This happens at the end of a call which was otherwise quite normal. I have just finished assisting the client, who is herself also a representative with her own closing protocols.

Me: “Can I be of any further assistance?”

Client: “No.”

Me: “Very well. Have a great day, and thank you for using our services.”

Client: “Wait, don’t hang up. Why are you disconnecting?”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, I asked if could help further, and you said no. I must have misunderstood. How can I further assist you?”

Client: “You [my job title] are all the same. You disconnect the call and don’t let me say anything. Well, you can’t disconnect now. Thank you for your call. Have a good day. You can disconnect the call now, bye.”

Me: *Taken aback* “I apologise if there was a misunderstanding, ma’am, but when I asked whether that was all—”

Client: “YOU CAN DISCONNECT THE CALL! THANK YOU! BYE!”

I disconnected the call, puzzled and slightly rattled by the whole thing. I guess she was having a bad day and needed to exercise some prepotence somewhere.

For what it’s worth, I certainly have been in situations where clients just hang up abruptly when they’re done with us, and it sure sucks, but I always give them time after my closing to respond — which is why this client in particular was able to do her crazy thing without me hanging up!

This happened when I was a kid. Like most kids, I had a habit of stretching or avoiding the truth when convenient. I was not a particularly well-behaved kid, either, though it was nothing scandalous; I simply felt that what I wanted to do was way more interesting than what school wanted me to do.

I vividly and clearly remember, after persuading my mother for quite a while that my behaviour in school was better than it actually was, coming home really, really happy because I’d gotten a commendation on my behaviour or some other such positive thing.

Me: *Very giddy and happy* “Mom, I got a [whatever it was that I got]!”

Mom: “That’s nice, but why are you all excited? You always do well.”

Me: *Still happy and really proud of myself* “Yes, but all those times were a lie! This one is for real!”

I don’t think I was punished, but I remember my mother’s face at that.

Coincidentally or not, I grew up into a scrupulously truthful person. And now, years later, it’s something we laugh about. But boy, I’m really sorry for my mother, looking back.

This happened when I was still a supervisor and was relayed to me by one of my colleagues.

A flight for one of the smaller island airports was cancelled due to high winds at that airport. This airport had the particular feature of being smack between the ocean and a mountain, so the wind heading was even more important there, and that day, the tower there even ordered a shutdown of all takeoff and landing operations.

A group from the mainland was very upset over this cancelation and began raising their voices at the two agents doing the cancellation in the boarding lounge. The station manager, who was just going to fetch coffee at the lounge cafe, heard the yelling and introduced himself, asking what the problem was.

Angry Passenger: “We demand to fly there today!“

Station Manager: “Ma’am, that airport is closed due to high winds.”

Angry Passenger: “Then I demand that you charter an Air Force plane to take us there. NOW!”

Station Manager: “What are you, insane? Air Traffic Control are the ones who shut down the airport, and they have final authority. If they say no planes are to approach an airport, no one goes near it, not even the Air Force. So, you can either take the hotel and fly tomorrow, or get a refund. But if you raise your voice again, you’ll get a refund and a ban. Understood?”

The group meekly asked for the hotel.

A passenger is boarding. I scan his boarding pass, and it shows that he has a baby associated with his booking.

Me: “Sir, where’s the baby?”

Passenger: “He ain’t coming.”

Me: “Sir, you have to inform us of that before boarding begins.”

Passenger: “Like you informed me, for my flight a year ago, that my plane was delayed due to a storm? I only found out when I arrived at the airport. So, for that disrespect, I will always add a baby to my reservation, because I know that gives you extra work.”

Me: “Please board, sir.”

Colleague: *As soon as the boarding has ended* “I know you’re new, but I wouldn’t have let that slide. I would’ve made him board last.”

Me: “I did call center work before coming here, so I know that adding a baby costs €25 per flight segment, so let him think he’s getting back at us.”

We left laughing.

Recently, my mother-in-law had a major change in attitude. Over the last eleven years, she hasn’t visited us or spoken with me or my husband due to her religious zealot, hate-all attitude. So, it was a surprise when my father-in-law told us they were both coming for Christmas and [Mother-In-Law] had a surprise for me.

Their plane landed, and I was waiting for them in the bag pickup lounge. As soon as [Mother-In-Law] saw me, she made this happy squeak and hugged me.

Mother-In-Law: “Just look at you. You look gorgeous! By the way, where’s the ladies’ room?”

I told her and waited for her to exit the lounge, and I asked [Father-In-Law] what had just happened.

Father-In-Law: “She had a near-death experience. She got mugged and went to the hospital with a cracked skull.”

Me: “Oh, my God! Is she okay? Did they catch the guy?”

Father-In-Law: *Laughing* “No guy. Let me explain. She was stocking shelves at work, and they have these breakfast mugs that are more like big bowls with handles. She was kneeling and tripped when getting up, hitting the shelf with her shoulder, and four mugs fell on her head, knocking her out.”

Me: *Shocked* “So, she’s nice because of that?”

Father-In-Law: “She says Jesus spoke with her and told her to stop hating — that unless she changed her ways, she was going to Hell. Thus, she started volunteering at a soup kitchen and put her name up for housing kids who were kicked out by their parents for being gay. We’ll have our first kid in January.”

My husband, our oldest, and I are still a bit shocked at the change. [Mother-In-Law] made heart-shaped waffles for dinner, played with the triplets, and even bought the cutest clothes for the baby. 

Let’s hope this change is permanent.

This story is part of our Even-More-Highest-Voted-Stories-Of-2024-(so far!) roundup!

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