(My mum used to joke that I had everything in my handbag except the kitchen sink. One day she goes to a garage sale and picks up a plastic toy sink and gives it to me. About a week later I get stopped at a police check for random drug and alcohol testing, license checks and searches of cars. I pass the drug and alcohol testing and license checks then am I asked to get out of my car with my handbag.)

Officer: “Anything in your bag or car I should know about?”

Me: “No. But as this is going to take awhile can I please call my work to let them know I’ll be late?”

Officer: “Let me search your bag, then you can.”

(I hand him my bag which is quite big and is mostly full with the toy sink sitting near the top.)

Officer: *trying not to laugh* “Seriously? In all my years as a cop that’s the first time I’ve seen everything including the kitchen sink.”

(He hands me my bag, keys and license back.)

Officer: *still laughing* “Have a good day, miss.”

(I get a few dirty looks from other people in the line as I drive away but am pleased to be able to make it to work on time.)

(I’m working the front register at a large pharmacy when a woman comes up from the pharmacist’s desk with her items. She looks like a zombie with bleary, watering eyes and a red nose. I try to speak gently.)

Me: “Hello there.”

Customer: *clearly super congested* “Ngehh.”

(She dumps painkillers, nasal decongestants, cough medicine, and an inhaler on the counter, and then sniffles and gives me a glum look.)

Me: “Not feeling well today? I’m sorry.”

Customer: “Mrrr..”

Me: “Hopefully some of these will help you feel better!”

Customer: *coughs and whimpers*

(She pays, and then picks up and cuddles the bag of medicine.)

Customer: *sniffle* “Egh.” *sniffle* “Ehh… thangks. Have a dice day.”

Coworker: *to me* “Wow. So, her manners were the only thing not broken? What a nice change.”

So I’m serving a customer and slice her bread for her and ask if she wants anything else which she doesn’t.  I then go on to enter that into the till and tell her the price.

Customer: that’s gone up by 40 cents since last time
Me: no i don’t beleive so
Customer: no its definitely gone up
Me: no not for at least 2 years (how long I’ve been working there)
Customer: ah no its gone up by 40 cents since last time
Me: okay then…

Last Thursday at school, the whole school was under a medical lockdown for two periods in the middle of the day; no one was allowed to leave the room they were in. We later discovered a much-loved teacher had collapsed, and suffered a heart attack in front of his students and fellow staff.

Unfortunately, paramedics were unable to revive him, and he passed away just after third period started. Our whole school was very shocked, and understandably a lot of students and staff were very saddened at the news.

The next day, there was a “dark cloud” over the whole school and the lessons were certainly not as cheerful as normal. A boy in my class took it upon himself to bake cupcakes for all the staff at school — 144 cupcakes in one night — plus ice them all, and leave a note saying, “It may not be a relief but just know that we are all here for you. -A message from all of your students.”

He really did restore my faith in humanity.

(I have been a part of my school’s annual musical for a number of years now. We rehearse at the theatre we own, which is attached to a private cafe that has a great relationship with our school, considering we provide most of their business. During late rehearsals we pre-order dinner from this cafe, and then collect it on our break from the pickup counter — a separate place from where orders are placed. Tonight when I arrive there is a long line up of other people at the register and a number of my friends hanging out in a group by the pickup counter. One woman with some young kids is also waiting by the pickup counter, and we assume she is waiting for them to call out her number, as she has probably just ordered. We tell a cashier our names and they bring us our orders. As I am saying my name, the woman speaks up.)

Woman: *angrily* “Hmm, I thought that we were at the front of the line, but I guess I must have thought wrong.”

Me: “Sorry, ma’am, but the line to order is over there.”

(I point to what is obviously a line to order.)

Woman: *cutting me off* “Nope, I don’t care. I just thought kids had better manners than this. I’m going.”

(She grabs her kids and drags them towards the door. I cannot resist the urge to say something.)

Me: *overly positive* “Have a nice day!”

(I found it funny that she was complaining about manners when hers were absolutely atrocious!)