(We have a policy where we price match and then give ten percent off. A customer comes up to the register and shoves a smartphone with an ad under my face.)

Customer: “You have this for $400, and this website has it for $299. I want the difference and ten percent.”

Me: “Okay, I’ll have to verify that.”

(I check the ad, which is on a rather questionable-looking website, and note that while it does say the item costs $299, the link to actually buy it links back to my store’s website where the price is $400.)

Me: “Well, sir, I know it says that, but if you click to buy it, it takes you to my store’s site where it’s $400.”

Customer: “But you have a price match guarantee!”

Me: “Yes, but I can’t price match myself.”

Customer: “That’s stupid! Why can’t you match it?”

Me: “Because they’re not actually selling it for that price.”

Customer: “Well, they say they are! It shouldn’t matter!”

Me: “Well, actually, it does. Anyone could post a picture and a price for something online and claim it costs that much.”

Customer: “And why would someone do that? God, you’re so stupid! I can’t believe [Store] hires idiots like you! I’m going to [Competitor].”

Me: “Okay. I’ll let them know you’re coming.”

(I work at a place where it’s common for customers to pay for the person behind them in the drive-thru. I help a customer who intended to pay only for her $4 drink, but upon hearing that the customer in front of her had paid it, insisted on paying for the $11 total behind her. The customers with that total pull up, and I notice they are all teenage girls.)

Me: “Actually, guys, the lady in front of you paid for your order!”

Driver: “What? Why?”

Me: “It’s kind of a pay-it-forward thing; it happens pretty often here.”

Driver: *to her friends* “Sweet guys! Free drinks!”

(I hand them their four drinks and ask if they’d like to pay it forward.)

Driver: “Why would I? I just saved 11 bucks!”

Me: “Well, have a good day!”

Coworker: “I get it when someone intends to pay for one drink, and can’t afford a huge total of the person behind them. But when that happens it just makes me want to throw things.”

(A client walks in with her dog. Since I recognize the client, I print out a confirmation sheet, just asking to check the accuracy of all of her information, such as the spelling of her name, address, phone number, and email address.)

Client: *with a BIG smile on her face* “I pulled a switcheroo on you guys!” *gestures to her dog* “This is Linus, not Ella; Linus is having ear troubles. Also, I will only be boarding Buttons with you, not Ella or Linus, so we don’t need to have Ella in for her exam and vaccines.”

Me: *strained smile* “All righty, then. You said that Linus is having trouble with his ears, so let’s get you into a room.”

(Seriously, if you have two children and you set up an appointment for an annual well-check with the pediatrician for one child, would you not only switch the child that you are bringing in, but change the reason for the visit, and not bother telling the doctor’s office what you are doing? If not, why do you think it is okay to do that to a vet?)

(I am working the cashier at a store during football season when an older woman comes through my line with a couple of things.)

Me: “Oh, this shirt is cute!”

Customer: “They still have some over in the sports section if you want to grab one after work.”

Me: “Oh, it’s okay. I’m not a big fan of football. I just like the style of shirt.”

Customer: “Honey, you live in Bronco country, and if you don’t like that you have to leave!”

(I have no idea what to say after that, so I finish processing her transaction.)

Me: “Have a nice day!”

Customer: “Learn to love football or you’ll never find a husband!”

My family and I are traveling by car to my youngest sister’s college graduation ceremony. We are in two cars driving caravan style, so we will arrive at the same time. We are about halfway into the hour-and-a-half drive when my mom is merging onto the highway and her car just… stops working. Completely. All the icons on the dashboard flash and we start slowing down spontaneously.

We pull over and try to figure out what’s going on. We can’t find anything wrong with the car except that it won’t start. So, we all pile into my oldest sister’s car. There are seven of us in a five-seater car, and someone is sitting the trunk, but we don’t care; we are getting to this graduation ceremony! My sister starts her car and… the engine won’t turn over. What are the odds that both cars would have problems at the same time?!

We call our insurance and ask for roadside assistance for my sister’s car, hoping we can still make it to the ceremony on time. The roadside assistance says it will be at least an hour before they can get to us, which would be after the graduation is supposed to start. We call a friend from the area and ask if she can come and give my sister’s car a jump — we suspect the battery is dead — so we can maybe get to the ceremony on time. Our friend says she will come as soon as she can.

Then, we call for a tow truck for my mom’s car to take it to the mechanic. Again, it will be an hour before we can get any help. My dad begs the customer service agent to do what she can to get someone here faster so we can still get to the graduation ceremony.

Ten minutes later, a cop pulls over and talks to us, making sure everything is all right. He offers to look at my mom’s car to see if there is anything he can do. The cop doesn’t have the right tools to help us, and after making sure we have help coming, leaves.

Not five minutes later, the tow truck and our friend arrive at the same time! The tow truck driver offers to jump my sister’s car even though he was only supposed to tow my mom’s car. A few of us get into our friend’s car and we finally get on the road to the graduation ceremony! We arrive only a few minutes before it starts; we made it just in time.

If it weren’t for such kind people, like the cop, the customer service agent with roadside assistance, the tow truck driver, and our friend, I would never have gotten to see my sister graduate college, and I am so grateful for the help we received.