Me: “Excuse me. Could you tell me which aisle I can find chicken broth in?”

Clerk: “Yes, we’re actually pretty close. I’ll show you where.”

Me: “Okay, great. Thanks.”

Clerk: *as we walk over* “How are you doing this morning?”

Me: “Oh, I’m doing pretty good. Thank you! How are you?”

Clerk: “I’m okay, but a little worried about my friend who’s undergoing a major surgery right now.”

Me: “Oh, uh, wow. That’s scary.”

Clerk: “Yeah, it’s a double lung transplant. He’s not really expected to make it through.”

Me: “Um, that’s intense. I’m sorry to hear that.”

Clerk: “Yeah… Well, here’s the broth.”

Me: “Yeah, um, thanks! I hope your friend does okay.”

(I am traveling for business and my laptop stops working. I am a female who works in a largely male-dominated business. I have a few emails that require attention, so I ask the supervisor at this location if I can log in to my email through his computer.)

Supervisor: “No problem. Let me just get it turned on and set up for you.” *completes login* “There you go. All set”

Me: “Thanks. I appreciate it. This won’t take long.”‘

(The supervisor takes a seat on the other side of the desk, but never leaves the room. I proceed to answer a few emails, but I get to one customer email that requires me to look up some information on an outside website. Assuming this will not be an issue with the supervisor, I open the browser on his computer and began typing the URL on the address bar. I don’t even get two letters into spelling the website name when the recently-visited sites begin showing. Much to my surprise, all the previous websites are clearly p*rnographic and most certainly NSFW. I stop typing the URL and just sit there for a moment, not knowing whether to be horrified or giggle. Not wanting him to catch me seeing this obviously private information, I try to quickly go to my website and finish the task. After completing my customer email, I log out of the supervisor’s computer.)

Me: “All done here, [Supervisor].”

Supervisor: “Okay, well, if you need to use it again later, just let me know!”

Me: “Thanks. I should be done for the day.”

(I quickly leave the area to go out to the plant floor. Fifteen or so minutes later, the supervisor catches up with me on the floor.)

Supervisor: “Are you sure you don’t want to use my computer again?”

Me: “No, that’s okay.”

Supervisor: “Well, if you liked those sites, you should have told me! I’ve got subscriptions to them all!”

(I just stood there, a mix of horror and disgust on my face. He just winked and walked away. I must have left the browser open when I logged out of the computer or, even worse, he planted those URLs, hoping I would find them in the recently-searched items. Rather than report this or confront him, I just ignored the issue; I was young and inexperienced at the time. After more misogynistic happenings, I left the company a few years later.)

(I’m at a fast food place known for their tacos, etc. It’s a little after midnight and I pull into the drive-thru.)

Employee: *giggles* “Hi, welcome to [Restaurant]. Unfortunately, we, uh… we don’t have any food right now.”

Me: “No food, eh?”

Employee: *giggling more* “Nope. We, uh, didn’t get… the truck… Should be here in a few hours.”

Me: “I see.”

Employee: “So, uh…”

Me: “Yeah, I’ll go somewhere else.”

(I have worked in a few fast food places before, and I find it hard to imagine that a place like that was completely out of everything they offered. I’m pretty sure they were high and just didn’t want to make any food. But since I was also just looking for some munchies, I decided not to call corporate or make a scene. I just went to a different fast food place and called it a night.)

(My mother and I go into an auto parts store and notice the only one working is a female employee.)

Mom: *groans* “I don’t like women looking at my car. I don’t think they know what they’re doing.”

Me: “Didn’t you used to work at [Other Auto Store]?”

Mom: “Don’t catch an attitude with me.”

(The female employee was very knowledgeable and helpful, but I did get in trouble for “smart-mouthing!”)

(I have broken the screen on my phone and am calling to find a place to get it fixed. Since I live in such a small town, there isn’t anywhere I can get it done locally. I am calling on a Tuesday.)

Me: “Hello, I have a [phone] and need to get the screen replaced, and I was wondering if you could do so?”

Owner: “Sure, but I don’t have the parts to do so today, but I can order it for tomorrow.”

Me: “That’s fine. I live over an hour away, and couldn’t bring it in until Friday afternoon, if that’s all right.”

Owner: “Oh, I can definitely have the part by then. And we have time, if you would like to set up an appointment. I just need a name and phone number.”

Me: “Okay, I’m [Name] and my number is [number].”

Owner: “Can you repeat that number for me?”

Me: “Sure. It’s [number].”

Owner: “Okay, thanks. I’ll see you Friday.”

(Friday comes around and I drive to the shop.)

Me: “Hello, I talked to someone a few days ago about getting my phone fixed.”

Owner: “Yeah, you talked to me. Sorry, my supplier is out of stock for your phone, so I can’t get it replaced, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to get the part in. And I didn’t write your number down, so I couldn’t call you.”