(I’ve been working at this particular bookstore for about eight years now as a part-time person just for extra money. I ask my boss in August if there is a chance for me to get off for Christmas, because I’ve been there so long and I’m planning a family holiday in Florida. She tells me as long as I get it in before the end of August that will be fine and I can have it off. Therefore, I put it in as we are talking about it and think nothing of it; she said it would be approved so I’m not worried. I then buy non-refundable tickets to Florida over that week in September, reminding my boss again before I purchase them. She tells me, “Yes, you should have it off.” Then, the first week of November, my time off goes straight to denied; our system is set up that you can’t accept the time off requests until it’s about four weeks out. I come in after my day off to find that it is denied, no explanation. I find my manager that said it would be approved and ask her what’s going on. She basically tells me that I will be scheduled regardless of my time off request because it’s Christmas and I cannot expect that I would be able to take the whole week off.)

Me: “You told me that if I got it in by the end of August, I would be able to have it off. I work all the time and I bought non-refundable tickets to Florida.”

Manager: “I never once approved you taking off that whole time. I told you it was completely up in the air.”

Me: “I bought the tickets in September, and before I bought them I reminded you of this and you said it would be no problem.”

Manager: “Well, we have to have you.”

Me: “I’m going to be out of state.”

Manager: “Well, I guess the best thing is that you call in every day that you are scheduled and let us know because we will be scheduling you.”

Me: “Okay, then.”

(So, basically, because I show up early and take over shifts when others won’t, I’m going to get punished? I was already close to getting out of this job and this is just making it that much easier for me.)

I’d had a slight run of bad luck and had lost a previous job. After being without a job for a month, I was unfortunately in a spot where I needed to accept whatever came my way. So, I’d been applying all over and had gotten called in for an interview with a third-party IT company. The role I was interviewing for was an onsite support tech at one of our clients’ offices. Due to being jobless, I’d let some issues with my car slide because I had no money to fix them, something I asked about in the interview. They told me that it was fine, and I’d mainly be based out of a location about ten minutes south of Seattle and only have to travel to the peninsula occasionally, usually around the first of the year. I was okay with that as I knew the area I was supposed to be based in fairly well.

The interview finished up and the next day I received an offer. This job was a problem from the start. I should have known when I fell on my face heading into the interview. Anyway, I showed up for the company meeting — there were only eight people in the company, so we met at a coffee house in north Seattle — on my first day, busted my butt to get there an hour early, like they’d asked, only to find that A, the computer they’d ordered — and the reason I needed to be there early — wasn’t supposed to arrive until the next day and B, no one else was actually there!

Then, during the meeting, my boss looked me straight in the eye and said that the next day, I was supposed to meet two of our techs at the client location that was about an hour south of my house, in an area I was totally unfamiliar with. I was not really comfortable going when I had a car that wasn’t behaving. I asked if someone would be willing to give me a ride and my coworker said sure, as long as I was willing to come to meet her at the coffee house — which was about an hour north of my house. I tried to get her to come to me, but she maintained that the only way she’d give me a ride was if I met her at the coffee house. I said no, I’d drive, and then had to force them to give me directions and an address where I was supposed to go!

And that was just the second day. Things went downhill from there.

I found out after my first full week that the company meeting I attended was actually a weekly thing, but no one bothered to tell me that. And this meeting was at the location an hour north of my house, forcing me to go through Seattle to get there, so my hour-long drive turned into two or more hours.

Then, they asked me to be at a location in Everett — which is north — at 8:00 in the morning, but again, I had to drive through Seattle to get there, and traffic to Everett is never good. I flat-out refused to try and be there by 8:00; I told them I’d get there when I got there because I was not willing to leave my house before 5:00 in the morning.

Things continued in that vein the entire time I was there. They did everything from making me go to locations outside of my “home” one — locations I hadn’t known about until they told me I had to go there the next day — to not covering my mileage because I didn’t have a company card and they never gave me one. Whenever I was with another tech, she always had to buy me lunch and a tank of gas; I didn’t let her leave without those two things.

It took me about nine months, but I finally found another job that doesn’t treat me like that. It’s a strange feeling.

(I have just moved to a small town after leaving an abusive relationship. As I’m starting a new job and my birthday is coming up, I decide to treat myself to a haircut.)

Hairdresser: “What would you like today?”

Me: “I’d like it cut to here–” *indicates to shoulders* “–with layers and half a head of foils, please. Will it be any more than [amount I have budgeted for]?”

Hairdresser: “That’s not a problem; I can do it for that.”

(As she’s cutting my hair, we chat.)

Hairdresser: “Are you new in town?”

Me: “Yes, I’ve just moved from [City] and start work on Monday at [Local Hotel]. My birthday is coming up, so to celebrate I thought I’d treat myself.”

Hairdresser: “Happy birthday and welcome to [Town]!”

(Once we finish with the foils and it’s time for me to pay:)

Hairdresser: “If you have time, I’ll do [expensive hair treatment].”

Me: “I only have [amount we agreed on].”

Hairdresser: “Don’t worry.” 

Me: “Okay, thank you.”

(When I go to pay)

Me: “Thank you! I love it. I definitely will be back.”

Hairdresser: “Great, I’m glad you like it. That’s [amount half of what we agreed on]. Happy birthday and good luck with the new job.”

Me: *almost in tears* “Are you sure?”

Hairdresser: “Perks of being the owner; I can charge what I want.”

Me: *crying* “Thank you, this means a lot. I’ve had a tough time lately and thought this might give me a boost.”

Hairdresser: “You’re welcome. If you ever need someone to talk to, you are welcome to come here for a cuppa.”

(Years later, with her support, I’ve married, had kids, and moved away, but I’m still friends with the other hairdressers and she’s become like my second mum.)

(I’m on holiday when the town I live in is evacuated due to bushfires that have claimed three lives and damaged or destroyed over 200 homes. My husband, our three kids, and I have been staying in a motel for a week when the owner knocks on our door just after the evacuation orders are given. We are due to check out the next morning.)

Owner: “You guys are from [Town], right? I just heard that it’s been evacuated.”

Husband: “Yes, we’ve just heard. We might need to extend our stay if that’s possible.”

Owner: “You should be able to get housing through [Government Service]. I have a contact there; I’ll see what I can do. If not, we’ll work something out. Don’t worry about checking out tomorrow; just come to the office around 9:00.”

Me: “Thank you so much.”

(The next morning, he calls his contact, but due to us not being in our home they can’t help us.)

Owner: “Look, don’t worry about paying for the room. It’s yours as long as you need it; you guys have enough to worry about.”

Me: *crying* “Wow, thank you so much. This is our first holiday since before [Oldest Child] was born. I don’t know what we’d do, otherwise.”

Owner: “If you need anything, let me or [Owner’s Wife] know.”

(Thank you to these angels who have given us a little bit of hope when we don’t know if we could lose everything as there are catastrophic fire conditions throughout New South Wales and Queensland today. Please keep the people living in these areas in your thoughts and prayers.)

(I work at a pool as a lifeguard; I almost ALWAYS work during the opening and/or midday shifts. One day, I am scheduled to work a closing shift, and my manager comes in about an hour before closing to get something.) 

Manager: “Wow, [My Name], you’re here really late!”

Me: “I know! It’s been a while since I’ve worked this shift.”

Manager: “So… why are you working closing?”

Me: “…”

Manager: “…”

Me: “…”

Manager: “Wait! Did I schedule you to work this shift?”

Me: “Yes. Yes, you did.”

Manager: “…”