A group of us are sent to a remote site for some niche industrial work. We were supposed to be on a rotation where we didn’t work more than three weeks at a time, but the “other” shift never arrived. We were spurred on by promises of bonuses and overtime, but after working over ninety days straight of thirteen-hour shifts and living in a crappy motel a forty-five-minute drive from the worksite, something was going to snap.

Another employee lost focus at the wrong time when he was supposed to wait for a hand signal and didn’t. I fractured my orbital socket in the accident that followed.

It was a close call and could have been a lot worse. I’m glad I “saw it coming” and had time to at least try and get out of the way.

I got sent away after a night in the ER while the rest of that crew continued to work.

After spending two days at home the boss calls.

Boss: “I need you in Alaska.”

Me: “What?”

Boss: “Is it a bad line? I said I need you in Alaska.”

Me: “You’re not going to ask me how I am feeling? Or even apologize?”

Boss: “You’re fine, I read the report. Why would I apologize? I wasn’t even there?”

Me: “Seriously?”

Boss: “Okay so you’re going to Alaska in two days. Your flight is already booked.”

Me: “The h*** I am!”

I quit right on the spot and went straight back to sleep. Best sleep I had in years. I had a new job lined up as soon as I recovered.

I work in a daycare attached to a library and gym complex (it’s a big building). I am relatively new and don’t really know my manager yet. She’s stern but fair, so I respect her. A mother comes in and drops off her toddler.

Mother: “I’m going to need him to be kept active and busy while I am gone. I prefer him to be fatigued when we’re at home.”

Me: “O…kay? We have plenty of activities that can keep him entertained such as—”

Mother: “No, you’re not listening. I need him kept active! Like you have to actively wear him down. You seem new so I don’t blame your ignorance—ah! There’s the manager. You! Over here!”

She actually points at my manager and yells for her to come hither. My manager slowly walks forward with the weary gait of someone who knows what’s coming.

Manager: *Strained.* “Mrs. [Mother’s Name], how lovely to see you again.”

Mother: “I need [Child’s Name] to be worn out when I return. What will you do to accommodate me?”

Manager: “Well, [Child’s Name] is four, right? We have a small playground that—”

Mother: “I saw that, not good enough. It’s just some swings and a slide. What will you do to ensure my child is kept active?”

Manager: “This is a daycare, ma’am, not an activity center. If you want some sporting activities then—”

Mother: “—you’re not listening! What will you do to accommodate me… today!”

Manager: “Well, we could try tossing him into the river and see how quickly he can swim back.”

Mother: “What?!”

Manager: *To me.* “What do you think, [My Name]? How strong is your throw?”

Mother: “Stop being so preposterous before I report you to—”

Manager: “The librarians are always moaning about rodents of unusual size* scurrying about the air vents. [Child’s Name] looks small enough to enter the vents and take them out for us. Just give him a torch and a pen-knife and he’ll be good to go.”

Mother: “That’s it! I will be reporting you to your boss unless you start taking me seriously!”

Manager: “Okay fine, we’ll just pit [Child] against the other kids in gladiatorial combat. The librarians like to place bets on the victor and the winnings we get make up for the s***ty customers like you.”

With that, the mother released a desperate shrill of a noise before storming off to the building’s management office. I am staring at my manager in awe.

Manager: “That was Mrs. [Mother’s Name] and she runs the club of mean mommies that have made my job miserable for the last year. I’m quitting today… good luck!”

My manager really did quit that day (well, two weeks’ notice), before any complaints could be bought down on her. One of the building managers took over managing the daycare while they trained one of the other workers, and they got to experience this mother and her friends firsthand. Their response was “now I know why [Manager] quit” and after multiple complaints from literally every other employee who had to deal with these mothers, they were banned!

*Yes, this is from “The Princess Bride”.

I have handed in my notice and it’s my last two weeks of work at the grocery store I have been at for five years. There have been some emotional farewells here and there, but I am mostly happy to be leaving.

We have one notorious customer who is hated by pretty much everyone. Their behavior really should have got them banned but corporate have no backbones so they always get a free pass.

I am working as checkout manager and I am called over to a coworker who is having issues with said customer.

Customer: “You! Train this idiot better! She’s not accepting my coupon!”

Coworker: “Ma’am, like I said I can accept the coupon but for the correct product. This coupon is only for [Store Brand] products and you’ve selected [Premium Brand].”

I take a quick look at the coupon for show, but I already know what it says.

