(I am a first-time customer at this salon. According to my stylist, they’ve recently installed a new computer system, which is giving them fits. It will not process credit card payments. The stylist has to call the card in, a process that takes about five minutes. An older woman walks in, looking to buy some hair products. My chair is fairly close to the register.)

Stylist: *to the other customer* “Okay, so our register isn’t taking credit cards right now. I’ll have to call your card in. It’ll just be a minute.”

Customer: “Oh, this is ridiculous!”

(The customer stands there, rolling her eyes and sighing loudly while the stylist attempts to run her card via the phone.)

Stylist: “Ah, this isn’t working again!”

(My stylist walks over and attempts to run the card with no luck. Meanwhile, the customer is rolling her eyes, sighing, tapping her toes, and making comments under her breath. My stylist comes back to me and resumes work on my hair.)

My Stylist: “I’m sorry about this!”

Me: “Hey, no worries. Y’all can’t control the computer, right?”

My Stylist: “It’s been doing this all day! It’s so ridiculous.”

(I speak loud enough for the customer to hear.)

Me: “It is what it is. If the computer decides to act up, it’s not the employee’s fault. Rolling your eyes and being impatient won’t fix anything! I work at [bank], and I have customers who act like that when my computer is slow. Acting like a spoiled child won’t make the computer go any faster!”

(The customer scowls at me, and I smile back at her.)

Me: “I’ve worked a lot of retail jobs. It’s not the employee’s fault!”

(The customer quickly pulls $20 out of her wallet, hands it to the stylist, and slinks out of the salon.)

My Stylist: *laughing* “I think she heard you.”

Me: “That was the idea! I have a credit card too, so I’d like to apologize in advance…”

(The stylist encounters the same problem with my card. After fighting with the system for 15 minutes, she declares that my haircut is ‘free today’. And my hair looked fabulous. I’ll definitely be back!)

(I’m in the waiting room of a salon. A man walks in and approaches the receptionist. Alarmingly, he’s carrying a claw hammer.)

Man: “I need to see [name].”

Receptionist: “Let me see… do you know what she’s here for?”

Man: “B**** works here.”

Receptionist: “I’m sorry, but no one works here by that name.”

Man: “She tell you to cover for her? Get her a** down here now.”

Receptionist: “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Man: “Alright, you get her fat a** down here now, or I’ll learn you a thing or two. Five… four… three… two… one!”

(The second he hits one, he swings the hammer into the desk. The receptionist screams and takes cover. The man swings the hammer and yells.)

Man: “Try to take my kids from me? B****, you’re gonna get fired for sure now, come out before someone gets hurt!”

(The police respond quickly and subdue the guy. As the cops take our statements, the man is raving about how his ex-wife has taken his kids, and how this showed her, and how her boss here would fire her. The kicker? All the employees agreed they had never heard of the woman!)

(I am working at a salon through a Cooperative Education program at my high school, and am still a senior. I answer the phone.)

Me: “[Salon], how can I help you?”

Customer: “Yes, I’d like to book an appointment today with [Employee who is on vacation].”

Me: “Sorry, [Employee] is actually on vacation. I could book you with another stylist today or with [Employee] when she returns.”

Customer: “What do you mean, she’s on vacation? I need a haircut!”

Me: “Oh, well, yes, she is on a cruise. But like I said before, I can book you with another stylist or—”

Customer: “No, no, no! This is unacceptable! I want to book an appointment today with [Employee]! How could she go on vacation and do this to me?”

Me: “Well, she had vacation days to use up, so she is gone. Now, would you like to book an appointment for a later date?”

Customer: “No! I want [Employee] to cut my hair today! Gosh, what don’t you understand? Are you stupid?”

(I try to explain several more times that the certain employee she is requesting has gone on vacation and would be back in a few weeks, but she simply won’t listen.)

Customer: “Fine! This is just ridiculous! I guess I will book an appointment with another stylist but this is just silly! [Employee] should not be allowed to go on vacation!”

(My family owns a private facial studio. The recorded message for voicemail where customers leave messages about appointments says that we will return your call within the hour. In this particular case, a message was left at one in the morning, so I call back as soon as I open.)

Caller: *answers phone groggily* “H-hello?”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry, did I wake you up?”

Caller: “Yeah, you did. F*** you and goodbye.”

Me: *taken aback* “Well, this is [name] from [facial studio], and I’m returning your call about an appointment.”

Caller: “About time, b****. It’s been hours.”

Me: “Haha, well, you did call at one in the morning.”

Caller: “So?”

Me: “So not only was I fast asleep, I wasn’t even at the studio.”

Caller: “Well, you should have been. The only reason women like you work is to serve men like me.”

Me: *irritated* “Oh really? What do you do?”

Caller: “I’m a plumber. I do all the hard work that pansies like you can’t deal with, so when I want a treat, I expect every b**** to get ready for me.”

Me: “I’m sorry about that, sir.”

Caller: “Eh? Sorry?”

Me: “I only work with polite customers.”

(I could hear his yells and swearing as I hung up the phone.)

(When I was young, I was attacked by a dog which has left a noticeable scar down from my right eye that curves along my jaw. Having had to live with it for years, I have gotten used to the looks and questions, but it can still be a sore spot to me. For the first time in my life, I’m going to a salon to get my hair professionally cut.)

Stylist #1: “Oh, wow! Look at all that pretty hair of yours! I’m going to have fun with you.”

(I notice her enthusiasm dies a bit when she notices my scar, but I don’t think much of it. She sits me down and starts trimming my hair. Everything is going fine until…)

Stylist #1: “Okay now. We’re going to cut it this short.”

Me: “Oh, no, I don’t want it that short please. Just to my shoulder blades.”

Stylist #1: “You would look much better with shorter hair. You can’t… cover anything with long hair like this.”

Me: “Ma’am, I really just want it to my shoulder blades. I don’t need or want to cover anything.”

Stylist #1: “Well, you should! If it was ME I would. I mean, no one would blame you if you did.” *mumbles* “You’re not proving anything by not hiding that ugly thing.”

(By this time I’m very upset and stand up out of my seat to leave. Seeing this, another stylist speaks up.)

Stylist #2: “[Stylist #1], you need to leave.”

Stylist #1: “What? Why?!”

Stylist #2: “Because I was told to send you home next time you were rude to ANY clients, and you were unbelievably rude to her. I can’t believe you.”

Stylist #1: “I was not! I’m not leaving! It’s not my fault if she doesn’t want her hair cut that short!”

Stylist #2: “You really don’t get it? You know what? Call [boss], tell him what I said, and see what happens.”

(As Stylist #1 stomps off, Stylist #2 sits me down and finishes my hair cut. The next time I came back, I found out she had been fired for plenty of accounts of being rude to people. Stylist #2 is now a good friend and my regular stylist!)