(I work in a Christian bookstore. We don’t have a dedicated lunchroom. All staff use a table and chairs which are set up behind the store, in front of the shipping container we use as storage. [Coworker #1] and  [Coworker #2] are both male and I am female. Both coworkers rush inside laughing, looking shocked.)

Me: “What’s happening?”

Coworker #2: “You will not believe what is happening out there!”

Me: “What?!”

Coworker #1: “Okay, first of all, [Coworker #2] and I were out there eating lunch. Nothing special. And I looked up to that tall building on the corner. There were people pressed against the glass, looking down our way! One even had binoculars! I thought, ‘What’s so interesting about a black man and a white man eating lunch?!’”

Coworker #2: “He’s not kidding! It was nuts! I thought, ‘What the h*** could they be looking at?’ So, I looked over my shoulder and leaned my chair back a bit to take a look behind the container.”

(Both coworkers start giggling again.)

Me: “And? What?!”

Coworker #2: “There are people back there. Having sex!”

(I gape at him in disbelief.)

Coworker #1: “He’s not kidding. They are having sex!”

Me: “I suddenly need to put this box here in the bin out back.”

(I walk out the back to put the item in the bin, glance over, and yes, there are people having sex on the very hard and sharp rocks between the storage container and the fence. I rush inside and wander in disbelief into the office.)

Me: *to the manager* “Um, [Manager]? There are people having sex behind the container.”

Manager: “What?!”

Me: “Seriously. [Coworker #1] and [Coworker #2] were out the back having lunch and just told me, and I saw for myself.”

(Our manager takes off out the back and I follow. She stops at the end of the container and just looks at them in disbelief.)

Manager: “I don’t think that’s very appropriate, do you?”

Sex-Man: “Yeah, probably, but we’re almost done.”

(The manager walks back inside, not quite knowing what to do. About two minutes later, they wander out from behind the store, wander INTO the store, browse for a while, and then leave.)

Me: *to the manager later* “I think we may have just won the ‘Crazy Work Story’ competition for all time.”

(The phone rings a couple of minutes after closing.)

Customer: “Hey, are you anywhere near me?”

Me: “I don’t know where you are.”

Customer: *talking to friends in the background* “Where are we?” *to me* “Someplace starting with T…” *relates suburb about five minutes’ drive away*

Me: “Yes, you’re about five minutes away but—”

Customer: *interrupts* “Sweet! What time do you close?”

Me: “Actually, we closed about five minutes ago.”

Customer: “Oh, man! My favourite store is closed! I’m a sad panda.” *click*

I work in a large fast-food chain, and have worked for them for nearly six years.

Lady: I’d like a three-meat sandwich.
Me: I’m afraid we don’t have any sandwich by that name.
Lady: Do you not sell it any more?
Me: Do you possibly mean the club sandwich? That has three meats, turkey, ham and beef.
Lady: No. You mustn’t sell it any more. This is turkey, beef and pepperoni.
Me: Well as far as I know we haven’t had that since I started working for the company. But I can make it up for you, but I’ll have to do a beef with extra meats so the pricing might be higher than you were expecting. I can check it before I start making it though.
Lady: No, you must have just taken it off the menu.
(Walks off)

(I am working on a seafood buffet at a function for high school students.)

Student: “Which of your dishes are vegan?”

Me: “I’m not entirely sure; let me ask the chef.”

(I go and ask the chef, and come back to inform the student.)

Student: “Okay, great. Thanks. What about the fish?”

Me: “I beg your pardon?”

Student: “The fish. Is it vegan?”

Me: “Uh…”

(The customer is trying to pay using PayPass, which means you just tap your credit card to the reader. The machine beeps twice, which means the transaction hasn’t gone through.)

Customer: “It beeped twice; does that mean I was charged twice?”

Me: “No, it means it didn’t go through at all. Try holding the card a bit longer; it will only beep once.”

(The customer taps and takes her card away too fast, and the machine beeps twice.)

Me: “Just hold it there for a second while the machine reads the card, then it will beep once.”

Customer: *taps too fast, machine beeps twice* “It beeped twice! It’s charging me every time it beeps!”

Me: “No, only one long beep means the transaction has been accepted.”

Customer: *holds card to the reader until one beep sounds*

Me: “Would you like your receipt?”

Customer: “Yes! I want to make sure you didn’t charge me six times!”