It’s near the end of the day. A couple has just entered.

Me: “Just letting you guys know, we’re closing in fifteen minutes.”

Husband: “No problem, we’re just gonna have a quick look.”

About five minutes later, the husband says he couldn’t find anything he wanted, and decided to wait in the car while his wife finished looking. At closing time, she’s still looking around when her phone goes off.

Wife: “Oh, that’ll be my husband. I can ignore it.”

Ignore it she does, only for it to ring again. She ignores it again, and it rings a third time.

Wife: “Oh, for God’s sake.” *Answers the phone.* “WHAT?!”

Pause.

Wife: “Yes, I know they’re closing, but—”

Pause.

Wife: “But I’m still looking.”

Pause.

Wife: “But I—”

Pause.

Wife: “Ugh, whatever.”

She hangs up her phone and grouchily buys the handful of items she picked out.

I’m another customer, waiting to order behind this one.

Customer: “I want a lamb burger, no bun, without salad, with a salad on the side.”

Cashier: “So, the salad from the burger on the side or one of the other salads?”

Customer: “No, no salad.”

Cashier: “Just the hamburger patty?”

Customer: “Yes, with salad.”

Cashier: “Just double-checking, you want the hamburger patty and a side salad.”

Customer: “I don’t want salad.”

Cashier: “Okay, did you want fries on the side?”

Customer: “NO, I want SALAD on the side.”

Cashier: “Lamb patty, with salad.”

Customer: “No, lamb burger, no bun, no salad. Side salad.”

The cashier takes a deep breath, writes down the order on the pad.

Cashier: “Anything else?”

Customer: “A latte.”

Cashier: “Do you want plant milk?”

Customer: “No, thanks.”

The customer sits down, and a few minutes later, her coffee arrives. She sips it.

Customer: “Um, this isn’t oat. I wanted oat.”

Me: “You didn’t order oat!”

Customer: “I shouldn’t HAVE to order it!”

Her food order was, apparently, correct as she had no other complaints.

My friend’s son, let’s call him Davy, was five or six years old and had been given some toys he wasn’t quite sure how to operate. I show him how to convert them between their robot and vehicle forms.

Davy: “How did you know how to do that?”

Me: *Solemnly.* “It’s because I’m a genius.”

Davy stares at me, wide-eyed.

Later that day, one of his little friends visits, and Davy introduces us.

Davy: *Proudly.* “This is my genius!”

I work in a second-hand store. Basically, everything in the store is donated to be sold to raise money to help those in need. We’ll take most things, but sometimes we have to turn things away, like in this phone call:

Me: “Hello, [Company name and location], this is [My Name].”

Caller: “Hi. I wanted to know if I could drop something off as a donation?”

Me: “Sure thing. What have you got?”

Caller: “I’ve got some colostomy bags.”

Me: “…what?”

Caller: “I promise they’re new and unused.”

Me: “I… don’t think we can take those.”

Caller: “I mean, it says you can on your website.”

Me: “Does it? I don’t think it would. And in any case, who’s coming to [Company] to buy those?”

Caller: “…I mean, I suppose that’s true.”

Me: “Maybe try a hospital? I’m sure they can use them.”

Further investigation found that the caller was TECHNICALLY right: the website says, “new and unused items”. Didn’t specify colostomy bags, though, that was more of an abuse of the wording on her part.

CONTENT WARNING: Mention of abusive relationship

I have just moved and started a new job after leaving a violent relationship. I commute to and from work by two trains. I transfer at a station, getting off a metro train and on to a country train. Meaning I have to touch off and then back on. The station I transfer to is in a really rough area, and the staff deal with a lot every day.

It’s the day before pay day, and I have just come off a night shift. I thought I had enough on my (travel) card, but I didn’t. At first, I thought it was a problem with my card, so I approach the staff.

Me: “Hi, I’m sorry but I think something’s wrong with my card.”

The worker checks my card.

Worker: “It looks like you touched on at [time] and then touched off. It’s left you minus thirty cents.”

Me: “Oh, crap. Have I not met the cap for today? I thought you only had to pay once?”

She prints out a receipt of when I’ve topped up the card, when I’ve used it, and the balance.

Worker: “I’m sorry, you’ve only used [half the amount I need to reach the cap].”

I’m just about in tears as that means I’ll be stuck in a really bad area for over twelve hours before I’m paid.

Me: “Oh, I didn’t realise. I don’t get paid until tomorrow, and I need to get home to [Town]. I guess I’m stuck until the last train.”

The worker takes her bank card out of her phone case and taps the payment terminal.

Worker: “Here, that will get you home. If you want that train, you better run.”

Me: “Thank you so much.”

I run and just make it through the barriers, yelling for the train staff to please hold the train, which he does.

The worker had put a couple of dollars on my travel card to make sure I got home.
While it may not seem like a lot but it really meant the world. I was exhausted after a long night at work and still recovering emotionally. She saved me from a long wait in a really rough area where I didn’t know anyone. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to get her name, but I plan to repay it, make sure I get her name, and let the transport company know what a wonderful worker she is.