(I work as a freelance contractor doing computer repair and sometimes take on wiring projects, too. An apartment complex hires me to fix their private cable service across one of their buildings. I am in the unit of four Spanish-speaking young men. I am male, solidly built, but have back trouble and don’t want to aggravate it by moving heavy furniture.)

Me: *in English since I know at least one of them speaks some English* “Can I get some help moving your TV cabinet from the wall?”

One Of The Young Men: “Why, you can’t do it yourself?” *laughter from all four men*

Me: “I’m sure I could but don’t want to risk damaging any of your things. I just need room to open up the cable jack in the wall and test it.”

(Still laughing, one of them helps move the TV cabinet out.)

Other Young Man: *whispering* “Coneja.”

(Directly translated, “rabbit.” However, I knew the term also is a derogatory slang term related to female anatomy.) The others join in, laughing, “Ay, coneja. Sí, coneja.”)

(The whispered jokes continue with more laughter while I open the cable jack, quickly find the problem (poorly attached connector was about to fall off), fasten a new connector and repair the jack, and turn the TV on.)

Me: “It works, see? Now can we move the TV cabinet back in place?”

One Of The Young Men: “Okay.” *turns to other men and whispers* “Qué coneja.” *what a “rabbit”*

(As I am leaving, I turn back to them:)

Me: *all in Spanish* “Have a nice evening and enjoy your cable!”

(Four shocked and mortified faces stared at me as I closed the door.)

(My father has an accident while he is repairing a customer’s roof. He falls off a ladder and lands on his side on concrete, breaking several ribs and vertebrae. My uncle and I are standing at the end of his bed.)

Uncle: “…I’m glad he’s okay, though. He needs to stop doing such s*** as he’s just hit his 60s.”

Me: “He’s stubborn; not much more you can do about it.”

Uncle: “Always was a stubborn a**-hole!”

(With that my father, in his highly morphined state, slowly raises his arm to produce a slowly rising middle finger. I start laughing.)

Uncle: “And that’s how I know he’s still all there.”

(I work at a popular gas station in a small town. Since we cater mostly to farmers and harvest is over we have switched to winter hours. We open an hour later and close an hour earlier than the rest of the chain due to lack of business. This happens during my morning shift around 5:30 am.)

Customer: “I can’t believe ya’ll aren’t gunna be open at five anymore. Why?”

Me: “Unfortunately, we don’t get enough business in the winter to make being open that early viable.”

Customer: “Well, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I come in here every morning on my way to work to get my energy drinks and I might just have to take my business to [Other Gas Station].”

(He continues rambling on about how this is going to ruin his mornings and how he comes into my gas station almost every day and he thinks owners of the company make enough money where they shouldn’t worry about an extra hour at this one store. By the time he gets up to the front I’ve had just about enough and he starts talking about what kind of discounts he could get since we are “inconveniencing” him.)

Me: “Sir, I apologize for possibly making your morning routine a bit more difficult. I understand how frustrating that can be. But please understand that I do not make the rules. I only follow them, therefore I cannot give you any kind of discount.”

Customer: “But I come in here every morning!”

Me: “I open almost every morning and I’ve never seen you in here before at this time ever.”

Customer: *silence*

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(I work at the jewelry counter. A man approaches with an ad.)

Customer: *points at some opal jewelry in the ad* “Where are these?”

Me: *walks him over* “They are right here. It looks like we only have the ring and earrings. The necklace has been sold. We do have a similar, slightly cheaper opal with necklace and earrings though right here.”

Customer: *points to the ones in the ad again* “Where are these ones?”

Me: “Right here, sir.”

Customer: “And how much would they be for both pieces?”

Me: “It would be $210 plus tax for the both of them?”

Customer: “Okay, make me a deal.”

Me: “Um… it’s $210 plus tax.”

Customer: “No, I mean, what can you do for me? I want a deal.”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir. They’re already 60% off. They are $210 plus tax.”

Customer: “Call over a manager. I want you to make me a deal. You say $200 even and I’ll take both.”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but the price is firm. There are no more discounts.”

Customer: “Make it $200 even and you got a deal. [Company] needs to empower its employees to make deals.”

Me: “I’m sorry. The price is firm. I don’t know any retail environment that we can negotiate. I’ve worked retail for six years now.”

Customer: “Well, I’ve been doing this for 50 years.”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir. The price is $210 plus tax.”

Customer: “Ok, I’ll take the earrings. You just lost a sale.”

(I rang him up and he left. I’m really curious what stores he goes to that he can get away with that. If it was marked wrong or there was any good reason he should get a discount, I could have easily adjusted for him. It may have only been a small difference, but it’s the principal. You’re already getting a good deal. Take it and be happy. No need to be difficult and demand more than anyone else.)

(I am working the drive-thru at a fast food joint that is very, very popular in my town. One night, it is extremely busy, and everyone working is flustered. Just when it seems to be clearing up, the crowd from the football game shows up. Then after the drive-thru is packed, a bus of students shows up. Between the bus, the packed drive-thru, and the ice cream machine breaking (the weather is still warm at this time), my manager is at his wits’ end. The telephone rings.)

Manager: “Let it ring. We’re too busy.”

Me: *lets it ring and tries to thin out the drive-thru*

(Telephone rings again.)

Manager: *picks up the phone* “[Fast Food]. This is [Manager] speaking.”

Caller: “Yeah, hi, I would like to place an advance order. I saw the line and it looked pretty busy.”

Manager: *starting to get irritated* “I’m very sorry, but we have no time to take your order. A bus just came in and we are swamped right now.”

Caller: “That’s why I called! So I could get my food right away!”

Manager: *really pissed off now* “Well, sorry to disappoint, but there are actual paying customers here who are willing to wait for their food rather than being a little b**** and calling to order when you don’t feel like waiting. Come in and wait, if you ever grow a pair.” *slams phone down and starts to work on the machine*

Customer In Store: *to the cashier at the front* “You guys have the best boss ever.”

(We never knew if the customer on the phone ever came in or not. I guess it takes a while to grow a pair.)