(I’ve been sick A LOT this year. It all comes to a head when I get the flu. I call out for three days. On the third day, my boss texts me that I’ve reached the limit on calling out and will get written up if I do it again. I drag my still-sick self into work on Wednesday.)

Boss: “Oh! You’re really sick!”

Me: “Yes, I’m really sick! Do you think I’d call out if I wasn’t?!”

Boss: “Well, some people…”

Me: “Not me, and you know it.”

Boss: “Are you sure you can last today?”

(I see red.)

Me: “After you threatened to write me up? Are you kidding?”

Boss: “Don’t shoot the messenger! I told you, it came from upper management.”

Me: “No, you didn’t.”

Boss: “Yes, I did.”

(I show her the text conversation from the previous day.)

Boss: “Huh. Guess I didn’t.”

(I quit not long after.)

(I’m on staff at a church. I have a babyface, but I’m actually closer to thirty than most people think. I’m helping with a youth group event. It hasn’t started yet, so I’m setting up the check-in computer while talking to a couple of students. I’m wearing my staff badge on a lanyard. One member of our security team approaches us.)

Security: “Hey! No students in here for another ten minutes! Outside!”

(The kids scatter. I continue the computer setup process.)

Security: “That means everyone!”

(I look around and seeing, no more students, start logging in to our check-in software.)

Security: “…including you at the computer!”

Me: “Huh?”

Security: “You’re not supposed to be messing with that! Move along, young lady!”

Me: “I work here!”

(I tap my badge.)

Security: “My mistake. Continue with your setup, then.”

(Fast forward one week. I’m setting up the computer for the youth service again when the same security guard walks by.)

Security: “You’re not supposed to be in here yet!”

Me: “I still work here!”

(I pick up my lanyard and wave my staff badge at eye level.)

Security: “Oh. Uh…”

Me: “Same as last week, [Security].”

(He scurried off. I didn’t have any more problems after that.)

(I often go to a surplus store. Every time I’m there, I see a woman who always looks sad as she’s giving away her samples. We talk and she tells me about the problems she has and I listen because I know what it’s like to have troubles at home and just need to vent. This particular day she is talking about her financial problems.)

Me: “I know how hard it is to be working two jobs and still be broke. Here, take this.”

(I hand her five dollars, since I don’t have very much, either.)

Worker: “Oh, no, I couldn’t.”

Me: “Please? Please take it.”

Worker: “No, no.”

(I keep pleading until she takes it.)

Worker: “You know you don’t have to do this.”

Me: “You’re right, I don’t. But we all can use a little something.”

(The woman actually cried and I had to hold back tears as I hugged her and told her to stay strong. I felt really good afterward.)

(I am delivering packages to the receiving room of a company. A woman comes out as I’m about to go in, and since the door is next to the receiver I have to move to let her out. She decides to get in front of me to pick up her package like I’m not there.)

She: I’m busy, have things to do

Me: me too and I was here first

Receiver: I will take care of him first

She moved out of the way thinking what to say for the next 2-3 minutes that it took to receive the packages

She: so, if you had 200 packages I would still had to wait

Me: yes

She: I was in a hurry, I had to go to work

Me: and I’m working and I got here first. Bye

Lady, just because you have money doesn’t mean that you can just cut in front of the brown man without asking nicely

(I work in the call center for an industrial supply company that sells fasteners and things. For context, we sell over 40,000 types of screws alone.)

Caller: “I’m looking for a screw that I can’t find on your website. My engineer asked me for a 0.375″-16 screw, but your options don’t show 0.375”.”

Me: “Our website will actually list thread sizes as a fraction, so if you enter 3/8″ rather than 0.375″ into the search options, it’ll come right up. Do you know what type of screw it is? I can just find it for you.”

Caller: “And is 0.375″ the same as 3/8″?”

Me: “Yes. 0.375 is the decimal equivalent of 3/8″.”

Caller: “It’s just a standard screw, 1″ long.”

Me: “Do you know what head there is on there?”

Caller: “Just a standard screw.”

Me: “There is no ‘standard’ screw, I’m afraid. I need a little more of a description from you.”

Caller: *irate* “It’s just a standard screw! How many different kinds are there?”

(Now she’s done it.)

Me: “Socket head, pan head, oval head, flat head, hex head, carriage bolts, thumb screws, set screws, plow bolts, elevator bolts…”

Caller: “What?”

Me: “…stainless steel, steel, brass, titanium, plastic, aluminum, galvanized, black coated, yellow zinc…

Caller: “I’ll need to call you back.” *click*

(I didn’t even get to the drive styles! Hex drive, Phillips, slotted, Torx, square, spanner, five-point…)