My grandma works part-time as a cashier at a small farm where people can pick their own fruit and the like. In the store area where my grandma works, there is a station where my grandma occasionally puts out free coffee for customers. Mornings can be chilly in New Hampshire, even in summer, but now that we’re well into July it is so hot by the time the store opens that my grandma no longer bothers making coffee.

An older woman comes into the store and heads right for the coffee station, and on seeing that it is empty, walks right up to the register where my grandma is helping a line three people deep.

Customer: “Excuse me, there’s no coffee.”

Grandma: “Yes, we’ve stopped putting out coffee because it’s so hot that nobody drank it and we had to keep throwing it away.”

Customer: “You should have coffee.”

Grandma: “Well, as I said, no one was drinking it because it’s hot out, so…”

Customer: “You should make iced coffee.”

Grandma: “I’m not sure we’d be able to. It would probably melt.”

Customer: “Then you should get a Keurig.”

The woman continued badgering on about the coffee while my grandma attempted to finish serving the actual paying customers in line. Finally, the woman left without buying anything. Some people…

We handle technical support for the guest Wi-Fi at a number of large hotel chains.

Me: “Thank you for calling technical support. How can I help you?”

Customer: “Yes, your Internet is very slow. You guys need to clean it out.” 

Me: “Okay, well, if you can help me gather a little information, I’d be happy to troubleshoot that for you.”

Customer: “No, I don’t have time for that; I’m very busy. Can’t you just fix it up?”

Me: “I can certainly see what I can do, but I’m going to need a little more information.”

Customer: “Ugh! I’m not a computer geek. You’re supposed to do that stuff. I don’t have time for this.”

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that, ma’am, but feel free to give us a call when you do have a few moments to spare so we can see about the speed issue.”

Customer: “Yeah, well, you guys should just clean out your cookies or whatever!” *Click*

Related:
And That’s How The Scam-Cookie Crumbles
And That’s How The Not-Free Cookie Crumbles
And That’s How The Entitlement Cookie Crumbles
And That’s How The Calorie-Counting Crumbles
And That’s How The Cookie Epically Crumbles

I’m a cashier at my local grocery store. I’m partially deaf in both ears so I wear hearing aids. I live in a small town so most people know each other and they know about my hearing aids. This man wasn’t familiar to anybody, so I know he isn’t from around the town.

I’m checking out a customer when the man comes up in line not really paying attention. The customer I’m helping leaves and the man is next up. I’m extremely pale; I could pass for albino at this point.

Me: “Welcome to [Grocery Store]. Did you find everything you needed?”

The customer looks up at me and starts getting visibly angry.

Customer: “Take those out of your ears, you disrespectful n*****!”

Me: “Um, I’m sorry? Take what out of my ears?”

Customer: “Those d*** earphones! All you kids are so disrespectful to your elders! D*** n*****s, don’t you know it ain’t polite to keep them in?! Where is your manager?! Does he know you’re being rude to customers?”

I realize he is talking about my hearing aids.

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but these aren’t earphones. I’m partially deaf so I wear hearing aids.”

This guy wasn’t having it. Before anyone could do anything, he leapt over the counter and ripped them out of my ears, breaking both of them. He was immediately escorted out by some patrons in the store, all the while screaming about disrespectful kids.

I stood at my counter teary-eyed, looking at my broken hearing aids, which are not cheap. Then, the next customer in line looked at the ground and saw he had dropped his wallet. We ended up calling the police and he forcibly paid for my new hearing aids. Safe to say, I am no longer a cashier, but I still go to that grocery store and I’m always greeted with a joking, “Take your earphones out!” by the employees.

Related:
Deaf To Reason, Part 11
Deaf To Reason, Part 10
Deaf To Reason, Part 9
Deaf To Reason, Part 8
Deaf To Reason, Part 7

I’m sitting in my room with the windows open to enjoy the fresh air. Two painters are working right outside my window, so I can hear their conversation perfectly. I’m trying not to eavesdrop, but this gets my attention:

Worker #1: “I’ve been trying really hard to get sober lately. I’ve been sober thirty days, but my son won’t give me a hug. He says, ‘When you give me a year of sobriety, I’ll give you a hug.’ I’m making d*** sure I get that hug, man. D*** sure.”

Worker #2: “Right on, man. That’s amazing.”

I started to tear up hearing that. I really hope he finds the strength to remain sober and get that hug.

This story is part of our Feel Good roundup for September 2020!

Read the next Feel Good roundup story!

Read the Feel Good roundup for September 2020!

I work at a serve-yourself type of candy store. A boy has put his hands directly into one of the bins and is playing with the candy he has grabbed. I walk over without him noticing and stand over him.

Me: “Please do not touch the candy with your hands.”

He jumps guiltily, and I can almost see his brain working to come up with a valid excuse.

Boy: “Sorry! I! I, uh… I… have… Attention Deficit Disorder?”

Me: *Bluntly* “So do I.”

Another customer startled me and I glanced away for a moment. When I looked back, the boy had already left the store completely. Yes, I do have Attention Deficit, and no, it is not ever an excuse to misbehave.