For the past ten months, I have participated in a volunteer program at an educational non-profit. At the end of our term of service, we have a graduation ceremony with our families, alumni, sponsors, and several high-profile government figures including the mayor and a senator. Two of our members are going to sing the national anthem before the ceremony begins. They sound amazing during rehearsal, but of course, that changes when the theater is full of people.

They start out really strong, but about halfway through, one of the members loses her pitch. The other keeps going and she tries to regain her footing, but it’s obvious that she’s getting flustered.

A few people let out supportive cheers. Then suddenly, someone in the audience begins to sing along. Soon, everyone else in the theater joins in singing the national anthem, and the member finishes the song on a perfect note.

Everyone in the room bursts into applause. Many of my fellow members are crying or holding back tears because we are so moved. 

It had been a lengthy and difficult year of service which tested many of us in ways we’d never imagined, and it can feel incredibly draining to work so hard for the betterment of your community when you can’t necessarily see the results of all your work. But seeing how all these strangers came together to lift up one of our volunteers, even in a small way, reminded us of what an amazing community we belong to.

(My 21-year-old sister and I are talking about religion, and I bring up an annoying coworker of mine. Note that although I am an atheist, we were raised Protestant and my sister still goes to church occasionally.)

Me: “[Coworker] thinks that the only reason I’m not Christian is that I had a bad pastor growing up. Our pastor was great; I just don’t believe in the religion. It’s so annoying.”

Sister: “You know we’re not Christian, right? We’re Protestant.”

(Cue long silence while I try to see if she’s messing with me…)

Me: “[Sister]… Protestant is Christian.”

Sister: “What? No, it’s not. Christian is Catholic.”

Me: “Christianity is a type of religion, and Catholic and Protestant are denominations. There’s also Baptist, Methodist, Orthodox… What did you think they were?”

Sister: “I… I don’t know.”

(The real kicker is that the word “Christian” is IN THE NAME OF OUR CHURCH.)

(I walk to the drive-thru window to cash out a customer.)

Me: “Just the medium hot coffee, sir?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “All right, that’s $2.23.”

Customer: “What? It’s $2.17.”

Me: “It was a few weeks ago. I guess some new taxes were added on. It’s a little stupid.” *meant to be a joke*

Customer: “Stupid?! THIS IS F****** OUTRAGEOUS!”

(I notice two kids in the backseat, crying.)

Customer: “SHUT THE F*** UP! DAD NEEDS HIS COFFEE!”

(This is where I turn to get my manager and tell her that I will not serve this man, and if she forces me to do so I will quit.)

Manager: “I don’t think it’s that big a deal.”

(She looks to see who it is. Her usual smile fades completely.)

Manager: “Don’t serve him. Lock the window and tell him he needs to leave.”

(I am a teacher’s assistant at an elementary school. I am eating lunch in my classroom, which is empty except for one of my coworkers and a student she’s having lunch with. I’m not paying attention to their conversation, until I hear this part.)

Coworker: “How do you know I’m not a spy from the future?”

Student: “Um… Ms. [My Name], help me!”

Me: “How do you know I’m not a spy, too?”

(The student stares at us in horror.)

Coworker: “Why do you think we wear all-black uniforms?”

Me: “We’re all time-traveling spies.”

Student: “You’re fibbing.”

Me: “All right, Ms. [Coworker], she has to be eliminated.”

Coworker: “You know what that means, right?”

Student: “…”

Me: “You have to go live in Canada.”

Student: *tearfully* “I hate Canada.”

(I’m working drive-thru at the first window, taking cash and taking orders on the second lane. When a customer pulls into my lane, it beeps twice every second until I answer. It’s our policy to answer in less than three beeps.)

Customer: *pulls up in the middle of lunch rush*

Me: “Hi! Welcome to [Fast Food Restaurant]? How can I help you?”

Customer: “You know, some people like to have a minute or two when they pull up, instead of being rudely bothered by you guys while they’re thinking.”

(If you don’t know what you want when you pull up, go inside.)

Me: “I’m sorry, sir. Take your time.”

(He takes a couple of minutes and then is ready to order.)

Customer: “Now I know what I’m going to get.”

Me: “All right, what can I get you?”

Customer: “Ten [chicken sandwiches], ten [burgers], two twenty-piece nuggets, and half a dozen large fries.”

Me: *amazed that someone would order that during lunch rush* “All right, sir, since that order is over $50, I need to get a manager’s approval. It’ll be just a second.”

Customer: “That’s okay; it’s only money. I have $1800 in my left pocket.”

(My manager comes over and approves the total.)

Me: “Will that be all today?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “Your total is $57.84 at your first window, please.”

(After I sit through a few minutes of dread, the customer comes around to the window. I confirm the order and he gives me a $100 bill.)

Me: “All right, sir, since this is a $100, I need a manager to complete the transaction. It’ll be just a second.”

(A manager comes over and enters his code into the point-of-sale system.)

Customer: “Yeah, when I go to the bank, they don’t give me tens or twenties; they give me hundreds. I’m a Massachusetts contractor. I get thousands of dollars per check.”

Me: “That’s nice, sir.”

(He ended up being parked for five or ten minutes waiting for his food, and I hopefully won’t ever see him again.)