I am installing a car battery. He turns to his eight-year-old son and says:

Customer: “See, son, this is why you go to college: so you don’t have to work jobs like this.”

The son starts giggling at me and smiling smugly. Normally, I would ignore ignorant comments like this (it happens more often than you think), but my own son of a similar age is doing his homework in the corner of the shop and has heard everything.

Me: “See, son, this is why you never be a jerk and assume someone is uneducated while they’re in college and only a few months away from getting their doctorate in physical therapy.”

Customer: *Sputtering* “But… you’re a mechanic! Why?”

Me: “Because my son and I like to eat.”

He was silent for the rest of my time on his car. I hope his son doesn’t turn into a brat.

I have been working with a challenging client who never seems to appreciate that I have been hired to design something using his brief but also my expertise. I have designed a corporate flyer for him that’s advertising a company-wide Christmas party.

This company is involved in appliances, construction, and renovations, and it was in the local news recently about the first woman to join the board of directors quitting suddenly claiming the rampant sexism she experienced.

As a woman, after dealing with some of these clients, I am beginning to see what she meant. I am calling one of the directors.

Me: “Hi! I am looking at the copy you sent me for the flyer. There might be some typo issues that—”

Client: “I wrote that myself! We pay you to make the pretty pictures, not dictate to the directors what they should be saying!”

Me: “I was just checking if you were sure you want this to go out as-is?”

Client: “Are you deaf? Of course, I do!”

Me: “It’s just… You’re telling people they can win expensive appliances and housewives.”

Client: “…”

Me: “I’m assuming you meant housewares?”

Client: “…”

Me: “By your silence, I’m going to assume you meant housewares.”

Client: “…”

Me: “I’m just gonna put ‘housewares’ and assume your silence is approval.”

Client: *Click*

Approved!

I was working retail part-time in college. There was a back-to-school deal where the company would donate 5% of a sale to the school of the customer’s choice. To do so, we had to look up the school and find their number to input into the register. We were swamped, and I forgot. The lady and her kid left and then returned a few minutes later.

Customer: *Mad* “You didn’t ask which school!”

Me: “I’m so sorry!”

I had to return her whole purchase and rescan it. I was embarrassed and moved her to the front of the line. Her kid was impatient.

Customer’s Kid: *Whining* “Why can’t we leave?”

Customer: “We’d already be home if this high school dropout knew how to do his job. They must have some quota of [disabled slur] people they have to hire!”

I walked away from the register and left her standing there. I opened the next register and called the next customer over. My manager had heard everything.

He finished cashing her out and apologized like five times. She left in a huff.

He started to tell me I should have handled it better later in the break room, but I cut him off by turning around and walking away. He wasn’t happy, but it was that or saying something that would get me fired. 

Related:
Minimum Wage, Minimum Effort, Part 2
Minimum Wage, Minimum Effort

An older customer is ordering a lot of timber for a home renovation product.

Customer: “Can I ask you about your installation services?”

Me: “Absolutely! We partner with lots of verified local contractors, so I should be able to help you find what you need.”

Customer: *Narrows his eyes* “Where are you from?”

Me: “New Zealand, originally, but I’ve lived in the States for over—”

Customer: “All you immigrants coming over here! An American-born man could be doing the job you’re doing right now, but you had to come in and take over!”

Me: “Sir, I am not here to steal anyone’s job. I’m just—”

Customer: “It’s disgusting! But you’re here now, and I have work to do. But I’ll be writing to my Facebook group about this so they know [Hardware Store] hires immigrants instead of Americans!”

Me: *Trying to move this along* “That’s fine, sir. You were asking about our partnered contractors?”

Customer: “Yeah, I’m looking for some guys who have experience with installing kitchens. Oh, and try to get me some Mexicans; those guys are always cheapest.”

A coworker is working the kitchen at our food stand in a sports stadium. A kind of drunk customer is making an order when my coworker is getting ready to go on her break and another coworker is about to take over the deep fryer.

The customer is telling the cashier what he wants, but then he notices the staff change. The outgoing coworker is Black, and the incoming one is white, as is the customer.

Customer: “Oh, no, no, no, no. I want that [n-word] there to cook my food; at least they know how to run a deep fryer.”

Security had to come and get the guy. My coworker was so upset about what happened that she almost didn’t come back from break. They had to calm her down.