I have a popular coffee chain’s app that I use to order through due to the health crisis. Said coffee chain offers reward points, up to 400 points, which can be used for a free drink of your choice or other purchases. At this point, I have nearly 400 points due to not really using my points much, maybe once every two weeks to get myself a free drink. I order my usual drink through the app, only to find afterward that nearly half of my points are now missing from my app. I contact their customer support:

Me: “Hi there. I ordered my drink today through the app using my balance, but half of my points were removed without reason. I didn’t use them whatsoever, so why were they removed?”

Representative: “I see that you received 23.8 points for your purchase today.”

Me: “But I didn’t use any of my points, and I had nearly 400.”

Representative: “It does look like 150 points were used to get a free blended beverage two days ago.”

Me: “I know, but that was a part of the promotion for 150 points, and my points balance never changed afterward. The price for a free drink is the same as the promotion points.”

Representative: “I’m not seeing any purchases using them today, either. Your Points Balance is 291. Thank you.”

Me: “Exactly. What I’m trying to ask is why they went down. They were at 380 today, before I ordered, and then after I ordered, they were at 291!”

Representative: “If you have a screenshot showing the 380, I could look into this further for you.”

Me: “How am I supposed to take a screenshot of something that happened that I have no control of, that I wouldn’t know would happen? It’s not like I’m a crazy person who takes pictures of their points to show off to everyone. All I know is that before I ordered, I had 380, and now I’ve lost at least 100 points for no reason. It’s not like I could know I would lose the points, so why would I take a picture of my points?”

Representative: “We aren’t seeing any points being removed. That is why a screenshot would prove that more points were there before the purchase was made.”

Me: “Okay, I want some logic here. Why would I take a screenshot before a problem occurred? I didn’t know the problem would occur! If I had the power of foresight, I would use it for more than getting my hard-earned points back!”

I didn’t hear anything for half an hour, and then the chat was terminated. I still don’t have an explanation as to where my points went, nor how I am supposed to take a screenshot of something in the past.

It’s around the holiday season, and my regional manager and I are standing near the back of the store talking about some plans for the store. We happen to be near a display of Star Wars toys, and I notice a plastic lightsaber that’s new. They are the type that when you flick it, the coloured plastic shoots out to turn the lightsaber “on.” I grab one off the shelf to try it out, but nothing happens. It’s a blue lightsaber, meant for a Jedi.

Regional Manager: “Let me try.”

It works with one swing.

Me: “I’ve always leaned more toward the dark side anyway.”

I took one of the red lightsabers off the hook and tried it out. It worked perfectly. I tried the blue lightsaber again later. It still didn’t work for me.

This story is part of the Star Wars Day: May The Fourth roundup!

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It is December and holiday parties are in full swing. I’m working at the front desk at my hotel. A couple in their mid-twenties comes to the desk.

Male Guest: “Can you tell us how to get to our holiday party?”

Me: “Sure, which party are you going to?”

Male Guest: “Um…” *Looks at his wife.*

Female Guest: “Don’t look at me. Ask her; she should know!”

The male guest just looks at me.

Me: “I know of five parties within the immediate area; which are you going to?”

Both of them look at me like I’m stupid.

Male Guest: “The one that had something to do with a boat.”

Me: “There are three parties tonight with a boat in their name. Which one are you looking for?”

Male Guest: “Um…”

He starts looking at his phone. His wife is still looking at me like I’m an idiot.

Me: “There is the party boat in the river right behind us.”

I point behind me towards the river.

Me: “There is the paddle boat pub next door.”

I point to my right.

Me: “And the seafood restaurant—” *with “boat” in its name* “—is down this hall.”

Both just walked away. 

Dude, I work in a hotel in the downtown core at Christmas. There are literally parties everywhere.

This story was told to me by my mother when I was older, but she still laughs about it today. 

When I was eighteen months old, I had my front four teeth removed due to an underlying condition. This occurs a few months later, after I have begun to learn how to speak. My grandma is watching me for the day, and one of our outings for the day is to take my uncle to work.

We are heading down the Trans-Canada Highway, which is always populated by semi-trucks. I am fascinated with these massive trucks and start pointing at them. Unfortunately, my uncle and grandma are having a conversation, and I am upset that they aren’t paying attention to me. After some time, this happens:

Me: “Gan’na!”

Grandma: “Hold on a second, [My Name]; your uncle and I are talking.”

Me: “But Gan’na!”

Grandma: *Sighs* “What is it?”

I point to a large car carrier that is carrying a bunch of pick-up trucks.

Me: “Look! F***s!”

My grandma gasps and my uncle bursts into laughter.

Grandma: “[My Name]! Where did you hear that word?!”

Me: “F***s?”

Grandma: “No! Stop saying that! You say it again and there will be no more Barney!”

Uncle: *Through tears and his cackles of laughter* “Mom, he’s saying, ‘Trucks’! He has no teeth, remember?!”

Grandma: “He shouldn’t be saying that dirty, filthy word!”

Uncle: “He can’t help it if he doesn’t have any teeth!”

Luckily, I went to speech therapy when I was old enough, and even though I still sometimes have a slight lisp and have to think about how to say a word before speaking, at least I don’t call trucks “F***s” anymore.

My husband and I have flown to Vancouver for a vacation. I booked a car for us online. My last name is commonly misspelled because it sounds the same as a famous product. Let’s say that my last name is “Shampaine,” which sounds like “Champagne”.

Me: “Hello! I’ve reserved a car.”

Clerk: “Last name?”

Me: “Shampaine.”

Clerk: *Checking computer* “Your reservation isn’t here.”

Me: “Oh, this happens quite a bit. Let me spell my name for you.”

Clerk: “I told you, it’s not here.”

Me: “My name is spelled S-H-A—”

Clerk: *Not touching her computer* “It’s not here.”

Me: *Giving up* “Tell you what. Here’s my confirmation number.”

Clerk: *Checks the computer* “Oh! Here it is. I see the problem: your last name is spelled wrong.” *Laughs*

Me: “It’s not spelled wrong.”

Clerk: “Uh, yeah, it is.”

Me: “I entered all my details myself online when I made the reservation. Are you saying that I don’t know how to spell my own name?”

Clerk: “…”

Husband: *Tugging my sleeve* “Let’s go.”

I wish I could say that was a rare event, but it happens a LOT.