(My dad’s workplace proudly employs people from many different cultures. Considering the wide diversity, it isn’t unusual for them to be curious about each others’ backgrounds. Apparently, they have recently hired some more people.)

New Hire: “Hi, I’m [New Hire]. It’s nice to meet you!”

Dad: “Hi, I’m [Dad]. That’s an interesting name you have; where are you from?”

New Hire: “Sri Lanka. How about you?”

Dad: “I’m from Korea.”

New Hire: “Korea?! Really?!”

Dad: “That’s right.”

New Hire: “Does that mean you can do this?”

(He starts dancing like he is riding horseback, or in other words, he’s doing the dance from “Gangnam Style.”)

Dad: “Well, that was interesting.”

New Hire: “My son loves Psy! He taught me how to dance just like him!”

This story is part of our “Where are you from?” roundup!

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(At the ice cream shop where I work, we just hired a new employee who isn’t quite working out. The following happens while closing one night.)

Me: “Hey, [employee’s name], would you be able to fill the sprinkles quick? I’m really busy taking down this machine.”

Employee: “Nope.”

Me: “…Excuse me?”

Employee: “I can’t fill the sprinkles.”

Me: “And… why not?”

Employee: “There isn’t a box open.”

Me: “So… open a new box?”

Employee: “I can’t open another box.”

Me: “Why not?”

Employee: “I don’t know how.”

Me: “You could just rip the tape off the top.”

Employee: “I just got my nails done!”

Me: “Well, then use a box cutter!”

Employee: “What for?”

Me: “To cut… the box.”

Employee: “Oh… where is the box cutter?”

Me: “On the shelf by the hamburger buns.”

Employee: “Where are they?”

Me: “On the counter right by the grill. You can’t miss it.”

Employee: “Oh.” *leaves, comes back two seconds later* “What buns?”

Me: “The. Hamburger. Buns. By the grill.”

Employee: “Buns? What do you need those for?”

Me: “THE BOX CUTTER IS BY THE BUNS.”

Employee: “Oh, right. Wait…what’s a box cutter again? Like, what does it look like?”

Me: “It looks like a small, sharp tool… used to CUT BOXES!”

Employee: “Oh, okay!” *leaves, returns with box cutter* “Now what am I supposed to do with this?”

Me: *facepalm*

(I’m training a new cashier.)

Me: “He has 84 cents in change.”

New Cashier: “What do I do?”

Me: “Count out his change.”

New Cashier: *begins counting change* “This is making me so nervous! You do it!”

(My friend and her manager are both training a new hire. However, the new hire doesn’t like asking for help.)

Manager: “Hey, [New Hire], do you know how to make a payment?”

New Hire: “Of course I do.”

(My friend, who is working a few feet away, and her manager both know the new hire doesn’t know how.)

Manager: “Great, can you ring me up?”

New Hire: “Sure.” *stares blankly at the screen*

Manager: “…Are you going to ring me out?”

New Hire: “Oh yeah, I think there’s something on the pin pad for you to do.”

Manager: *checks* “No, there isn’t.”

New Hire: “Oh… well, this register probably isn’t working then.”

(They move to a new register and the same process repeats.)

Manager: “Let me see the screen.”

New Hire: *shows him the screen*

Manager: “You need to press the ‘Payments’ button. I thought you said you knew how to ring up payments.”

New Hire: “I do!”

Manager: “I came over here to see if you knew how to ring up payments, and I know you don’t, so I wanted to see if you would ask [my friend] for help since she’s supposed to be training you. She can’t train you if she doesn’t know what you need help on.”

New Hire: “I don’t need any help!”

(Fortunately, my friend’s manager later told her that the new hire will probably just be a temp for the holidays!)

(I am training a new coworker to be a cashier.)

Me: “Okay, he prepaid for his gas and he has $13.99 coming back for his change. Also, he’s giving you a penny.”

Coworker: “Okay.”

(They start counting out the 99 cents.)

Me: “You don’t have to count out the 99 cents since he is giving you the penny.”

Coworker: “What? This is so confusing.” *hands customer 13 dollars*

Me: “…”