This happens in the late 1980s when the price of a stamp is about 25 cents. I am a customer behind the rude customer.

Rude Customer: “I’d like one stamp, please.”

Postman: “Certainly, that will be 25 cents.”

The rude customer puts a $100 bill on the counter.

Postman: “Do you have anything smaller?”

Rude Customer: “This is legal tender; you have to take it.”

Postman: “Yes, sir!”

The postman goes in the back, and then comes out and puts ninety-nine Susan B. Anthony dollar coins on the counter.

Rude Customer: “I don’t want all of these!”

Postman: “You have to take them; they’re legal tender.”

The rude customer then had to shove all the coins in his pockets, and he left with his pants falling down.

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My father owns a check-cashing business in the 1970s, and my wife and I both help out at times. One afternoon, my wife is working the only open window. A woman comes to the window.

Woman: “You’re not going to cash my check, you b****!”

Normally, cursing at the employees will get you sent away. [Wife] is somewhat taken aback but decides to see what she can do. She answers the woman back in the same tone.

Wife: “How do you know I’m not going to cash your check? Give me that check!”

The woman hands her the check.

Wife: “Now give me your ID.”

The woman hands over her ID.

Wife: “I’m going to show you what I think of you! I’m going to cash your check! Sign here on the back!”

The woman picks up the check, signs, and hands it back again.

At this point, my father, who has been sitting in the back of the shop adding up yesterday’s accounts, notices the volume and comes up.

Father: “Is anything wrong?”

Wife: “No, nothing’s wrong.”

The customer agrees. [Wife] counts out the correct amount of money.

Wife: “There! See, I told you I could cash your check!”

The woman looks relieved.

Woman: “Thank you, I’ve had a really bad day and I guess I was just in a horrible mood when I came in. I feel so much better now.”

She smiled and went away. Another satisfied customer.

I have an aunt who doesn’t get invited to family functions very often. Stuff like this is why.

It’s my grandma’s birthday. My dad and his siblings, including my aunt, decide to treat her to a new restaurant my grandma has wanted to try ever since they opened. We make reservations, arrive, and are seated, and our server comes over to take our drink orders.

Aunt: “I’ll have a Coke.”

Server: “I’m sorry, ma’am, we only have Pepsi products. Would Pepsi be okay?”

Aunt: *HUGE dramatic sigh* “Well, I only drink Coke, so no, Pepsi’s not okay.”

Server: “I’m sorry. Is there something else I can get you? We have [other drink choices].”

Aunt: *Another HUGE dramatic sigh* “No. I only drink Coke. Nothing else. Why don’t you serve Coke?”

Grandma: “[Aunt], that’s enough! Be nice to her or leave. I don’t want you to ruin my birthday dinner just because you’re a snob.”

Aunt: “Mom, you know I only drink Coke! Pepsi just tastes awful to me. I don’t know how you people can be okay with drinking it.”

Grandma: “Then leave. Go home and buy your own Coke.”

Aunt: “Well, they could find a way to get me a Coke.”

Grandma: “They don’t serve Coke! I’m not joking, [Aunt]. Shut up and order something else, or leave.”

My aunt starts fake crying, but when she finally realizes that nobody is on her side, she stands up and shouts, “I’m never coming to this restaurant again!” and storms out the door.

My grandma turns back to our server, who has been standing at our table the entire time looking like she wants to cry for real.

Grandma: “It’s not your fault, dear. She’s always been like that. My other kids, as you can see—” *gestures around the table* “—are perfectly normal, so I don’t know where she gets it from. Anyway, you’re doing great, so don’t let an entitled b**** like her get to you. If you need to take some time to calm down, that’s okay. I think we’re all still deciding what we want to eat, so you can head back to the kitchen for a while while we look through the menu.”

