(I work as a part-time cashier at a grocery store. The store has a discount for seniors — 60 years old and above — on certain days. It can only be applied before the transaction finishes. Usually, I just immediately give the discount based on appearance. However, some seniors don’t look their age, and sometimes they forget to tell me beforehand.)

Me: *gives the receipt* “Thank you. Have a nice day!” 

Customer: *looks at receipt* “Wait… Why haven’t you given me my discount?”

Me: “Um… Do you mean the senior discount? Are you a senior?”

Customer: *raises her voice* “Of course!” *takes out her passport* “See this? I’m 71! I’ve been a senior for so long; how could you not tell?!”

(Keep in mind that this lady is wearing rather fashionable clothes that cover her arms, has light brown dyed hair, and is wearing a huge pair of sunglasses that cover half her face. I honestly thought she was in her 50s.)

Me: “Sorry, I thought you looked young, so I didn’t ask…”

Customer: *visibly gets more upset* “What a joke! I’m a senior and I deserve to get the discount! Call your manager now!”

(I have to call my manager to cancel the transaction and rescan the items so that the discount can be added.) 

Customer: “By the way, the last time I shopped here, the cashier also had to call the manager to give me my discount! Such terrible service!” *walks off in a huff* 

Another Customer: “Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen someone get upset when you tell them they don’t look like a senior citizen!” 

Me: “Yeah…” 

(The discount was only 90 cents.)

(I’m waiting to pick up my cousin from elementary school. I’m passing the teacher’s lounge when I see the new principal. She’s known for being very whiny, like the kids in the school. A pair of student leaders go by, carrying tall stacks of books for their teacher.)

Principal: “Good morning, children.”

(Likely the two students didn’t see her, as the stacks of books they’re carrying obscure their lines of sight. They don’t answer.)

Principal: *in a whiny, high-pitched voice* “Hello! Children! I said, ‘Good morning,’ to you!” *STAMPS HER FOOT like a kid*

Students: *looking nervous* “Good morning, Mrs. [Principal].”

Principal: “That’s better. You should greet your teachers when you see them! That’s so rude of you to walk by without even saying anything!”

(The students were having trouble with the stacks of books and looked like they would like to put them down, but the principal was whining on. I stepped up and helped. Turns out that there was supposed to be a third child, but he ran off to the bathroom, leaving the two struggling with the stacks that were more than they could handle. I wondered at the principal — who was supposed to be taking care of the students in her charge — who was more concerned about getting the respect she thought she was due than the welfare of the kids in front of her!)

(I’m the bad customer in this story. I drop my fare card after passing through the subway gantry, so when I reach my destination, I have to talk to the station staff. I pay my fare in cash on the spot so he lets me through, and they call to my entry station to ask them if they have found my card. Luckily, it was in a distinctive cardholder, and they are able to find it. That evening on the way home, I stop at the office to collect my card. The next morning, I have a bout of asthma, so I’m running slightly late. When I reach the station, I try to use the card, only to be told “exit error.” The card was used for an entry yesterday, but not an exit. I have to talk to the station staff.)

Me: “I dropped my card yesterday after tapping in.”

Staff: “Yes, it’s showing that you tapped in, but did not exit.”

Me: “Yes, but I collected my card from the office here yesterday evening. They knew that I’d dropped it; why didn’t they reset the card?”

Staff: “Oh, perhaps it was a different staff member who found the card.”

Me: “But when I collected the card in the evening, I had to explain the situation again. The staff member who passed me the card could have done it then.”

Staff: “Okay, I’ll do it now.”

Me: “I’m going to be late.” *panicking by this point*

Staff: *scanning the card* “Okay, so when you reached [Destination] did you pay your fare?”

Me: “Yes, I paid the fare in cash. You can call the station and check with [Staff] who helped me yesterday.”

Staff: “Do you have the receipt?”

(I try to search but I can’t find it.)

Me: “I don’t think I kept it.” *panicking*

Staff: “Okay, but I know there’s no way you could have gotten out unless you’d paid. Since you’re standing here and not stuck at [Destination], I’ll reset your card and refund the charge on your card.”

Me: *relieved* “Thank you!” *realises that he is trying to make me feel better with a joke*

(I get to work on time, thanks to his quick thinking. Later, I find the receipt, which fell to the bottom of my bag. On the way back a few days later, I see him on the night shift. I stop by to apologise.)

Me: “Hi. Do you remember me? I was the girl who dropped my card and was not able to tap in the next day. I found my receipt, and I wasn’t late to work, thanks to your able assistance.”

Staff: “That’s great. Yeah, I remember you. I’m glad you made it to work on time.”

Me: “I’m sorry if I was impatient the other day. It wasn’t that I was upset with you. I had a bout of asthma before that, so I was running late for work. I would usually be there in plenty of time.”

Staff: “No wonder you were in such a panic. I could see you were just frazzled and in a big rush. I didn’t take it personally. But it’s nice you stopped by to say thanks. I appreciate it.” 

(He looked quite happy. Thank you, friendly station guy, for helping me, keeping your cool when I was upset, and trying to make me feel better with a joke!)

(I am 22, working in a school office. Everyone agrees that the principal is the biggest a**hole alive. She makes countless rude, b****y, and discriminatory remarks and passes them off as jokes. One afternoon while out for lunch, I trip and sprain my knee. I’ve been limping around with a brace for a few weeks.)

Principal: “You’re still limping? What happened to you?”

(She’s seen me before; I’ve explained it to her a few times.)

Me: “I sprained my knee.”

Principal: *disgusted* “Really! You’re so young and already you’re crippled. How are you going to get married?!”

(I’m working as a chef in a restaurant. I have just received an order for a steak sandwich. Moments later, after almost finishing the order, I receive an order cancellation for the steak sandwich.)

Guest: “Oh, sorry, is the steak beef?”

Colleague: “Yes, madam, the steak is made of beef.”

Guest: “Oh. Please change my order to a veggie sandwich. I am a vegetarian.”