is an attack on my character! It is—”

Me: “Okay, [Driver #1]–”

Driver #1: “HOW DARE YOU SPEAK WHEN I AM NOT DONE?! THIS PROVES HOW THIS PLACE HATES ME! Refusal to put me on the schedule! YOU ARE ALL RACISTS!”

I start internally beating my head on the wall.

Me: “Okay… So, let me see if I have this straight. You asked for time off.”

Driver #1: “Yes!”

Me: “You decided that you didn’t want the time off and didn’t tell anyone?”

Driver #1: “YES!”

Me: “And you are upset because your name isn’t on the schedule, even though you are supposed to be off?”

Driver #1: “YOU ALL HATE ME! RACISTS! YOU SHOULD KNOW I DECIDED TO COME TO WORK!”

Me: “Well, [Driver #1], you really need to tell us that you decided to not take your vacation.”

Driver #1: “THAT ISN’T MY JOB! It is your job to know if I don’t want to take my time off! YOU ARE THE WORST MANAGER EVER!”

Me: *Internally screaming* “Okay! Well… I am sorry, [Driver #1], that we overlooked this situation. But, please, next time, just talk to management and we will work with you.”

Driver #1: “RACIST! I HATE THIS PLACE! PEOPLE PICK ON ME AND HATE ME!”

[Driver #1] leaves.

Driver #2: “Did… Did that just happen?”

Me: “Yup.”

Driver #2: “Man… I never want your job if you deal with grown babies like that.”

Me: “I wasn’t joking when I told you, ‘No logic in logistics.’”