We’re in a Zoom class. One of my classmates doesn’t mute her microphone before trying to get her dog to leave the room.
Classmate: “Out! No! No, girl! Out! Out! Bad girl, let go of that! No! No! Out! Vade retro, canus!”
I am having a Zoom meeting while working from home.
One of my coworkers isn’t muted.
Coworker: *Very loudly* “Are you satisfied with yourself today, Sir Kitten?”
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I make a post on a website explaining that I’ve lost my job, asking for donations to help me cut down on debt while I search for a job and offering “adoptables” — premade character designs — to people who don’t want to give something for nothing. Usually, when I make posts like this on one particular site, I wind up getting offers from sugar daddies or people trying to ask for my bank details, so I add a disclaimer to my post saying no thanks and no way.
The next day, I sign in to find a message in my inbox.
Stranger: “Hello, how are you doing today? I’m [Stranger] from Michigan. I hope you are well, and nice meeting you. Your profile hits home with me and I like that you seem relaxed and very open. If you would not mind, I’d like you to be my sugar baby. I promise to pay $700 twice a week. Here’s my number [redacted] and my Kik is [redacted]; you can text me. Hoping to read from you soon.”
Me: “So, which part stuck out to you more: the part where my profile says I’m married and monogamous, or my recent post saying I’m not looking for a sugar daddy?”
For reasons man may never know, he didn’t reply.
Some local residents and I volunteer our time to pick litter around the local area. We used to meet up weekly, have competitions for the amount picked, plan out routes, report antisocial behaviour, etc.
Now, of course, it’s all through social media. We have our own page and keep in touch. Someone outside the group, a local resident, finds the page.
Resident: “Can my street be cleaned, please? It’s full of litter.”
Group Member: “Sure, where do you live?”
Resident: “It’s [Street way on the other side of town]; my house is [number].”
Group Member: “I’m sorry, but no one lives near there. If we get more volunteers who live that way, we will let you know. If you would like to volunteer, we can help you source bags and pickers.”
Resident: “This isn’t fair! I have as much right as anyone else. I can’t pick it up myself; I have a bad back.”
He went on and on and on. In the end, someone booted him out and set the page to private. People were understandably upset; this was something we were doing for free for our community, and for people to complain really lowers the mood.
It’s my first time selling furniture online. I’m offering it for free as long as you pick it up, as there isn’t furniture donation pickup in my area. I post pictures of the bed and shelves and give the address to the closest store near me so people can gauge the distance.
Email: “I’d love to look at your bed! Where are you?”
Me: “We’re near [Store Address]. If you decide to take it home, I’ll send you my home address. When can you pick it up?”
Email: “I want to pick it up today! Send me the real address.”
Me: “Great! Here’s my actual address. You can pick it up now or anytime until nine.”
Email: “I’ll be there at four.”
Later, at 5:00 pm:
Me: “Hey! You didn’t show. Did something happen?”
Email: “I decided it was too far.”
This happened several more times, with slight variations, until I gave up and just trashed it. For the record, I stopped giving out my address and told them I’d meet them at that store. I didn’t want a million flaky strangers to have my address, after all.
