Two women come through my checkout lane. They both have little, fluffy, white dogs with them, and they have already done the “Emotional Support Dogs” dance with the manager.

As I ring them up, [Entitled Woman #1] decides to put her dog on the conveyer belt so she can use both hands to rummage through her small Louis Vuitton clutch.

Me: *Politely* “Can you please take the dog off the conveyor belt? I’m afraid it might get hurt.”

Entitled Woman #1: “Don’t you tell me what to do with my dog!”

[Entitled Woman #2] instantly plunks her dog onto the belt just to defy me.

Because I am still ringing them through, the poor dogs are sliding around, falling down, and tripping over the rest of the items they bought. It would be adorably funny if the dogs weren’t actually in danger of being seriously hurt. Their small size and the height of the conveyor belt would result in a very damaging fall if the small fluff balls decide to bail.

I just sigh and switch the belt off so I won’t hurt the dogs.

Entitled Woman #1: “This store is the devil!”

Me: “I’m… sorry you feel that way?”

Entitled Woman #1: “I can’t believe they let you tell people what to do with their dogs!”

Me: “I just didn’t want them to get hurt. This belt moves pretty fast and—”

Entitled Woman #2: “THAT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!”

Me: “I apologize. I’m just doing my best to make sure no one gets hurt.”

Entitled Woman #1: “I’ll decide what’s best for my dog !”

Me: *Tuning her out* “Here’s your receipt, have a nice night, thanks, bye.”

They snatched up their dogs and stormed out.

My company recently bought some at-home tests for a certain contagious illness. I am NOT a medical professional, but I have somehow been elected to the glorious position of contact tracing anyone who takes a test.

[Employee] comes to my office with his mask below his chin, sniffling and wiping his nose with his hand. I hold out a box of tissues and pinch my own mask tighter.

Me: “Pull your mask up.”

Employee: “I need a test.”

Me: “That’s fine, but you need to wear your mask while you’re not testing.”

Employee: “Ugh. Fine.” *Pulls it up under his nose* “Happy?”

Me: “No. Do it right.”

He makes a show of pulling his mask up properly and pinching the nose.

Employee: “Okay?!”

Me: “Yes, thank you. Read and sign this, please.”

I hand him the form everyone has to sign to take one of these tests. Basically, it states that we are not medical professionals and this is not an official diagnosis but more of a guideline toward the next steps. It also states that if the test comes back positive, he will seek a second test paid for by our company at a medical facility, and if it comes back negative, it is up to him to decide if he wants a second test, which the company will also pay for. He signs and tosses the paper back at me.

Employee: “This is stupid. It’s probably just a cold. [Employee #2] is out there acting like I have the plague.”

Me: “You can take the test at that seat over there and wait for the results.”

[Employee] does as he is told. He waits for the timer before looking.

Employee: “This is bulls***. Give me another one.”

Me: “It’s positive?”

Employee: “Give me another one.”

Me: “No, you need to follow policy and go get tested at a testing site. I can book—”

Employee: “Give me another f****** test!”

Me: “Do you not trust that test?”

Employee: “No! It’s probably pre-programmed to say positive!”

Me: “Then what makes you think the next one won’t say the same thing?”

Employee: “I’m not going to get another test.”

Me: “[Employee], you don’t really have a choice. Can you provide proof of vaccination?”

Employee: “That’s none of your f****** business.”

It is, in this case, because it’s part of contact tracing, and the time he would have to quarantine is different depending on whether or not he is vaccinated.

Me: “Okay. I’ll just submit this report to Human Resources saying you aren’t willing to answer.”

[Employee] sat in the chair, glaring and sniffling. He wiped his nose one last time with the palm of his hand and, without breaking eye contact, wiped that snotty hand on the arm of the chair before leaving. I called building security to escort him from the property and notified HR that we had a potential positive case and that he refused to answer my question.

He tried to come back to work later that day and several other days, but he was refused access until he provided a negative test result. He never came back. I read the report from HR and found that he was not only unvaccinated, but he had also purchased a fake vaccine card to shorten his quarantine period. He was consequently released from his duties at our company.

I work as a manager at a pizza place in a rich college town. I have been there for ten years and I love my job. I handle most customer concerns because I’m very good in those situations. I keep my cool, and most of the time, I can correct any problem.