Me: “My checkout clerk is correct, ma’am. This coupon can’t be used with this product.”

Customer: “Are we really going to do this song and dance… again? We both know you have the override code you can just type into your little machine so why don’t you save us all some time and just type it in so I can get on with my day?”

Me: “No, ma’am, I won’t be doing that.”

Customer: “Fine, then I guess we will be calling your manager, who will call corporate, who will tell you to do as I say. And for the inconvenience of wasting my time I will be demanding a discount too.”

Me: “You won’t be doing any of those things, ma’am. In fact, I will be refusing you service today.”

Customer: “Feeling brazen today, are we?” *In a sing-sing voice.* “Someone is about to get fiiiiired!”

Me: *In the same sing-song voice.* “Somebody has already quiiiiit!”

The customer is shocked into silence for a moment, and I feel a sudden wave of courage.

Me: “Get the f*** out of this store and don’t come back. We all loathe you. We’ve never encountered a human being so miserable and hateful as you and the mental anguish you’ve caused us means I am officially banning you as my last act as manager here.”

Customer: “I’m going to call corporate right now!”

Me: “My name is [My Name]. Tell them it was me. They’ll call me and I will say you’re a liability to our store and the mental health of all our staff. I will tell them that you’re the reason I am quitting and more will likely follow me if they let your spiteful soul back in. They won’t risk losing multiple staff to appease one customer who has claimed an uncountable number of unfair discounts over the years.”

The customer is still standing there, not sure what to do now that all their usual threats have failed.

Me: “Well then… off you f***.”

She stood just outside the door and angrily called corporate. As predicted corporate called my manager, who called me in. I told him that if her ban was lifted I am walking out right now and I can think of at least four more checkout clerks on their last mental thread because of that one woman and they were just dying to take a long mental health leave of absence on full pay. 

The ban was upheld.

This story is part of our Highest-Voted-Stories-Of-2023-(so far!) roundup!

Read the next Highest-Voted-Stories-Of-2023-(so far!) story!

Read the Highest-Voted-Stories-Of-2023-(so far!) roundup!

(I’m a new waitress at a vegetarian restaurant.)

Me: “Hello, sir, are you ready to order?”

Customer: “Yes, thank you. Could I get a medium rare steak with peppercorn sauce and a side of chips please?”

Me: “I’m very sorry, sir, but we don’t serve steak. In fact, I don’t think we ever have. This is a vegetarian restaurant.”

Customer: “Really? Oh, what a shame. Do you mind if I see the specials again please?”

Me: “Certainly, sir. They’re written on the back of our menus. I’ll just go and fetch you one.”

(I get him a menu. When I return, I see the owner’s daughter, who is also my coworker, taking his order.)

Owner’s Daughter: “So, that was a medium rare steak with peppercorn sauce and a side of chips?”

Customer: “Yes, thank you.”

Owner’s Daughter: “Certainly sir—”

Me: “Wait, [Coworker], we don’t sell steak. This is a vegetarian restaurant.”

Owner’s Daughter: “No, we’ve always sold steak!”

Me: “But this is a vegetarian restaurant. You can’t!”

Owner’s Daughter: “Yes! This is a vegetarian restaurant and yes we sell meat!”

Me: “So, let me get this straight: you’re claiming this is a vegetarian restaurant that sells meat?!”

Owner’s Daughter: “Yes, finally! Now finish this man’s order whilst I clean up that table.”

Me: “But… never mind.”

(I finish taking the customer’s order, and sure enough his steak arrives. I speak to the owner. Turns out that his daughter didn’t know what vegetarian meant, and he didn’t have the heart to tell her! I quit a short while after that when an actual vegetarian restaurant opened across the street. Within a few weeks, the ‘vegetarian’ restaurant was out of business.)

(I arrive for my shift, which starts very late at night. My coworker is a notorious party guy and seems high and jittery.)

Me: “Hi, [coworker]. Are you okay?”

Coworker: “Fine! I’m fine! How are you!” *moves rapidly*

Me: “Okay…”

(I go to the back office, where I find a full dozen of empty beer bottles lying around. They’ve obviously just have been drunk, the smell is strong. My coworker comes in the room, swaying.)

Coworker: “What’s upppppp!”

Me: “Did you… did you just drink all these beer?”

Coworker: *laughs hysterically* “Nooooo! Maybe. A little.” *laughs hysterically and dances*

(I report his drinking on the job to my manager, who suspended him. I had to quit later because I moved, but I later learned he had been promoted to manager!)