(My store is located in a mall, and our front tables extend into the public area. The store has a rule that if a customer in the public area walks close enough, you have to greet them in hopes that it’ll lure them into the store. It’s about 6 pm on a Tuesday and I’m in my 20s, so it’s clear to customers that this is my full time job. I’m cleaning the table when a woman – who is a complete stranger to me – passes close enough.)

Me: “Hi, there!”

(The woman stops, looks at me, and walks up.)

Woman: “Working hard there?”

Me: *laughs* “Yeah, I guess.”

Woman: “Because you dropped out and didn’t finish school?”

(My jaw drops. As it happens, I did drop out of school, but I ended up better off than if I had stayed. I’m so shocked that this woman would go up to a stranger and say something so hurtful. My shock and knowledge that going off on her would get me fired makes me panic and lie.)

Me: “Actually, I’m in school at the moment.”

Woman: “Well, then you won’t have to be here much longer.”

(The woman winks and walks away. She looked at nothing in my store, which means she literally just came up to demean me for no reason whatsoever. I later tell my manager what happened.)

Manager: “For the record, you are my best employee. Anyone does that to you again and you have my full blessing to go off on them.”

(I joined my roommate and her family over one of our college breaks. During the break, we go to pick up her boyfriend from where he works in a mall. We arrived twenty minutes early so decide to go in and watch him from a comfortable vantage point.)

Roommate: “He’s so cute and good at his job! Oh, look! He started to talk to a couple of good-looking girls! I hope he’s getting his flirt on!”

(Moment of silence.)

Roommate: “I am the complete opposite of a jealous girlfriend…”

(We both laughed, and she continued to fawn over him the rest of the time.)

(It’s nearly Christmas, and I’m having my gifts wrapped. The two girls who are wrapping the presents are very nice and cheerful, though most of the customers in the (very long) line are grumpy and aggressive. Two hours later, I see the same girls, still wrapping the gifts, and the line is even longer.)

Me: “Excuse me, miss… Are you paid to do that job?”

Girl #1: “No, miss. Can I help you?”

Me: “Really? Well, is there any jar or something for customers to tip you?”

Girl #1: “No, we do it for free.”

Me: “Can I tip you, though?”

Girl #2: “No, we aren’t supposed to accept any tip, but thanks for your concern.”

(I walk away and, feeling bad for them, I bring two can of soda, come back to the girls, and give them the cans.)

Me: “I may not be allowed to tip you for your excellent work, but I can still offer you something, can’t I?”

Girls #1 & #2: *stunned* “Oh… yes! Yes, you can! Thank you, miss!”

(The smile they gave me made my day!)

(Over the holidays I work as a manager taking pictures of kids with Santa Claus. It is Christmas Eve and we are very busy. About an hour before we are set to close we have to close the line. I send an employee out to the end of the line to inform customers that no one else will be accepted this evening and we will only serve customers who are already in line.)

Customer: “Some b**** just told me I can’t get in line!”

Me: “Ma’am, there are children here. I’m going to have to ask you to refrain from swearing.”

Customer: “I want my pictures with Santa!”

Me: “Ma’am, I’m very sorry but due to demand we will only be able to serve the people who are in front of our employee at the end of the line.”

Customer: *now yelling* “This is my Christmas and you are ruining Christmas for my family!”

Me: “Ma’am, every employee has been here since 9 am today and it is now 10 pm. It is Christmas Eve and we would like to go home to our families, too. In order to do that we have closed the line so that we can exit on time!”

Customer: “I hope you and your children burn in Hell and you have a horrible Christmas because YOU DESERVE IT!”

Me: “Merry Christmas, ma’am!”

(We are hanging out before the reception at a friend’s wedding, all the guys in suits and Friend #1 in her dress. We are in the elevator for a parking garage near a museum. A father and young daughter step in with us. She whispers to her dad and is hiding behind him.)

Father: “Excuse me, my daughter has a question.”

Daughter: *to Friend #1* “You are so pretty. Are you a princess?”

Friend #1: *leaning down and holding a finger up to her mouth* “Shh, it is a secret. I am a princess, but I am here to be a doctor.”

Daughter: “Oh! Daddy, can I be a doctor princess?!”

Father: “Well—”

Friend #1: *interrupting* “Yes, I can tell. If you work hard enough you too can be a doctor princess too!”

Daughter: “Yay!”

Father: *while getting off the elevator* “Thank you.”

Friend #2: “After you, Your Highness…”