CONTENT WARNING: Gross

One summer during college, I worked at a gym teaching kids from ages four to ten how to swim. During my classes at the shallow end of the pool, there was also a Mommy And Me swimming class for infants, getting them used to the water while still being in a parent’s arms.

This was an exchange between me and the coworker teaching the infant class in between classes.

Me: “There’s something floating in the pool. Actually, there’s a lot of it.”

Coworker: *Offhandedly* “Oh, I think one of the infants in the Mommy And Me class pooped their pants and it spilled out into the water.”

Me: “Don’t we need to clear the pool and clean it since that’s biohazardous material?”

Coworker: “No, there’s so much chlorine in here that it was dead on contact.”

Now, this I would believe; the chlorine levels at this pool were enough that I ended each day with less leg hair than the day before, and it gave my eyes the look of someone who spent their summer at Woodstock.

My coworker then proceeded to jump into the pool and scoop the poop out by hand before welcoming the next class in.

Safe to say, those reasons are why that was my last summer teaching swim lessons.

I work at a gym and actually have relatively cool managers. I am at the front desk with one of the managers, but he is currently busy and has asked me to try and handle things unless I absolutely need him.

I’m greeting members when a young guy walks in holding a piece of paper.

Me: “Good morning, welcome in! How are you doing today?”

Guy: “Y’all got a manager I can talk to?”

I briefly glance at my manager and he shakes his head.

Me: “My manager is currently unavailable, but maybe I can help you?”

Guy: *Huffs* “Y’all hiring?”

Me: “We are. They are accepting applications through our website. I can show you if you’d like.”

Guy: “I wanna give my resume to the manager.”

Me: “I’d be happy to pass along your resume and information. In the meantime, I’d strongly suggest going to our website and applying online. Our hiring manager is very good about going through the online process.”

Guy: *Condescendingly* “Nah. Why don’t you run along and fetch me your manager, princess?”

Before I can say anything, my manager stops what he is doing and walks over.

Manager: “Hi! I’m the manager. I can take that from you.”

He extends his hand for the resume. The guy looks at me smugly and hands it over. My manager immediately crumples up the resume and throws it in the trash. The guy’s face falls.

Manager: *Pissed* “You can leave now, and don’t bother applying online. You have a nice day now, princess.”

The guy leaves with his tail between his legs.

Me: “Have I told you that you’re my favorite manager? Thank you.”

Manager: “No problem. F*** that guy. We don’t want someone with that attitude working here.”

I work at a gym and am training a new employee on the registers. We have a small fridge with an assortment of beverages like water, energy drinks, sports drinks, and protein shakes. This takes place during 2020, so the gym has implemented a new policy of not accepting cash. We do have multiple signs at our registers stating so.

A man comes up to purchase a drink and tries handing my coworker a $20 bill.

Coworker: “Oh, I am so sorry, but we are unfortunately not accepting cash at this moment.”

Customer: *Raised voice* “Why the f*** not?!”

Coworker: “To try and reduce the spread of—”

Customer: *Interrupting and still raising his voice* “That’s the stupidest f****** thing I’ve heard. This is legal tender! You have to accept it!”

Me: *Cutting in* “I do apologize, sir. As much as I do agree with you, it is a new policy. We’re only accepting cashless payments at this time. My coworker and I did not make the policy, so please do not raise your voice at us.”

Customer: “No, you’re going to accept this. It’s. Legal. Tender.”

Me: “I understand, but we have no means of giving you change if you pay with your $20.”

Customer: “Then go get your f****** wallet and make me change!”

Me: “I can call my manager to the front if you would like to speak with them instead.”

He glares at us for a second and then storms off.

Coworker: “Do you think he’s coming back?”

Me: “No idea.”

He comes back in a few minutes with a credit card, waving it around and talking condescendingly.

Customer: “Are you going to tell me you don’t accept cards, either?”

Me: “We accept cards. Let me ring you out again. Okay, your total is [total]. You can insert your chip whenever you are ready.”

He throws his card at me.

Customer: “You can do it.”

Me: *Not budging* “The card reader is in front of you, sir.”

Customer: *Grumbling while picking up his card* “You should have a f****** sign or something.”

I push said sign next to the card reader closer.

Me: “Yes, sir.”

He looks at it and barely glances back at me, mumbling incoherently.

Me: “You have a nice night, sir.”

Customer: “Go f*** yourself.”

We relayed the incident to my manager, and the next time the man came in, my manager told him that if he continued to be abusive toward staff, he would have his membership revoked. I had no problems with him the rest of the time I worked there.

Customer: “There’s a naked man in the locker room!”

Me: “Is he in the women’s locker room?”

Customer: “No! He’s in the men’s locker room! My teenage boys saw him!”

Me: “Is he doing anything or talking to anyone?”

Customer: “No, he’s just walking around.”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I’m failing to see the problem here; the men’s locker room is where naked men are supposed to be.”

Customer: *Huffs* “So, you’re not going to do anything?”

Me: “What would you like me to do?”

Customer: “Make him put some clothes on!”

I simply tell her to wait, and within a few minutes, the man she was complaining about emerges from the locker room — thankfully, fully clothed.

Customer: “Thank you!” *To the male customer* “And don’t do it again!”

He leaves, very confused.

I work at a gymnastics center for children eighteen months to eighteen years old, either coaching my own classes, facilitating events, or manning the front desk.

I’m working the front desk when I get a call.

Me: “Good morning! This is [My Name] at [Location]; how can I help you?”

Caller: “Good morning. My name is [Caller]. My children, [Son] and [Daughter], have classes Monday nights, and the last time we were there, I bought [retail item #1] and [retail item #2] for them. I think they were about eighteen dollars or so?”

We frequently have parents call to see if their child’s missing item is in the Lost And Found, so I’m already heading there to see if I can find the items when the caller drops this bomb:

Caller: “Well, I just checked my account, and it looks like I was accidentally charged eighteen-hundred, instead.”

I stop dead in my tracks, trying to process what she just said, before I hurry back over to my desk and get her account pulled up. Sure enough, I check the ledger and confirm that there’s a charge for $1,852 that should’ve been $18.52. Yikes!

Naturally, I begin to apologize as I start filling out the refund request form. However, the lady laughs off my apologies and assures me that it’s all right; we’re only human, so mistakes are inevitable. She’s perfectly friendly and pleasant throughout the call, so we make small talk for a few minutes, chatting about classes and the upcoming holidays, until I’ve completed and submitted the form.

Me: “Okay, I’ve put in a refund request for the difference. It may take two or three days, but we’ll follow up to confirm once corporate has approved the refund. I am so, so sorry for that error.”

Caller: “Wonderful! Thank you for your help. And don’t worry about it; it’s an easy mistake to make.”

The refund was approved and the money returned to her account within a day or so. I shared this story with several of my coworkers, who were equally shocked by how lovely this caller was, despite the circumstances of the call. I’m not sure I’d have been as calm or nonchalant if I’d been charged almost $2,000 for a headband and a scrunchie.