(I work as a surgery scheduler. My office is near the check-in and I hear this go down:)

Check-In: “Good morning! Who are you scheduled to see?”

Patient: “[Doctor].”

Check-In: “All righty, then, and what’s your name?”

Patient: “…”

(I work in an office that deals with ear issues, so the office is used to patients who are hard of hearing.)

Check-In: “Sir?”

Patient: “Hmm?”

Check-In: “What’s your name?”

Patient: “None of your business.”

Check-In: “Sir, I need your name in order to check you in.”

Patient: “I said it’s none of your business!”

Check-In: “Sir, I need your name or I can’t let the doctor know you’re here.”

Patient: “The doctor knows who I am!”

Check-In: “Sir, you’re a new patient to us, so the doctor won’t know who you are. I need to know who you are. Do you have your insurance card?”

Patient: “Yes, I do.”

Check-In: “Okay, can I have your insurance card, please?”

Patient: *growing more aggravated* “No!”

Check-In: “Sir, if I can’t check you in, the doctor can’t see you.”

(Now the patient is furious. I pop my head out of my office and see this grown man stomp his foot and throw his hands in the air. The entire office is silent now.)

Patient: “What kind of doctor’s office is this? You people all want my information and you can’t have it! It’s none of your business! You have all my information in your little computer! I’m not giving you my information so you can take my identity!”

Check-In: “Sir, that’s not why I need your information. I just want to let the doctor know you’re here for your appointment.”

Patient: “Forget it! Screw all of you! You’re what’s wrong with America!” *stomps out of the office* 

(The check-in gent and I shared a look before going back to work.)

(I work for a utility company in western New York. This customer calls asking for service. From time to time, people call and find out that somebody has used their info to fraudulently start service. This is not one of these situations. I have just informed this customer that he has had two different accounts under his name with our company. He insists he has never had service, so I take a closer look.)

Me: “Sir, I see here that the first address where you previously had service was taken over by your wife after your account ended.”

Customer: “I lived there but it was never in my name. It was only in my wife’s name. I have never had service; somebody must have stolen my identity.”

Me: “Hmm… I also see that the second account listed is at the very same address and it starts immediately after your wife’s account ends. You had service two times at an address where you actually lived.” 

Customer: “I don’t know how that is possible. I mean, I lived there, but I have never had service under my name. Obviously, this is fraud.” 

Me: “So, what you are saying is that somebody stole your personal info to fraudulently start service at an address where you were actually living before your wife had service there and then did it again after your wife’s account ended?”

Customer: “Yes, I think this is what has happened.”

Me: “The only way to dispute these accounts is to file a police report about your identity being stolen and fill out a fraud packet to start an investigation.”

(This usually stops the nonsense dead because nobody wants to file a false police report. Well, they have actually done this and been arrested on the spot, but I digress.)

Customer: “This is not fair. I have never had service under my name. What am I supposed to do?”

Me: “You need to be able to prove you weren’t living at an address you have already admitted that you lived in on a recorded line. “

Customer: “How much do I have to pay?”

(I’m a waiter at a fancy restaurant.)

Customer: “Excuse me, sir, are those ‘must wash hands’ signs only for the employees?”

Me: “Yes, sir. By law, we must wash our hands to prevent contamination.”

Customer’s Date: *looks disgusted, gets up, and leaves*

Customer: *plays on his phone for thirty minutes, then throws money on the table and leaves*

(I am on a business trip to New York. At my suggestion, our group goes to a famous NYC deli for dinner, a place known for their pastrami and for their brusque staff. When the waitress comes over to get our order, this conversation ensues:)

Me: “I’ll have a pastrami sandwich, lean, and—”

Waitress: “Have you ever been here before?”

Me: “No, but I’ve been to other delis.”

Waitress: “It’s just that here, ordering the pastrami lean is considered a cardinal sin. I mean, if you want to take away all the fat and have something like jerky…”

Me: *smiling* “Okay, do it your way.”

Waitress: *mimes cracking a whip at me*

(Later on:)

Waitress: “I try to be nice to people, but sometimes I have to be a b****, and that can get me in trouble.”

Me: “Wait, isn’t being nice against company policy?”

Waitress: “Oh, I wouldn’t get in trouble with my boss…”

(It is a late shift, we are closing in an hour, and I am making drinks while one of my coworkers is on register. One of our regulars comes up; most of our regulars are nice but this one always has a sour look on her face and is known for being difficult.) 

Coworker: “Hello! Wha–“

Customer: *cuts right to it* “Ultra-caramel frappe with extra milk, half ice, light ice, light whipped cream, and extra caramel drizzle.”

(I hear the order and start making the drink right away. Before she even finishes paying, she screams.)

Customer: “THAT’S TOO MUCH MILK!”

Coworker: “Would you like her to pour some out or start over?”

Customer: *gives blank angry state and says nothing*

(Before she can ask again…)

Me: *in a polite sweet voice* “I’m sorry, I will start over.”

(The regular finishes paying and waits at the pickup area. I show her the milk amount before I make the rest of the drink; I pour just over the standard amount and ask her if that is all right. She continues to stare angrily but refuses to say if it isn’t, so I continue with the drink. I make it with her specifications and put it on the counter for her.)

Me: “Here you go!”

Customer: *twists the drink* “This isn’t right.”

Me: “I am sorry, I will be happy to fix it. What is wrong?”

Customer: *hissing* “This isn’t how I usually get it.”

Me: “I’m sorry. I can fix it if I know what’s wrong.”

Customer: *snaps* “Just give me a refund.”

(I am fed up. There is a line of customers and I have to make a ton of drinks because this conversation is taking way too long.)

Me: “Okay, then, you can wait in line and [Coworker] will give you a refund.”

(She huffed off and straight-up cut in line. The people behind were shocked. My coworker asked if she should give her the refund and I told her to just do it and get her out of here. The next week, she came in and I found out the only difference between what I made and how she usually drinks her frappuccino is that I put the extra caramel drizzle she ordered on top and she likes it in the cup!)