(I am closing my registers at a well-known retail store. It is a couple of minutes after closing and the lights are out; customers are still leaving. As I’m closing, a man and woman walk into my department — shoes.)

Man: *to woman* “They’re closed.”

(They start meandering through the department, occasionally picking things up. I don’t say anything to them about closing because people frequently window shop as they leave at night. After I’ve completely closed both my registers, the woman walks up to me with two shoes.)

Woman: “Are you closed?”

Me: “Yes.”

Woman: “YOU SAW US OVER HERE AND DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING!?”

(My eyes are wide. Our lights are off, three closing announcements have been made, and I heard the man tell her we were closed.)

Me: “I’m… sorry. I just assumed you were looking on your way out.”

(The woman slams down the floor samples on the wrong table, looking at me like she wants me to know she’s INTENTIONALLY putting them in the wrong place, and walks away.)

Woman: “Have a great night.”

Me: “You, too!”

(I tell my manager what happened. She describes the woman to me.)

Manager: “Is that what she looked like?”

Me: “YES!”

Manager: “Don’t worry about it. I just had to chase her out of accessories because she was insisting that we weren’t closed!”

(I’ve just finished helping a very nice customer apply for a job. This happens as he is leaving the computer lab.)

Me: “Have a good day, sir!”

Customer: *with kind of a sad smile* “No, thank you.”

(I’m buying a couple of items at a game store, and the total is $38. The cashier and I are making small talk as I hand her a $20 and a $5.)

Cashier: *realizing the money I handed her isn’t enough* “I’m sorry, your total is $38.”

Me: “Oh! I’m sorry, I thought that was a ten instead of a five.”

Cashier: “…”

Me: “…which still wouldn’t have been enough. I’m sorry, I can’t do math today.”

(I felt a little embarrassed, but at least she got a good chuckle out of it!)

(In my two last high school science classes, I am notorious for sitting alone in the back corner at what is supposed to be the teacher’s desk, messing around on my laptop and blatantly not paying attention. But I take my textbook home, do the classwork there, and make 100s on all my tests, so the teacher doesn’t care. Other students aren’t doing so well with their grades. One day, I raise my hand and ask to go to the restroom; the teacher gives me permission but the other students don’t hear her. I walk out of the room.)

Student: *screaming* “Oh, my gosh. [My Name] sits back in the corner and never does any work in here, but we get in trouble if we’re talking or don’t pay attention for one second! She just gets up and leaves the room and you don’t even say anything!”

(The teacher found the outburst so funny she gave me permission to leave the room whenever I wanted without asking.)

(It’s been a long day, and it’s only half over — we have a massive order timed for fifteen minutes after we open, which means we both have to come in early and do the morning prep throughout the day instead of at the start of the shift. A customer walks in.) 

Me: “Welcome to [Store]. What can we do for you today?”

Customer: “Oh, just a 20-ounce soda.”

Me: “Sure thing.”

(As I’m getting the soda for him…)

Customer: “So, how’s your day going, man?”

Me: “Oh, it’s been busy, and the coffee I had isn’t working, but all in all I can’t complain.”

Customer: “Go ahead and get a [high-caffeine soda] on me, man.”

Me: *a little taken aback* “I appreciate the h*** out of that, man, but I actually don’t drink soda.”

Customer: “Well, then, how do you take your coffee?”

Me: “Black?”

(The customer disappears and comes back in five minutes later with the largest coffee the gas station down the street sells)

Customer: “Here. Sorry, it’s gas station coffee, but I hope it helps. Have a great day, man.”

(I’ve worked at this place for five years, and I’ve never had a customer go out of their way like that for me. I’m actually submitting this in the middle of that shift with the coffee in front of me, because people that awesome need to be recognized.)