(My mom is a nurse and she works at hospice but before she was a nurse and she tells me all about it. Anyways another nurse was helping an elderly woman and the elderly woman was screaming because the nurse wasn’t white so the nurse got my mom)
Mom: I’m sorry ma’am I’ll help you.
Elderly woman: thank you.
(My mom gets the woman ready and as my mom goes to leave she says….)
Mom: you realize I’m black, I’m just light skinned.
(I work at a restaurant for elderly people at a retirement home and an old couple comes down)
Me: hello there welcome to (restaurant name) how may I help you?
(The couple order and I bring their food out when it’s done)
Elderly woman: this isn’t what I ordered!
Me: Yes it is ma’am.
Elderly woman: no it’s not!
Me: what did you or- (my moms a nurse here and she calls me over.)
Mom: honey you work at a retirement home of course she doesn’t remember.
Me: well what do I do then?
Mom: (gives me a piece of paper) write down what you gave her then she’ll eat it.
Me: what if she’s allergic to it?
Mom: what did you give her?
(I tell her what I gave her)
Mom: she’s not allergic to that.
Me: okay.
(I do what my mom says and it works. Btw my mom works with her so she knows what she’s allergic to.)
(A couple of coworkers and I are talking before we clock in this morning. We’re all kind of punchy from the early hour.)
Coworker #1: “Any plans for tonight?”
Me: “No, I work tomorrow morning. Collecting all that time and a half, you know.”
Coworker #2: “I’ve got to start working on my New Year’s revolution.”
Me: “Your what now?!”
Coworker #1: “Do you mean resolution?” *snickers*
Coworker #2: “What did I say?”
Me: “New Year’s revolution.” *giggling* “I honestly like that better than resolution.”
(We were laughing for a good five minutes as we made our way up the elevator. And we’ve been yelling, “VIVA LA REVOLUTION!” when we see each other through the day.)
(working in a retirement community leads to lots of frustrating customers, this is just one of MANY stories I have… about this lady mostly)
Resident: I need more vegetables with my meal instead of the starch. The noodles in the soup yesterday were too many! *continues telling the people sitting with her about how she needs more fiber because of the noodles throughout the entire meal*
Me: Ok, what would you like instead of the potatoes?
Resident: I’d like peas, and can I get extra peas? I don’t care if you have to charge me
Me: ok, so the special with two sides of peas?
Resident: yes, I need extra peas because of all those noodles!
Me: *tired of hearing about her constipation* Ok, I’ll go put that in for you
(Resident gets her food and finishes and asks for her ticket)
Resident: You charged me $2 extra!
Me: yes, that’s for your extra peas!
Resident: That’s too much!
Me: That’s the price of an extra side of peas
Resident: That wasn’t an extra side!
Me: You asked me to add an extra side of peas and that you didn’t care if I had to charge you
Resident: But you charged me for a whole side! I’m going to talk to [my supervisor’s supervisor] about this, because that’s just not right!
Me: alright, you do that.
(I work in an assisted living facility. My boss has me playing Christmas music from the computer in the front lobby. It’s been going on since before Thanksgiving. One of my Muslim coworkers comes up and we’re talking and she starts singing along. It should be noted that she wears hijab. A white, male visitor has just signed in and is walking off for his visit with his relative.)
Coworker: “I love Christmas music!”
Me: “You seem to know all the words, too.”
Visitor: *cuts me off* “You can’t!”
Me: “What?”
Visitor: “Her! She can’t like Christmas music! She’s one a them d***…” *makes flailing hand movements towards her*
Coworker: *just standing there, looking shocked*
Me: *eyes narrowed, customer service smile gone* “Sir, she can like whatever music she pleases. It’s a free country. I don’t appreciate your tone.”
Visitor: “You’re supporting a d*** [racial slur]?!”
Me: “I’m supporting my friend. Sir. I’m going to have to ask you to continue on your way or leave.”
Visitor: *starting to puff up for another rant*
Me: *cutting him off* “Nope. [Resident]’s room is that way. Have a nice visit.” *gives a very non-customer-service look*
Visitor: *stares for a second and then stomps off, muttering under his breath*
Me: “I’m sorry about people like that, [Coworker]. Guy obviously had a candy cane up his a**.”
Coworker: *shakes head*
(I got up and gave my coworker a hug. She was kind of shook by the whole thing. I can’t imagine what was wrong with this man. Maybe he really did have a candy cane up his a**… or maybe he needed one. I will never understand what is wrong with people.)
