(I’m working the third shift. The phone rings and my coworker answers it. As I’m stocking items, my coworker waves me over to the counter and hands me the phone.)

Me: *thinking it is a family member* “Hello?”

Guest: “Hello?”

Me: “This is the gift shop. How can I help you?”

Guest: “Yes, I’m waiting in line to get food right now, but we were just in there about two hours ago. I had a comp from the Player’s Club I wanted to use, and then pay the difference off with my card, but when I checked my bank account, my card had been charged the full amount.”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that! Are you still here? If so, you can come back and I can fix that up for you.”

Guest: “No, that won’t be possible. I’m about an hour away now. I’m in line for a buffet, but I don’t even know if we have enough to even get something to eat now.”

Me: *not sure what she wants me to do* “So, what are you asking for, ma’am?”

Guest: “Can I get a refund?”

Me: “Not without the card physically in my hands, ma’am. I can take your comp back to the Player’s Club so it won’t go to waste if you’d like?”

Guest: “That won’t help my bank account!”

Me: “No, but it’s still worth over $20 in points, and I’d hate for you to be out of those points.”

Guest: “Is there anyone else there I can talk to?”

Me: “I’m sorry. It’s just me and my coworker. If you don’t mind, I could consult with my managers to see if we can fix something for you?”

Guest: “Please do! We’re in line and I’m still on the phone with my bank trying to fix things.”

Me: “All right, and again, I’m sorry. I’ll call you back soon.” *we both hang up and I go to call my manager*

Coworker: *interrupts me from calling* “Hold on; let me tell you what happened. This lady had a big family, and they just started piling stuff on the counter. They didn’t tell me they had a comp and I rung up the sale and cashed them out, okay? After they left, I found their comp folded up on the edge of the counter!”

Me: “Let me call [Manager] first and see what she says.”

(I call and she confirms what I already suspected; I can’t do a refund without the card physically present. But then, she caves in and says she will let me do the transaction over the phone, which is against policy. Of course, it will take a few business days for the money to go back into the guest’s account, so it won’t help her immediately, but she will definitely be getting the money back. I call the woman back.)

Me: “I spoke with my manager, and she said if you feel comfortable giving me your card number, I can redo the transaction over the phone, correcting it for you.”

Guest: “Oh, well, my bank is taking care of it for me.”

Me: *confused* “Your bank is taking care of it?”

Guest: “I think so.”

Me: “So, you’re sure your bank will reimburse you this money?”

Guest: “Yes.”

Me: “So, you don’t want the refund?”

Guest: “No. Well, the bank is taking care of it. I mean, I could still give you my number I guess, but everything should be fine now.”

Me: “If you say so, ma’am. I’m glad we could settle things for you.”

Guest: “Thank you!” *hangs up*

(I immediately run the forgotten comp slip back to the Player’s Club to be deposited back into the guest’s account, then jump back on the phone with my boss, relaying everything the guest told me.)

Manager: “…she what?!”

Me: “Yeah, she kept saying her bank was going to fix it. But the only way I could think of the bank fixing it is…”

Manager: “She’s trying to dispute the charge! Do you still have her number?”

Me: “Yep, right here.”

Manager: “Save it; I’ll call her in the morning.”

Me: “Careful, she’s f***ing nuts.”

Manager: “She must be!”

Me: *looks to my coworker* “She doesn’t want the refund, but she calls complaining she needs the refund that can’t help her out today anyway, gambles away her money, and says her family doesn’t have nearly enough to eat on.”

Coworker: “Then why the hell did they come to the casino in the first place?!”

(I am working at [Retailer] as an overnight stocker when a customer walks up.)

Customer: “Can you tell me where to find mustard?”

Me: “It would be my pleasure. It’s on aisle two.”

Customer: “Which aisle is that?”

Me: “…the aisle with the big two over it.”

(I am working a graveyard shift in the store and am currently alone. As a policy, we are to check IDs for all form of cards: credit, debit, player club cards, etc. I’ve had customers thank me for checking their IDs, and even very few get disgruntled because they had to pull their ID out, but nothing quite beats this transaction. A woman walks in, immediately goes to the food side and picks up a candy bar, then proceeds to give me her card.)

Me: “Can I see your ID please?”

Customer: *she gives me this blank look* “Why?”

Me: *pauses* “To… check your identity, ma’am.”

Customer: “But I wrote my name on the back of the card.”

Me: “Yes… I see, but I have to check a government issued ID to make sure the names match.”

Customer: “But can’t you just look and see my name on the card?”

Me: “Yes, I can, but that doesn’t verify that you’re you.” *She looks at me, still confused.* “Look at it this way: if I don’t see if you’re you, anyone can take your card and spend whatever they want.”

Customer: “But it’s just a dollar!”

Me: “Just a dollar HERE. If someone else did have your card, what’s to stop them from spending $50, $200, or more elsewhere if I didn’t verify identity?”

Customer: “I still don’t understand; it’s just a dollar!”

(She signed her slip and left, and I actually slid into the floor on my knees and popped my forehead against the counter in disbelief.)

(I work in the school district. As such, I get shunted around a lot. While getting lunch on the first day back, I decided to stop by a fast food place for lunch. I order my food, swipe my card, and it’s declined. I try again, declined. As I walk away, this happens:)

Cashier: “Sir, don’t you want your food? It was accepted.”

Me: “It was?”

Cashier: “Yes, sir. Here’s your drink, your food will be out momentarily.”

(As I fill up my drink, I see the manager tapping on the screen, and I see he smiles at me as he hands me my food, realization dawning on me.)

Manager: “Here’s your food, sir. Have a good lunch!”

(I think I said “Thank you” no less than five times. Cashier, Manager, you two gave me the strength to get through a tough day! Thank you so very much!)

(After work one day I notice I have a flat. I can’t find any objects in it so I decide to take it to an auto shop to have them check it out as well as get a new tire.)

Tech: *after glancing at the flat* “Okay, so one new tire…” *goes around and quickly glances at my other tires* Yeah. Your alignment is off. We can’t fix that here, but that’s what killed your tire. And you’re about to lose your other tire, too. See?” *points to where the rubber meets the concrete* “So we’ll go again and replace that today, too.”

Me: “Wait, what? Why would I replace that tire? The pressure in it is fine; I checked them all once I noticed the other was flat. And the tread is practically new. If it really is the alignment, won’t that just tear the new one up, too?”

Tech: *suddenly looks like someone literally stuck their foot in this mouth* “Um… so… just the one?”

Me: “Yeah. Just the one.”

(I took my car to another store and they said the alignment was fine. Still have no idea what popped that tire.)