When I am growing up, my dad is a big lover of classical music. One year, my dad announces that we are going to visit a friend’s house because they are going to be watching the last night of the Proms. For those who are unfamiliar, the Proms are a series of classic musical concerts held during the summertime in the UK. The last night is usually the biggest one and is always broadcast live on TV.

I assume that the parents will watch this and the children will be allowed to play and watch TV in the other room. No such luck. When they are due to begin, our fathers demand that we come and watch; we tell them that we would rather watch [Popular TV Show] in the other room but they insist. Pretty soon into this concert, we’re massively bored and want to leave.

My dad looks over and sees the kids looking less than enthused and immediately gets frustrated.

Dad: “What’s wrong with you? Why are you not paying attention?”

Me: “Dad, this is boring! Why can’t we go to the other room?”

My dad’s friend immediately shoots his head around and looks very offended. 

Dad’s Friend: “For goodness’ sake! There’s beautiful music playing; just sit and appreciate it!”

Friend’s Daughter: “But it’s just people playing music. We don’t want to watch this. Why can’t we go and watch [Popular TV Show]?”

Dad’s Friend: “I would’ve killed to watch stuff like this as a kid. You should be more grateful!”

Friend’s Daughter: “You must’ve been a boring kid then!”

Friend’s Wife: “[Dad’s Friend], maybe we should let them go and do something else. Clearly, they’re not enjoying this!”

Dad: *Looking at us* “A LITTLE CULTURE ISN’T GOING TO HURT YOU! BE QUIET!”

Mum: “[Dad], calm down. Look, she’s right. This really isn’t something for little children.”

Dad: “NO! YOU WILL SIT THERE, WATCH IT, AND BELT UP!”

So, we were forced to sit there for what felt like forever. Our dads enthusiastically applauded at the end of each number while the kids sat there bored out of our skulls. My dad shooting me nasty looks because I wasn’t applauding. Any time the kids tried speaking to each other, we got loudly shushed. Overall, it was a miserable evening.

On the way home, my dad grumbled about how “ungrateful” I was and how I had embarrassed him. Thankfully, my mum shot him down quickly, asking what the h*** he expected, forcing children to watch classical music, and telling him that he shouldn’t have been such a rude, stubborn idiot! He never tried to make us watch the Proms again after, and to this day, I’ve still no idea why both of them were so insistent about it.

I’m working at a big box store during the global health crisis. We are not allowed to say anything to customers that are not wearing masks, but even if we were, I don’t like confrontation. I had been trying to be careful before, but now I have a family member who has a weakened immune system, so I try to be extra careful.

When customers aren’t wearing masks, I just try to stay at least six feet away from them. If they start to come closer to me, I position my cart between them and me. This usually works. One day, I am at the fitting room when a maskless customer comes to try on some items. I move to get behind my cart, but he starts to follow me. I move the cart trying to position it between him and myself. As I move it, he maneuvers himself around it. He keeps doing this.

Me: “I’m trying to social distance!”

Customer: *Mumbles* “Sorry.”

He backed up begrudgingly.

Before we go into another lockdown, I go to my local DIY and hardware store to pick up some bits for essential repairs. I grab a trolley and pick up a few things, and then I am stopped by a woman in her mid-forties.

Woman: “Can I have your trolley? You only have a few things.”

Me: “No, sorry. I need it.”

Woman: *Suddenly very loud* “Oh, come on. You could carry that; we need that trolley.”

Me: “No.”

I have half of the trolley full of fixings, hand tools, etc. It’s way too much to carry.

Woman: “You are being unreasonable.”

Me: “No, I’m not. I need the trolley; that’s why I took it. There are plenty more outside if you want one.”

She goes on for a bit. I ignore her and browse the shelves. She manages to flag down a worker.

Worker: “Could you please let her have the trolley?”

Me: “What? No, I brought it in with me and I need it. I physically cannot carry heavy items.”

Worker: “Yeah, but could you just… let her have it?”

Me: “You know what? It’s all yours.”

I simply left the trolley with all my items on it as the woman shouted after me to empty it for her, as well!

When I passed by the customer service desk on my way out, I called for a manager and he called the worker over. Rather than defend himself, he shrugged and said he didn’t see the problem. I explained that I cannot physically carry much weight due to an accident and that he shouldn’t judge people. Instead of responding, he shrugged again and walked away.

The manager sighed and admitted that he would probably be letting the worker go; he has had a load of new starters and this one just doesn’t seem to understand. He offered to get someone to help shop for my items again, but by that point, I could not be bothered.

My name itself isn’t uncommon, but the pronunciation is. I’m used to correcting people about it, and most of the time, they’re understanding. I’m out grocery shopping. I buy wine, and I show the cashier my ID.

Cashier: “Oh, [Common Pronunciation Of My Name], that’s a great name!”

Me: “It’s actually [Correct Pronunciation], but thanks!”

Cashier: “You’re wrong, though. It’s always been [Common Pronunciation].”

Me: “That’s the more popular version; I have the German variation. It’s spelled the same, which is why a lot of people get confused.”

Cashier: “No, you’re lying. I bet that ID is fake.”

I’m super confused at this point. The cashier pages a manager, who already looks annoyed.

Manager: “What’s going on?”

Cashier: “She’s trying to use a fake ID to buy alcohol!”

Manager: “Can I see it?”

The cashier hands it over. The manager turns it a bit, checks both sides, and then looks at the cashier.

Manager: “Why are you saying it’s fake? It looks real, all the info looks right, and she’s over twenty-one.” 

Cashier: “She’s made up some s*** about her name being pronounced [Correct Pronunciation]!”

Manager: *Pauses* “Is that really why you’re saying it’s fake?!”

Cashier: “It’s always [Common Pronunciation]! She’s making it up to try to use someone else’s ID!”

Manager: “It’s not fake. [Correct Pronunciation] is a variation on that spelling. Please finish ringing her up, including the alcohol.”

The manager handed my ID back. The cashier refused to speak to me for the rest of the transaction. My receipt had a survey link at the bottom, and I made sure to note the incident in it.

I am a regular customer at a chain pizza store that runs a particularly good deal for a large pizza for about $8. As we order from them roughly once a week, they know my order by heart and know my car when I pull up. When you walk in, there is a large screen that shows the status of your order. I see that mine will still be in the oven for a few minutes.

Employee: “[My Name], right?” *Checks for my order* “Um… It’s not ready yet.”

He sounds nervous when he tells me.

Me: “That’s fine. I saw on the board that it wasn’t quite yet. I’m sure it won’t be too long.”

Employee: “Oh… Yes. I can ring you up now.”

Me: *Joking* “Do I get a prize for being the first person to read the sign today?”

Several of the employees laugh and one says, “That’s true.”

Employee: “Your total is [amount $1.50 less than normal].”

Me: “Huh? Um… That’s for the carryout, right?”

Employee: “Yes. See, here’s your coupon.”

He gave me the employee discount in addition to the deal. I’m not complaining, but now I wonder how people have screamed today about a two-minute wait.