(I work the front desk in a highly recommended vet hospital that has both appointments with doctors and a walk-in emergency service. Emergency visits are always a trip. A young man walks in, carrying his dachshund mix. He tells me that his dog is having respiratory distress, so I take her back to see the doctor first before getting his information. It turns out that the dog has been having breathing troubles for two days. The doctor is not impressed with that info and, with client approval, takes some x-rays to see what might be going on internally. It’s cancer, a lot of cancer in all of the places. The dog is not comfortable outside of oxygen, so the vet goes to talk to the owner to explain that euthanasia is the only humane option. By this point, the owner’s father has come to join him and has brought his own dog. He is handling the dog very roughly and occasionally whacks the dog lightly with the end of the leash when he thinks the dog is misbehaving.)

Father: “Vets just want to take your money! Don’t worry, [Dog], they’re not going to see you. This is where dogs come to die.”

(He is making other clients uncomfortable, so I warn the ER doctor as she goes in to speak with them. The client is understandably shocked and upset, but the father is whole other matter.)

Father: “We’re not ready to put her down yet. Can you give us meds to keep her comfortable for another week?”

Vet: “Sir, she isn’t comfortable at all outside of oxygen. It would be against medical advice to take her out of oxygen and take her home.”

Father: “I’ll take her out of oxygen if I want to! It’s not like she’s suffering!”

(The vet was literally so angry she had to leave the room because yes, this dog was suffering! The father continued to be resistant, but the client agreed that it was in her best interest to euthanize her immediately, and handled the rest of the visit like a rational adult.)

Me: “[Lawyer]’s office. How can I direct your call?”

Caller: “Is [Lawyer] available?”

Me: “He’s with clients right now. How can I help you?”

Caller: “I need to talk to him.”

Me: “I can give him a message, but he won’t be available for a few hours.”

Caller: “Fine, leave a message for him. This is [Caller]. Tell him I want to talk to him about him trespassing on my property!”

Me: “Um, okay. I’ll be sure to give him the message.”

(Thirty minutes later when I answer the phone:)

Caller: “Did you give him my message?”

Me: “No, sir, he is still with clients. I will let him know you called as soon as he has finished.”

Caller: “I want to leave another message. You tell him that he can either talk to me, or he can talk to the sheriff if he doesn’t call me.”

Me: *sigh* “Yes, sir. I will give him the message. However, it will likely be a few more hours before he is even finished with his clients.”

Caller: “You tell him what I said.”

(An hour later, when I answer:)

Sheriff: “This Is [Sheriff]. Is [Lawyer] available?”

Me: “Is this concerning [Caller]?”

Sheriff: “It is.”

Me: “I apologize, sir. He is not going to be available for a few hours more. As I told [Caller], he won’t be able to call back until he has finished with his current clients.”

Sheriff: “Can you tell [Lawyer] to call me today as soon as he is available?”

Me: “Yes, I will. Does this mean that Mr. [Caller] is not going to be calling us anymore?”

Sheriff: “I can’t promise that he won’t call back, but hopefully this will have calmed down his need to talk to [Lawyer].”

(Two hours later, the lawyer finally finishes with his client, and I flag him down to explain the situation. He instantly groans and starts laughing.)

Lawyer: “Did he really call the police on me? I can’t believe him. I went on his property to talk with his wife about some different property that she was selling. He was angry that I was there to even talk with her, because his name isn’t on the property for sale, so he won’t get any of the money. He called the office twice last night and left a message to complain about me going over there to seduce her and claimed that she was completely upset with my even being there. She was the one that invited me over to talk about selling the land to me! What a jerk!”

(At the pool where I work, 90% of the staff are women. We have “parent-teacher conferences” twice during our lesson sessions to tell the parents how the kids are doing. The two kids involved in this are brothers, and the oldest is very clearly hydrophobic. After three days, he finally gets in the water, and I consider it a huge victory. The kids are brought to each lesson by their dad.)

Me: “[Student #1] is progressing well, but [Student #2] finally got in and swam a little today, instead of just putting his feet in! I’m very proud of him for working through that so quickly; he—”

Dad: *interrupting* “He wouldn’t have taken so long if he wasn’t such a girl!”

Me: *at a loss for words, considering I’m a woman* “I… That’s not the issue here.”

Dad: “Yes, it is! You need to just throw them in the deep end and let them figure it out! I tried doing that already and he almost s*** himself!”

Me: “Sir, this is a family environment; please don’t swear.”

Dad: “I’ll do whatever I d*** well please! If my kids weren’t such little b****es, this wouldn’t be a problem!”

