(I go with my brother and my mom to buy a game that recently came out. I am 17. The cashier gives the usual “did you find everything” speech. While this is happening, my brother is looking at other games, and I’m with my mom.)

Cashier: *to my mom* “Also, ma’am, I just need to tell you about the rating of this game. I don’t think it’s suitable for your son.”

Mom: “Actually, this game is for my daughter.”

(The cashier was quiet through the rest of the transaction.)

(I run a lottery pool at work and buy tickets every week. The lottery that we buy tickets for has a draw twice a week. For simplicity’s sake, I like to get one ticket that covers both draws. This happens almost every time I go to buy one.)

Me: “I’d like a ticket for [Lottery], please, for the next two draws.”

Clerk: “Huh?”

Me: “I’d like a ticket that has the same number for both the Wednesday and the Saturday draw.”

Clerk: “Then you want two tickets.”

Me: “No. Two tickets would be two different numbers. I want just one ticket for both draws.”

Clerk: “We don’t do that.”

Me: “Um, yes, you do. I buy tickets like that all the time.”

Clerk: “No, we don’t.” *turns to more experienced colleague* “Right?”

Colleague: “Actually, we do. Here, I’ll show you.”

Clerk: “But, that means that the ticket will cost $8 instead of $4.” *gives me a triumphant “Gotcha” expression*

Me: “Yes, that’s right.” *holds out the $8 that I had all ready to go*

Clerk: “Oh.”

I took a foods course that was divided into “Theory” and “Cooking,” with half the class doing each at any given time, then swapping to the other. I always did the theory first for any given unit, and was one of the few who actually did the work, and one of fewer who actually got good marks from it.

Most of the rest of the class were, unfortunately, the types who scraped by if given the chance, and it showed during the cooking portion when they barely got passing marks. They all saw that I frequently got good marks, and because our paperwork was kept in a public area, they tried to use mine to cheat for marks.

I saw this, but had no real way to take care of it; if I kept my work in my locker, it wouldn’t get marked by the teacher. However, for the final assignment, effectively a “Final Exam” worth around 35% of the final mark, I concocted a scheme to punish them for cheating. I informed my teacher about my suspicions, and told him that I would submit a “dummy” exam with intentionally wrong answers, and give him the proper exam later. He agreed that would be fine. I did so, leaving this “dummy” exam in the main pile, and then let my fellow students know my opinion on cheaters. They laughed at it, and I went about my business.

We got our final marks back, this final assignment included. The cheaters all looked shocked at their final marks, until I heard them at the next table over trying to whisper, “That makes no sense, I copied him…” and “That means [My Name] also got a 0!” as they walked over to me, laughing. “Hey, [My Name]. What did you get?”

“I got 95%,” I said.

They just stopped, took a moment, and walked away, as my professor sat in the corner laughing at the exchange.

(I walk up to the line at the post office to purchase a stamp for my letter and stand behind a mother who is frantically trying to keep her rambunctious toddler in check. I can tell she has been waiting here for quite some time, as the elderly lady in front of her is asking a hundred questions about the package she wants to deliver. The mother has to leave the line a couple times to get her toddler to come back into line. She apologizes numerous times and I tell her not to worry about it. The first lady finally finishes and the mother takes her turn. She ends up having to change the size of her box, run out of line to fetch her child, and has trouble finding the cash to pay. She continues to apologize with each incident that arises. I smile and tell her there is no rush and to take her time. She finally finishes, thanks me for my patience, and pulls over to the side to corral her toddler and put her wallet into her purse. I walk up to the clerk.)

Me: “Hello, I’d like to mail this letter. I know the mailing price increased over the new year and I have an old stamp on this letter. I would like a one-cent stamp to make up for the increase, please.”

(The clerk and lady just looked at me and laughed, as it took me about a half-hour to get a one-cent stamp.)

(Our policy is to ID under 40 for all purchases, so I check nearly every customer’s ID.)

Me: “Could I see a piece of photo ID, please?”

Customer: “Uh, I guess so.”

(She shows me her ID through the pocket in her wallet, but the photo is obscured.)

Me: “I’m sorry; could you please take your ID out of your wallet? I can’t see your face.”

Customer: “I really don’t understand why you need to see the photo. You can see the date.”

Me: “Well, the photo helps me verify that the ID belongs to you.”

Customer: “I still don’t understand, but whatever.”

(We finish the transaction and she leaves.)

Coworker: “Did she really just ask why you needed to see the photo on her photo ID?“