(I am a valet cashier at one of the larger hospitals in the cities. I see and hear about all types of things that would make one concerned, but this was the most recent.)

Customer: *has an obviously difficult time producing her valet ticket and manages to hand it over after a few minutes*

Me: “Okay, ma’am, your total is [total].”

Customer: *groans as she has difficulty finding her wallet* “They dilated both of my eyes and I can’t see a d*** thing.”

Me: “…”

(She was alone and I worried all day about her getting home. I hadn’t heard anything on the news so I hope she’s okay.)

(It’s the holidays, and because I am unable to go back home to Italy and celebrate with my family, I decide to put together a package with gifts for all of them and send it early, so they would have it by Christmas. At the post office, I am filling out the form with their address and mine and bring everything to the clerk.)

Clerk: *after looking over the forms* “So, your address seems to be fine, however, the shipping address does not… There is no PO box here.”

(Note that in the UAE everyone uses PO boxes, as they usually don’t have street names and numbers.)

Me: “No, it’s correct; we don’t use PO boxes. While we don’t have street names, you see…”

Clerk: “Well, are you sure this is the correct address?”

Me: “I lived there for over 20 years. I can assure you, this is the address.”

Clerk: “I will not take any responsibility if the package doesn’t arrive.”

Me: “It will arrive. I take the responsibility. Plus, I live in a very very small town with only one post officer. He knows everyone personally, which means even if the street name is wrong, he will still be able to deliver it because he knows my parents.”

Clerk: “All right, but as I said, I am not sure this will arrive, as there is no PO box, and I will put a note that says I informed you about it.”

Me: *sigh* “Put that note and just send it, please.”

(The package arrived just fine and my family received their presents and were very happy about it.)

(I’ve worked in UPS’s retail store for a little over two years now and I can say from experience that Christmas time is not the most wonderful time of the year. If you think people don’t understand anything normally, they understand even less when under the stress of the holidays. In the store, packages come in with either prepaid shipping labels given to the customer by the company itself or labels that we print out at the store that the customer has to pay for. I am the only employee in the store and am already stuck with a line of people.)

Customer #1: *puts small box on the counter* “The company told me I didn’t have to pay to ship this back.”

Me: “There isn’t a prepaid shipping label on here. Do you want me to give you a quote and see how much it would be to ship?”

Customer #1: “Are you serious? I was told this was free! How much is this going to cost me!?”

Me: “That’s going to be about $12 to ship back.”

Customer #1: “WHAT?! That’s ridiculous! I shouldn’t have to pay for this. The company told me it was free! How dare you people try to rip me off!”

(The woman proceeds to switch between yelling at me and mumbling to herself and refusing to pay so I try to help the customers behind her.)

Customer #1: *storms out but stops at the door and turns to me* “MERRY CHRISTMAS, B****!”

Me: *stares at her dumbfounded, and then just turns to help the next customer* “Uh.. I’m so sorry about that.”

Customer #2: “Oh, my god. All right, well, I need to ship these toys to [Location].”

Me: “Sure, no problem.” *finishes shipment and customer goes to leave*

Customer #2: “Merry Christmas, b****!”

Me: “Merry Christmas to you, too!”

(The bus I drive has automatic information announcements. There are some passengers that I playfully harass. One girl who’s a humorous target of mine, boards the bus.)

Girl: *inserts bus pass, swats me on the arm, goes to sit down*

Bus Announcement: *literally two seconds after she sits* “Did you know assaulting a bus operator is a felony?”

(I work in a gas station with the option to select “pay inside” on the gas pump, which allows you to fill up first before paying. This button alerts us that someone wants to pay inside and then we are able to approve the pump to start without pre-payment.)

Customer: *walks up to counter* “Hey, if I give you my license will you turn my pump on so I can fill up?”

Me: “I don’t need your license, ma’am. If you go outside and select the ‘pay inside’ button I can start the pump for you.”

Customer: “I don’t get it. Why can’t I fill up my car and then pay inside?”

Me: “You can. I just won’t be able to turn on the pump until you hit the button.”

Customer: “But they let me do that at other gas stations all the time!”

Me: “Ma’am, I’m saying when you go outside to start pumping, you just have to hit the ‘pay inside’ button before you select the fuel grade.”

Customer: “You know, whatever! I’ll just go to [Gas Station down the road] instead! This is ridiculous!”

(The customer starts to walk out door, then turns around and comes back.)

Customer: “Just put $20 on it! Whatever!” *begins to storm out again*

Me: “Miss, what pump are you at?”

Customer: *yelling, as if I can read minds and know which of many vehicles belongs to her* “Oh, my god! Five!”

(The gas station down the road she said she would go to instead is strictly pre-pay only.)