I was working as a cashier in a recreation room for kids, the ones with ball pools, jungle gyms, etc., where kids can have some fun while the parents watch over them or leave them there under supervision.

It was a summer job, and I was a junior. I dealt with so many entitled parents who were rude, but one woman stands out.

She was a high-profile celebrity.

There was a really long line and she was in the far back. I was alone on the register — my supervisor left to buy cleaning supplies — and I managed it pretty well, and I made sure to stay polite and helpful. While I was helping a customer out with a coupon she had trouble finding on her phone, said celebrity just passed the whole line with her kids and asked if I could let her kids in and she would pay me when it was her turn.

I told her no, that it was against my orders; I couldn’t let anyone in if their parents hadn’t paid. 

She countered by saying how dare I suggest she might run away and leave her kids without paying, and I said that some people did it, so I was ordered not to let anyone in before they pay. 

She asked it a few more times, and each time I tried to explain it as nice as I could. I told her she was holding back the line and that I needed to resume my job, because the lady with the coupon was trying to pay.

She took out her wallet and handed me a huge bill. “Keep the change, but get my kids in, now.” 

Never thought she could be that entitled. It was the last straw, but I didn’t snap. I calmly said that if she thought she could cut the line and bribe me, she was wrong. As she was staring at me, dumbfounded, I asked her to go to the end of the line and wait for her turn. 

She stayed there for a few minutes in silence before leaving. The lady with the coupon came back as soon as [Celebrity] left and told me she was really impressed and asked for my name. I pointed at my tag, and she smiled and left.

My supervisor came back, said I did good, and told me to take a break. As soon as he got there, [Celebrity] dashed to the front of the line again, asking if he was the manager. He said yes, and she asked to report me. She told him the story, while lying and saying I was rude and that I refused to let her in when it was her turn.

I turned purple. [Supervisor] looked at me and said it didn’t suit me. The guy next in line said that I was nothing but polite to every single customer, and that I was really helpful and efficient. 

[Celebrity] blushed, mumbled, and went back to the end of line. I proceeded to take my break right outside and watched. 

[Celebrity]’s turn finally arrived. She asked for three kids, and [Supervisor] asked for their age. One of them was at the age we don’t allow inside — older than ten, younger than sixteen. They just do a lot of damage and we need an ID for someone to count as adult supervision. So, she was told she couldn’t bring him in.

She yelled that she had waited all this time just to learn this, and so came my moment to shine. I got up and pointed at a sign that said the exact thing, big, red, and eye-catching.

She paid for two kids and left with the other.

[Coupon Lady] called to praise me, and I got a promotion to shift manager.

(My family is visiting the pizza counter while at a game center for my work-sponsored “family night.” As part of the deal, we were each given a coupon for a drink and two slices of pizza. We are a family of three.)

Me: “I have these coupons; I’d like four cheese pizza slices and two pepperoni.”

Clerk: “You want… What?”

Me: “Four cheese slices and two pepperoni.”

Clerk: “But the coupon is for two slices.”

Me: “We have three coupons.” *shows them*

Clerk: “But you can’t have four cheese; the coupon is for two.”

Me: “Okay, then I’ll have two cheese, two cheese, and two pepperoni.”

Clerk: “Great! I’ll get that for you!”

*im a game attendant at a chuck e cheese, and a 13 yr old kid stopped me to tell me about a game that took his tokens*
Kid: “This game stole my tokens.
Me: *opens coin door and gives credits for another game* “I don’t have any tokens on me right now, but I put a credit in the game so go ahead and play, and I’ll get those tokens to you as soon as I can.” *turns to another guest to help them* “With this game–”
Kid: “So where’s my money?”
Me: “I’m sorry?”
Kid: “Give me my tokens.”
Me: “I don’t have any on me right now, I’ll get them to you as soon as I can.” *turns to other guest, now feeling bad*
Kid: “You tryin steal from me.”
Me: “I am not.”
Kid: “Then where’s my money?”
Me: *sarcastically feels around pockets* “Not on me.”
*i help the other guests with their game and go to the cashier to get me tokens.*
Me to cashier: “Hey this kid is being a little ridiculous. Can you get me some tokens?”
Cashier: “How so?” *starts dispensing tokens*
Kid: *walks to counter* “Where’s my money?”
Me: “I’m getting it right now.”
Kid: “You tryin to rip me off.”
Me: “I’m trying to help you.” *gives him two tokens*
Kid: “Where’s the rest?”
Me: “As I told you, I added credits to the game for you to play.”
Kid: *points to cashier* “Are you the manager?”
Cashier: “No, what appears to be the problem?”
*i start walking away*
Kid: “You guys tryin to rip me off.”
Cashier: *speaks loudly into headset* “[Manager] would you like to speak to this child? He’s being absurd.”

[It is extremely hectic and we have an awful lot to do when the phone rings. I stop for a second and answer]
Me: [Name of bingo parlor], How can I help you.
Young kid caller: I want to poop in your ear! *click*

(I recently started working at an arcade over the summer and this is my first time answering the phone.)

Me: “Hi, this is [Arcade]. How may I help you?”

Caller: “Do you have arcade machines?”

Me: “Well, yes, we are an arcade.”

Caller: “Do you accept food stamps?”

Me: “Uh, no, we are not allowed to accept food stamps.”

Caller: “Please, I am begging you.”

Me: “We can’t do that.”

Caller: “I am on my knees here, please.”

Me: “I am sorry we cannot do that; it is illegal.”

Caller: “My welfare check came in and my grandfather really wants to come and play some checkers and remember his youth.”

Me: “Unfortunately, we do not have checkers, and we still cannot accept food stamps.”

Caller: “You don’t have checkers?! Can you draw some lines and let us play anyway?”

Me: “No, I cannot.”

Caller: “I will pay you. Food stamps are really nice.”

Me: “Sorry.”

Caller: “What color is your hair?”

Me: “I am sorry; I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

Caller: *hangs up*

(Yeah, I don’t know what happened, but I am not sure if I ever want to answer that phone again.)