(For some reason, the grocery stores around my area are a hot target for begging and scamming. It’s not even a bad area, really, so I’m not clear on the why of it, but it’s not uncommon to come across someone asking for money there. Early on, I am not terribly wise to these schemes, and one night I’m parked in the lot of one of the grocery stores when someone knocks on my window. I look up, rather startled as I’m there alone, and see a fairly haggard-looking man asking me to roll down my window. I do just enough to be able to hear him.)

Guy: “Miss? Miss, I’m sorry to bug you, but um, my girlfriend and I, we gotta get back home to Tulsa and we just need some gas money. Is there any way you could help us out?”

Me: “Oh, geez… I’m sorry, but I don’t carry cash on me.”

Guy: “Aw… Okay, thank you, miss!”

(He walks off, presumably to find someone else to ask. I go in and do my shopping, but feeling bad for the guy and deciding he was polite enough, I grab $20 cash back to give him if I see him on my way out. He seems to have moved on, though, and I feel a little bad about not being able to help. At least, until a couple of weeks later. I’m at another grocery store in the same town, getting into my car, when someone speaks up behind me.)

Guy: “Miss?”

(I turn around and it’s the exact same guy from before. He clearly doesn’t recognize me.)

Guy: “Miss, I’m sorry to bug you, but see, my girlfriend and I really need to get to Tulsa and we just need some gas money…”

(I still had the $20 in my pocket… and there it stayed. If you were trying to get to Tulsa, why haven’t you moved more than three miles in two weeks?)

(I am at the drive-thru of a large fast food chain. After ordering my food, they tell me my total will be $3.26. I have some change in the tray, so I pick up 26 cents so I can get rid of some of it.)

Me: *reaches the first window*

Worker: “What did you have?”

Me: “The [breakfast sandwich].”

Worker: “That’s $3.25.”

Me: “$3.25? I was told $3.26.”

Worker: “$3.25.”

(I put the penny back into the tray and gave her $5.25. She gave me $1.99 in change.)

Related:
A Penny Dreadful

(I work in customer service for a large furniture company. We offer delivery for a fee, and the route specifies that you will get a two-hour window for delivery after 4:30 the night before you’re scheduled. I should also mention that I am a supervisor in this department and only in the queue this day because we have several reps out of the office for a corporate event. This is a Tuesday morning.)

Me: *answering the phone* “[Furniture Company]; this is [My Name]. How can I be helpful?”

Customer: “I have a delivery for Friday, and I need to narrow the time down so I can schedule when I can sign papers with my bank.”

Me: *looks up his account to verify he is scheduled for Friday* “Okay, sir. I see we are delivering to [address] on Friday. I, unfortunately, won’t have that time frame until Thursday after 4:30 since that’s when our routes are set in place.”

Customer: “Just tell me the time frame today so I can schedule with my bank.”

Me: “Sir, if I gave you a time frame today, it would be wildly inaccurate, and therefore wouldn’t help your situation since it will change between now and Thursday when our time frames go out.”

Customer: “I need your supervisor, then.”

Me: “Sir, I am the supervisor in this department.”

Customer: “So, I’m just stuck talking to you, then?”

Me: “I’m afraid so, sir.”

(The customer hangs up and calls back into the queue less than one minute later, and it just so happens I take the call.)

Me: “Thank you for calling [Furniture Store]. This is [My Name]. How can I be helpful?”

Customer: “I need a supervisor!”

Me: “Okay, sir, I am the supervisor. What can I help you with?”

Customer: “ARE YOU ALL SUPERVISORS IN THERE OR WHAT? EVERY TIME I CALL IN I GET A D*** SUPERVISOR!”

Me: “Sir, I am the same woman you spoke with two minutes ago.”

Customer: *click*

(I am in a freshman-level French language class. The professor is a native of France, and is correcting the pronunciation of a friend of mine, who is a bit of a class clown.)

Professor: “No, no, no! You are speaking French with an Oklahoma accent!”

Student: “Well, why not? You’re speaking ‘Oklahoman’ with a French accent!”

(Because my daughter is waiting for me outside my home and I’m headed home from work, I am in a bit of a hurry to get a few items for dinner and go. I get into the “15 items or less [sic]” line where there are two cashiers. The guy at the near cashier has a mostly full cart, but fortunately he’s reached the point to have to pay so I figure this won’t be a problem. The second cashier tries to wave me over but I point to the other customer’s cart positioned so I can’t get past and I make a shrug and palms-up motion. I figure I’ll wait it out. But then I get frustrated as the other customer — who appears to be about my own age — is struggling with the credit-card reader. I sigh internally and wait for him to finally finish and go. I throw my four items on the counter and after he’s out of earshot and say:)

Me: “So how many customers come through who seem like they’ve never seen one of these before?”

Cashier: *laughing* “You would be amazed. It was just as bad before the switch.” *meaning adding the ability to read the chips in cards now, not just swipe*

Me: “And how many still use checks?”

Cashier: “Also way too many. I thought those were gone. I’ll take your rewards card.” *which she quickly scans and hands back*

Me: “Me, too. I guess they use the excuse that they are old.” *I pause* “I am old and I know how to use these things, so what’s their excuse?”

Cashier: *laughing* “You have a great day, sir.”

Me: “You, too.”

(The whole thing was done that fast. And who says you can’t have a friendly conversation in the fast lane?)