(I’m discussing angel food cake, because I’ve never seen any bread or cake this bright.)
Me: “How is it so white?! It’s even whiter than white bread!”
Aunt: “It’s because they use b****ed fire.”
(There’s a slight pause while she realizes what she said.)
Aunt: *laughing* “I meant bleached flour! I’m really tired.”
(We’ve all been there, Aunt.)
(I wake up feeling sick and miserable, but I have to work, so I drag my sick carcass in. I get in late and overall feel bad. A few hours into my shift, an older lady comes in with a smile, saying she wants to pay her bill in her unit. I say it’s no problem, but I sound stuffed up and I sniffle and croak. I apologize for being sick and that I probably look and sound gross. The woman looks at me.)
Customer: “Oh, honey, no! You’re fine. You’re sick, and you look it, but there’s nothing wrong with that; you can’t help it. Really, it’s fine.”
Me: *giving her a smile* “Thank you.”
(I process her bill and as I am printing a receipt:)
Me: “I don’t know. It’s probably the change in weather. I’m a scrawny guy; I get cold easily.”
(I laugh it off and the woman only looks at me with concern.)
Customer: “Maybe it’s allergies; have you thought of that? Well, there is a dollar store up the road, very cheap. You should get some allergy medication, and if that doesn’t work, buy some cold medicine. That should do the trick!”
Me: “Why, thank you. I should be going to lunch here soon; perhaps I’ll run up there.”
(She nods, takes her receipt, and walks to the door before turning around.)
Customer: “I believe in being kind and understanding to people; we all share the same planet, after all.”
(I agree and thank her for the advice and bid her a good day. About twenty minutes go by and the woman reappears. I turn to ask her what she needs as she walks in, and she smiles and hands me a bag.)
Customer: “Here you go, dear. That should help you out!”
(I look inside and there is allergy medicine and two boxes of cold medicine!)
Me: *shocked but grateful* “Oh, wow! Thank you! You really didn’t have to!”
(I thank her profusely, but she only shakes her head and says:)
Customer: “Kindness goes a long way. We all share this place, so we should take care of each other. Get well soon, dear!”
(And with that, she gave me another smile and left. Blessed be to that kind woman. She has no idea how much she made my day and restored just a little faith.)
(Rainchecks are given at my store when a sale item is out of stock, so the customer can come in when it’s in stock and still get the sale price.)
Customer: “Do you accept people’s coupons?”
Me: “Of course!”
Customer: “Oh, I have a raincheck for this.” *indicates item*
Me: “Sure thing. Can I see the raincheck?” *receives it* “Uh, this looks different from the ones I’ve used, I better check with my coworker.”
Customer: “It’s from [Competitor].”
Me: “We cant accept rainchecks from [Competitor].”
Customer: “Why?! You said you accept people’s coupons!”
(I am demonstrating a food item at a warehouse store when this young woman comes to my table and grabs a sample off my table without even acknowledging me or the product. She is also talking on her phone. I acknowledge her:)
Me: “You’re welcome.”
Customer: *turns to me and says* “What? I DIDN’T SAY, ‘THANK YOU’!”
Me: “Oh, sorry, I thought you did!”
(Talk about being rude!)
(A middle-aged couple comes to pick up their tickets at will-call. They move to the door to go in. It is locked, as doors are not open for another twenty minutes. They stare blankly at me through the window, as though expecting me to get up and let them in.)
Me: “Doors open at 8:00.”
Man: “Why? Why can’t we go in now?”
Me: “The doors don’t open until one hour before the show starts.”
Man: *appalled* “The show starts at nine?!“
Me: “That’s correct.”
Man: “How was I supposed to know that?!”
Me: “It says the time right on your ticket.”
Man: *glances at ticket* “It doesn’t say the time on your website.”
Me: “Actually, it does.”
(The couple both stare blankly at me again. I take this to mean, “Prove it.” So, I look up the show on our website, turn my screen toward them, and point right to where it says the time of doors opening and the time of the show.)
Man: *handing the tickets back through the window* “Give the tickets to someone else.”
(They both walked off.)
