I pick up the phone to call a client and hit myself on the cheekbone.
Me: “I just hit myself in the face with the phone.”
Coworker: “That’s what you get for pushing its buttons!”
With the housing market being insane lately, I get a cold-call at least once a week from realtors almost begging me to sell my house. Two days after we refinance, we get yet another cold-call.
Realtor: “Hi, [My Name]. This is [Realtor] with [Company]. I’m interested in your property and understand you have a mortgage for [amount]?”
Me: “Nope. Just refinanced.”
Realtor: “Oh…” *Long pause* “Was it for more than [amount]?”
Me: “A lot more.”
Realtor: “Um… was it more than six months ago?”
Me: “It was literally two days ago, dude.”
Realtor: “Oh… um… I guess we can’t help you, then.”
Me: “Didn’t ask for it. Bye now.”
I walk into an auto parts store.
Me: “Hi! I need a new headlight bulb and two windshield wiper blades, please!”
Associate: “Absolutely!”
The associate quickly gets what I need.
Me: “Could I be a bother and have you assist with installing these?”
Associate: “I can do the windshield wiper blades no problem, but I can’t help with the bulb. I’m sorry.”
Me: “Gotcha! No worries, my dude!”
A line forms behind me and the associate says it’ll be just a minute before he can step out to help me. I try to get a jump on installing the bulb.
I can’t get the bulb out with my crappy grip strength on my dominant hand due to an old injury, and I don’t realize the associate is behind me. He is laughing really hard at my struggle — but in a nice way. I realize I have taken the wrong bulb out and continue cursing while the employee laughs more. Having fixed my wipers, he bids me good luck and heads back inside.
I realize just how inept at car maintenance I actually am and get an idea, so I head back inside.
Me: “Hello! Quick question, and I promise I’m not trying to be that customer.”
Associate: *Playfully ducks under the counter* “Oh, no!”
Me: “I was wondering if you could take the old bulb out and I put the new bulb in. I have an old injury and next to no grip strength in my right hand.”
Associate: “You know what? Sure!”
Back outside, the associate removes the old bulb like he could do it in his sleep. I remove the new bulb and wait for him to scoot so I can get it plugged in.
Associate: “Here, I’ll just go ahead and do it since I’m here.”
Me: “No, I can do it! I don’t want you to get in trouble. Really, thank you for doing this, but I can get it!”
Associate: “My mama raised me to help people and have manners, so it’ll be okay.”
I reluctantly hand him the new bulb which he installs in three seconds max.
Associate: “There you go, ma’am! All good to go! Just try to turn your headlights on real quick to test them.”
I quickly turn them on and grab two $5 bills.
Associate: “Looks like they work perfectly!”
Me: “I know it’s not much, but please take this.”
Associate: “No, ma’am! It’s all good!”
Me: “Please, I have worked customer service long enough to know what it’s like. Please. You don’t realize just how much you helped me.”
I hand him the money.
Me: “I would also like to commend you to your manager if possible. You made this a very pleasant experience and didn’t talk down to me, and I really appreciate that.”
I called the next day and told the manager just how nice this employee was, and this seemed to catch her off-guard. I wish more people would call or talk to the manager about how much good employees really matter!
My husband and I go to a sushi restaurant for dinner. We are pretty much sushi newbies, so we just order whatever sounds good. When the time comes to pay…
Me: “I wish I’d taken note of what we’d ordered. It was all great, and I’d like to be able to order it again in the future.”
Husband: *Scrutinizing the bill* “Unfortunately, this isn’t any help; it just has a few hand-written squiggles and a total.”
Server: “Is there anything else I can get you?”
Me: “Yes. We’re just curious — can you tell us what we ordered? We’d like to be able to order it again someday.”
Server: *Condescendingly* “Sushi.”
Me: “Well, yes, but what kind of sushi?”
Server: “Fiiiiish.”
I gave up at that point.
It’s about four in the morning and I need a snack — insomniac here — so I drive down to the nearby gas station, pick up a drink, and go to their fresh donut stand to pick out donuts. I lift the tongs from the inside of the case and start picking. As I’m picking up the last donut…
Cashier: “You’re supposed to use the napkins.”
Me: “Uh, sorry? What napkins?”
The cashier gestures to the napkins… on top of the donut case, out of visible sight.
Cashier: “Use ’em.”
Since I’m done picking my donuts, I go to the counter. She rings me up.
Cashier: “How many you got?”
Me: “Three regular, one apple fritter—”
Cashier: *Interrupting me* “So four, then?”
Me: “Yeah, sorry, I thought the type mattered.”
She tuts at me. My card goes through.
Me: “Have a good one.”
The cashier just grumbled something about sanitizing the tongs.
I understand we are in a health crisis, but if you want people to use the napkins, put them in plain sight and take the tongs from the display entirely. Also, if it matters so much, maybe wear a mask, and maybe don’t be a b**** to your semi-regulars at four am?
