me: (showing them the key) “This is your locker key, and through the curtains is your locker.”
customer: “Ok. And do you have lockers?”

(It’s not a very busy day when one of our regulars comes in.  They pick out a toy and then start asking about party decorations.)
Customer: Do you sell party decorations?
Me: We have this birthday banner.
I pull it down and show it to her.
Customer: No, anything else?
Me: No I’m sorry that’s all we have but [Store’s Name] across the parking lot has party decorations.
Customer: Oh. I really only wanted to make one stop today.  Are you sure you don’t have anything else?
Me:  No ma’am I’m sorry we don’t.
Customer: Are you sure? I really don’t want to go to another store.
This goes on for a bit and finally she just stands by the counter making pouting faces at me while her child plays nearby as if I’ll decide to go get them for her.  I ring up a few customers and then she finally comes up to pay.
Customer: Fine (looking somewhat hurt that I can’t make what she wants appear) I guess I’ll just take this.
Me: (big smile) Thank you have a nice day.

(I’m 5’3″, and while I’m not the shortest person at work, I still tend to get overlooked… a lot. This happens in a single shift. The manager calls a store meeting. I take my place on the floor next to several other employees. I am sitting right in front of where she is standing.)

Manager: “Where’s [My Name]? [MY NAME]!”

Me: “I’m right here, [Manager].”

Manager: “Oh.”

(Later…)

Manager: “And [My Name], go to aisle [number] and start pulling down overstock.”

(I’m in the aisle, digging through a box when the manager looks down my aisle and bellows over the radio:)

Manager: “[My Name]! I told you do go to Aisle [Number]!”

Me: *standing five feet away, straight down the aisle from where she’s standing* “What the heck do you think I’m doing?!”

Manager: “Oh. I didn’t see you.”

Me: *annoyed* “Obviously.”

(Even later…)

Manager: *bellowing into the walkie-talkie* “[My Name]! You’re supposed to be helping in the framing department!”

(I am up a ladder, handing a box of overstocked frames down to my coworker. We’re both less than three feet away.)

Me: “G**d*** it, [Manager]!”

Manager: “Oh, there you are.”

Me: “Grr…”

Coworker: “Maybe you’re like the elf who helps out the cobbler. You know, never seen, but always gets the job done?”

Me: “I wouldn’t mind so much if it didn’t get me yelled at!”

I lived in a large apartment complex for a couple of years. At one point, my next door neighbor moved out and a new neighbor moved in. She was middle-aged, single, and mother to a teenage daughter, and though I hadn’t actually spoken with her or her daughter yet, they both seemed nice enough.

My very first interaction with this new neighbor happened after she knocked on my door one day. It was about 11 am on a Friday morning. Before she even introduced herself, she asked me if she could borrow $20 so she could take her daughter to school!

I glanced down at her hands where she held the new pack of cigarettes she’d just opened and the nicest smartphone available at the time and told her I didn’t carry cash.

I pre-ordered a Pokémon game, and the release date was coming up soon. A few days before the release, I got an email saying that if I wanted to get it as soon as possible, a store near me would be giving out ticket vouchers that allow customers to get it the night before the official release. I was unable to go get the voucher, so I asked a friend who had also pre-ordered the game to go get one for us both.

I pre-ordered the Moon version, and my friend ordered the Sun version, but only I got the email. I figured it was just sloppy notifications. However, when my friend got to the store and started talking among fans, they realized that only people who ordered the Moon version were emailed about the ticket that let you in to get game early. All those who ordered Sun were left in the dark. The store didn’t answer any questions, but a few fans came to a theory that the store decided to notify the Moon players because they would be more “likely” to be up at night-time.