(At this point, the dad is looming over me, with only the bar of the pool separating us. I’m an almost six-foot-tall woman, but he still has a few inches on me, and I’m starting to feel unsafe. One of my coworkers notices and comes to stand next to me. This coworker is also a woman, but 6’4″, and she was a state champion thrower for our high school track team, and has maintained the arm muscles after graduating.)

Coworker: “You do realize you’re yelling at a state champion swimmer, right? Saying your children swim like ‘girls’ is a compliment around here. See that board?” *points at the school record swimming board on the wall* “See that name that’s on there a half dozen times? That’s your kids’ swimming teacher. Now, lower your voice, or I will remove you myself.”

(My coworker doesn’t wait for an answer and just leaves.)

Dad: *much quieter* “I’m sorry for yelling. What were you saying before I interrupted you?”

(I never had an issue with the dad again, and just recently, my boss from the pool emailed to tell me the eldest son has joined the swimming team, because he wants his name on the board “with his favorite teacher.” Glad to see the kids didn’t get their dad’s s***ty personality!)

This story is part of our Parent-Teacher-Conference Roundup! This is the last story in the roundup, but we have plenty of others you might enjoy!

23 Tales That Show How Teachers Do Way More Than Just Teach

Read the next Parent-Teacher-Conference Roundup story!

Read the Parent-Teacher-Conference Roundup!

(I am the receptionist of an advertisement company. We never advertise open positions anywhere, and each department works with a recruitment firm to pull in workers. Each department also works more or less independently, and there are ten departments. A person comes in, and I greet them like I do everyone.)

Me: “Hello there! How can I help you today?”

Person: “Your manager. Immediately.”

Me: “Oh, dear. May I ask what this in regards to so I know which manager to contact?”

Person: “Your manager. You are making me wait, and I’m pretty sure that’s not how you’re meant to do your job.”

Me: “My ‘manager’ is the CEO of the company, and he’s in Cancun this week. Maybe I can help you?”

Person: “Give me his cell phone, then.”

Me: “I’m afraid I can’t give that information out. If you tell me what this is about, I can figure out which of the department heads I should call down to help.”

Person: “Wow. So, you’re just going to refuse me like that?”

Me: “Sir, I’m trying to help you.”

Person: “Look, honey, I’m a famous designer, highly sought-after. Your CEO personally requested I come and discuss a position at your company. Is that enough information for you? Can you finally call someone down to talk to me who knows what they’re doing?”

Me: “Certainly, sir. Let me personally go fetch the HR lead.”

Person: “Finally.”

(I give the HR lead a run-down of what this guy has said to me and what he wants. She snorts and comes down wearing her most enthusiastic face.)

HR Head: “Hi! I hear you’re looking for a job?”

Person: “Yes. Your CEO told me to come in and that he’d have a place for me.”

HR Head: “Oh, wow, really? That’s just amazing!”

Person: “Exactly. Here is my resume and my card. Now, may I have a tour? Then we can discuss the terms of my new position.”

HR Head: “Ah, yes. Well, so, you see, the thing is…”

(She rips his resume and card in half and puts them in my garbage.)

HR Head: “…the CEO personally hired [My Name] because she is one of the most capable people here. She knows everyone, every project, every department, and basically runs this place. Anyone who would treat her the way you did would never be welcomed here. I have to ask you to leave now before we are forced to call security. Thanks so much for coming! Bye!”

(He shouted some obscenities, and then left when security strolled up front to see what the fuss was about. Good riddance to bad rubbish.)

(I work in a fast food restaurant. A regular customer comes in and orders a couple of combo meals. I tell her it will take a few minutes because the meat is cooking. I’m taking another customer’s order, and all of a sudden, the regular customer interrupts us.)

Customer: “Other people are getting their orders! Where’s mine?”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am. Our grill is backed up with orders, and the reason other people are getting their orders first is because it’s ice cream. It doesn’t take as long as hot food.”

Customer: *rolls eyes* “Fine.”

(A couple minutes roll by and I hear shouting.)

Customer: “I shouldn’t have to wait ten g**d*** minutes for my food!”

(Then she throws fries — yes, her own precious fries — at my coworker. My baffled coworker tries to pick up the fries, but the woman picks up the fries and throws them again! She then runs to me — while I am taking another order — and shouts.)

Customer: “I’m going to call corporate! I’m serious; I will call them!”

(She left with her food, a bunch of shocked people staring after her. She’s still a regular. And she acts like nothing ever happened.)