Our server nodded and walked back to the kitchen. The rest of the night went very well. Those of us still at the table had a great time, the food was delicious, and the server was wonderful once she realized that my aunt really was the crazy one in my family. We left her a huge tip, and we’ve gone back to the restaurant a few times for special occasions, but we’ve never invited my aunt to join us.

A customer calls late in the afternoon on a Friday, when most insurance adjusters are gone for the weekend and body shops are closed. His truck was in an accident for which he was not at fault, and he’s looking for an update on his claim, as there have been delays due to a part that was hard to find.

Customer: “I haven’t had a vehicle for weeks now! Why is this taking so long?”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but it looks like the part they were looking for was located two days ago, so we’re probably just waiting for it to arrive.”

Customer: “I called the shop yesterday and they said they were still waiting for you!”

Me: “It seems the part was ordered by the appraiser, who works for us and not for the body shop, so it’s possible they weren’t yet informed when you called. But I can confirm it’s been located.”

Customer: “Well, I’m still without a truck!”

I check his contract, which includes coverage for a rental, even in the case of an accident in which he’d be at fault.

Me: “Oh, has a rental not been offered to you? I see that it’s included in your coverage and would be covered in any case since you were not at fault.”

Customer: “Well, I’ve been nice and didn’t take one.”

Me: “Well, sir, I don’t know what to tell you. You pay for that protection specifically so that you’re not without a vehicle during repairs if the body shop doesn’t have a courtesy car to offer, especially if the repairs take longer than the four expected days we initially thought they would last.”

Customer: *Pause* “I’ll call back on Monday for an update.”

Related:
Absolutely Trucking Mad

This story takes place several years ago, before our store is able to switch over the POS to accept the chip on debit/credit cards. Every cash register has several layers of tape over the chip slot, a small sign saying, “No chip reader,” on the machine, and the screen of the machine says, “Please SLIDE card,” with the word slide actually being in all caps. Of course, this doesn’t stop people from still attempting to insert their cards. But this one lady takes the cake.

She is attempting to insert her card, but the tape is stopping her, of course. 

Me: “Ma’am, you actually have to slide your card here; our systems just aren’t set up to accept chip payments yet.”

Customer: “Well, my card has a chip and I use the chip everywhere else I pay. I don’t see why I can’t just use it the same way here. This is stupid and just confusing. How was I supposed to know that you can’t take the chip?”

Me: “I agree, ma’am, the process can be confusing. We tried to make it a little less confusing by blocking off the chip reader and posting a note saying we don’t accept chips. But if you will just slide your card right here for me, we can finish up your transaction.”

She then starts to peel the tape away from the chip reader in an attempt to insert her card.

Customer: “This is just all wrong. I don’t think you know what you’re talking about. Everywhere accepts these chips; it is an absolute law that all places of businesses have to accept the chip.”

Me: “Actually, ma’am, that is not true. The law is more of a compliance issue that says that because we do not accept chip cards, if anything fraudulent happens then the non-compliant company is held liable for all charges instead of the credit card company. Our company is still a little behind, although I have heard that corporate does plan on implementing a new system soon that would be in compliance. However, if you want to purchase your items today, I’m going to have to ask you to remove your card from the chip slot and slide the magnetic strip on the back of your card, please.”

She finally attempts to swipe her card but does it so roughly that the machine swings around while she’s halfway through swiping causing an error. 

Me: “Ma’am, you’ll have to realize your card, please. The machine moved just a little bit which caused an error in processing.”

Customer: “No, I already swiped my card; you’re just attempting to steal my money.”

Me: “I can assure you, I would not risk losing my job just in an attempt to steal $15 from you. Also, I have no clue how to even do that, and lastly, your account is not charged until a receipt prints out. If you want, I can hold the machine steady for you while you slide your card again.”

She then proceeds to pull a $20 out of her wallet and fling it across the counter at me.

Customer: “Here, just take it in cash, and if I see money missing from my account later, I will be coming back up here and having a talk with your manager.”

Obviously, she never came back to speak with a manager.