(I have a service dog for multiple disabilities. I don’t always work with him with any identifying gear because people are more likely to leave us alone if they can’t tell he’s a service dog. In this instance, he is wearing a vest marking him as a service dog. My father and I are running errands after my classes end for the day and I’m entering the store a few minutes after him so that [Service Dog] could relieve himself. As we approach the door, there is a man in his car in the accessible parking spot who sees my service dog and leans out the window of his car.)  

Man: “HEY, PUPPY! Come here, puppy!” *makes kissy noises* 

Me: *to my service dog* “Leave it.”

(He doesn’t need the reminder, but sometimes people get the hint and leave us alone when I say that. We start to enter the store.)

Man: “WHAT THE F***?! WHAT THE H*** IS WRONG WITH YOU, TAKING A F****** DOG IN A F****** STORE?!”

(Thanks, random man who decided I needed to be screamed at for taking my vested service dog into a store. Also, to make things worse, I was wearing my jacket from my alma mater so, for all he knew, I was a high school student. It’s always adults, too; we never have issues with kids.)

This story is part of our Service Animals roundup!

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(I am a licensed insurance agent. I have a client who was involved in a car accident in which he was not at fault. The other driver’s insurance company is responsible for repairing his vehicle. He calls me over a year after the accident and tells me that he is not having any luck with the other company. My agency prides itself on going above and beyond in order to provide excellent customer service. I spend over an hour tracking down a supervisor at the other company, who explains that their claim had been closed by mistake. She reopens her claim and promises that she will have someone call my client. I call him back and let him know to expect a call from the other company. Two days later, he calls me and tells me that no one has called him. I get the other company’s supervisor back on the line. She tells me that her employee called my client the previous day at a particular time and left a voicemail, and also sent him an email. I call him again.)

Me: “The other company called you yesterday at [time] and left you a voicemail. Did you receive it?”

Customer: “I have voicemail set up, but I don’t know how to check it. Can you tell them to call me again?”

Me: “Did you get a call yesterday at [time]?”

Customer: “Yes, I did, but I don’t answer the phone if I don’t recognize the number. Too many telemarketers.”

Me: “They also sent you an email. Check that, and it will give you the number to call them back.”

Customer: “I have email set up, but I know how to check it. Just tell them to call me again.”

(This scenario repeats again two days later, with him unable to check voicemail or email, and not answering a phone number he doesn’t recognize.)

Me: “[Customer], you are going to have to answer the phone in order to talk to them and get your vehicle repaired.”

Customer: “I’ll try, but I really hate telemarketers, so I don’t like to answer numbers I don’t recognize.”

Me: *facepalm*

(I’m in sixth grade in this story and everyone in my class has been assigned a presentation on a body in the solar system. It is my turn.)

Me: “For my presentation, I studied Jupiter’s moon, Io.”

Teacher: “Okay. And how do you spell that?”

Me: “I… O…”

Teacher: “Oh.”

(She didn’t ask me any other questions.)

This story is part of our Pluto roundup!

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(I work in a hotel.)

Me: “What can I do for you, ma’am?”

Customer: *whispering* “Yes, do you have an aspirin?”

(We cannot give out any medicine because if the customer has a reaction to it, we could be held liable for a lawsuit.)

Me: “No… I’m sorry, we cannot give out medicine.”

Customer: “Where’s the nearest place I can buy it?”

Me: “The nearest pharmacy is thirteen blocks away down the street to the west.”

Customer: “That’s too far!”

Me: “Sorry, I can’t change it.”

Customer: *dramatically* “Well! I guess I’ll just suffer, then!” *storms off flat-footed*

(I work with five other people as a cashier at a large furniture store, and one of the responsibilities is to answer the phones. One afternoon, my coworker picks up a call.)

Coworker: “Thank you for calling [Furniture Store]. This is [Coworker]; how may I help you?”

Caller: “Yes, I’m wondering why you haven’t called me yet.”

Coworker: “I’m sorry, do you have an order with us? May I have your phone number, so I can look it up?”

Caller: “No, I don’t have an order. I was in your store a month ago and lost an earring, and I’m wondering why you haven’t called to tell me you found it.”

Coworker: “Okay. Did you come to the front counter after you lost it, so we could take down your information?”

Caller: “You should have known to call me! Haven’t you found it yet? What is wrong with you people?! Don’t you clean your store?”

(Our store is pretty big, about the size of a regular grocery store. Finding a needle in a haystack is a gross understatement.)

Coworker: “I apologize, ma’am, but no one has turned in any jewelry. I’m also not sure how we would have contacted you without your information, had it turned up.”

Caller: “I bet you kept it for yourself. It was worth hundreds of dollars. This is unbelievable.”

Coworker: “I assure you, ma’am, we have not found any earrings. I am sorry. I can still take down your information if you’d—”

Caller: *click*