One of our regulars is a whole family that orders from three of our stores, so we all are familiar with them. The daughter (early college age) calls up and orders. When she shows up, she asks for two ranch cups, which we are supposed to charge for.

Me: “Okay, that will be an extra dollar.”

She flips on me.

Customer: “You normally just give it to me for free!”

Me: “I’m sorry for that, but we’re supposed to charge for it. Do you still want it?”

Customer: “No.”

And she leaves.

Two days later, she orders again and after she picks up her pizza, she calls back to complain.

Customer: “You put ham on my pizza, which is against my religion! Can I get another one sent out?”

We are VERY aware of their religion, and we respect it, so we always make sure to triple-check their pizzas before sending them out.

Me: “Absolutely, I’ll send out a new pizza. When it arrives, can you give the driver the messed up one, please?”

This is our protocol. She flips out on me.

Customer: “I shouldn’t have to return the pizza! You just need to send out a new one!”

Finally, two days after THAT, she calls for an order. I hear the driver repeat her order back to her and end the call. She calls back after receiving her order and talks to the driver who took her order.

Customer: “I’m missing a whole pizza. I ordered a specialty pizza and it’s not here. Can you send it out, please?”

The driver flips out.

Driver: “I repeated your order back to you and you said it was correct!”

I have him tell her that if she wants to order another pizza, we will waive the delivery fee. They go back and forth literally arguing about the order. I let it go on because I am fed up. Once the conversation switches to personal insults, I take the phone.

Customer: “Do you know who we are? My dad owns ten [Sandwich Shop Chain]s. We could buy your pizza place from you! I’m not trying to get free food.”

Then, she has her dad call us.

Dad: “What’s the driver’s name? I will make it my life’s mission to have him fired and ruin his life.”

Me: “Now that you are threatening us, you can have my name, and I’m ending this conversation.”

He literally called the store EVERY two minutes for an hour. We weren’t answering. I didn’t lose my cool, but this guy was relentless! They reported me to corporate but they sided with me.

We wanted to ban them from our location (and the other two in our area) and we couldn’t. However, we did implement a system where we would repeat their orders to them slowly and clearly, ask if they wanted to add ranch making sure to say it was fifty cents each, and show them their orders before they left with them and have them confirm again that they were correct. They quit coming around on my shifts.

I am a stay-at-home mom. I’m trying to make my toddler lunch and then get her down for a nap. My husband is currently working from home since his office hasn’t reopened. Someone knocks on the door. I answer and it’s a solicitor. We do have a “no solicitors” sign.

Solicitor: “My name is [Solicitor] and I’m with [Window Company]—”

I put my hand up slightly and cut him off. 

Me: “Hey, sorry. Right now really isn’t a good time. We’re not interested. We don’t own the house and can’t afford to buy new windows.”

I go to shut the door. He looks at me, annoyed. 

Solicitor: “Can I speak to the man of the household?”

I just stare at him before slightly chuckling. 

Me: “Excuse me? I am perfectly capable of speaking for this household, and I guarantee that I’m being a lot nicer than my husband would be. Now, get off my porch.”

He ended up coming back a few days later, and my husband answered the door. He immediately told him that I had already given an answer and slammed the door in his face.

I worked at a large printing company. Work accidents can be costly for a business. In January, my company announced a new safety incentive policy. If our facility averaged only one injury a month, for the entire year, everyone would get a monetary Safety Bonus at the end of the year.

It is now November, and we have had twelve work injuries to date. Twelve is the limit for getting the Safety Bonus. If no one has an accident in the next few weeks, all the employees will get the bonus money.

Late in November, a job opening is posted for a coveted position. A dozen people apply for the job, including [Coworker #1]. The next week, the job is given to [Coworker #2].

[Coworker #1] is extremely upset by management’s choice. They stomp into the plant manager’s office to complain about being passed over for the promotion.

As [Coworker #1] is loudly venting their displeasure at the plant manager, they slam their fist down hard on the manager’s desk to emphasize the point.

In their rage, [Coworker #1] slams their fist down so hard they fracture two bones in their hand.

And that’s work accident number thirteen for the year.

No “Safety Bonus” was issued that year because [Coworker #1] lost it.