(I am a huge tomboy and all of my friends from my old school were boys, so starting high school is hard for me because most of them went to all-boy schools and the high school I am going to has about five girls from my school. I am also in the advanced program, but I am very quiet. This takes place on the first day when I approach the girls that I know from my old school, who are all sitting together chatting and laughing. They go quiet as I walk past.)

Me: “Hey.”

Girl #1: “Um, yeah. Would you mind going away?”

(This shocks me because I don’t know where I am meant to be and was just going to ask for directions. I go and sit down by myself on the other side of the class and wait, considering I got in ten minutes early. A teacher passes by with a male student.)

Teacher: “Ah, it’s [My Name], right?”

Me: “Yeah.”

Teacher: “Nice to meet you, [My Name]. So… is there anything interesting you can tell me about yourself?”

Me: “Well… I know up to the twenty-fifth decimal of pi!”

Teacher: “Go ahead!”

Me: “3.1415926535897932384626433.”

Boy #1: “Wow! I only know up to the fifteenth.”

Teacher: “Wow. So, why are you both here so early?”

Boy & Me: “Oh, you know, wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey…”

(Pause.)

Boy & Me: “You watch Doctor Who!”

(All of this was said in perfect unison, as the teacher walked off to talk to other students, and we stayed there talking about our dual interest in Doctor Who, pi, and video games. And that is the story of how I met my best friend.)

(I am working a cash register when a middle-aged customer approaches with a single pair of flip-flops. Sales tax has not changed here for several years.)

Me: *scans sandals* “Your total is $5.50.”

Customer: “WHAT?! The tag says $5!”

Me: “Yes, sir, they are $5, but with tax, they come to $5.50.”

Customer: “Why aren’t they $5?”

Me: “They are, sir, but with tax, your total is $5.50.”

Customer: *shouting* “Bloody Harper!”

(He then throws the flip-flops on the ground before stomping out of the store.)

Me: *to coworker* “Apparently, he thinks this is the first Prime Minister we’ve had to pay tax under?”

This story was told to me by my fiancé who worked at the store at the time. Police arrived at [Trade Store] and asked [Fiancé] about two customers he’d served the day before. Apparently, these two were suspected of stealing several power tools the previous night.

The thieves had parked out of view of the cameras and seemed to know where other cameras were while they ransacked the place. Police said they’d investigate, but given the low amount of evidence, the thieves would likely get away.

But the thieves got greedy. They went back! I guess it’s more lucrative to sell items as new with boxes, so the thieves actually came back and took the boxes they’d originally left behind. Again, they parked away from the cameras. The store is in a small, rural town so there isn’t much traffic… except for buses.

As the thieves pulled away, a bus passed them. This was all captured on the CCTV. The police contacted the bus depot, found the bus that went by that night, grabbed its dashcam, and found the registration number of the car that the thieves had driven and the address of the car’s owner.

Police went to the address and found the thieves surrounded by their stolen items — from more than just [Trade Store].

The store has since increased the number and position of cameras.

(I started reading when I was three years old and I am a very avid reader. I am now in third grade, aged eight. I have a terrible teacher who always picks on me.)

Teacher: “The reason I have taken you all to the library is that I want you to pick a book to read in class for this term.”

(I head over to the back of the library where the books for the older kids are and pick out “David Copperfield” by Charles Dickens.)

Me: “Miss, I found a book.”

Teacher: “No, you haven’t.”

Me: “Yeah, it’s right here.”

Teacher: “No, you’re not reading that! It’s too hard for you! Stop trying to be funny and pick out a real book!”

Me: “B-but I already found a book.”

Teacher: “No! Stop trying to be funny!”

Me: “I-I’m r-really sorry, Miss, but I really want to read this one! I’ve already read Great Expectations, and that’s by the same author.”

Teacher: “DON’T TALK BACK TO ME!”

(I’m on the verge of tears and the librarian, who has witnessed the whole incident, decides to step in.)

Librarian: “Excuse me, [Teacher], but this girl is in here every morning reading, and she has read novels far more challenging than this. Now, stop shouting at this poor child and let her read the darn book.”

Teacher: “…”

(To this day, I am still thankful to that librarian. She helped me through my bullying and we ended up becoming really close!)

(I’m serving a woman and her roughly eight-year-old son.)

Customer: “That’s what I forgot to grab. I was going to buy you some dental floss. I need to teach you how to floss.”

(Suddenly, the kid looks really excited, like he’s about to jump out of his skin.)

Customer: “Not Fortnite floss. Floss your teeth.”

(The son frowned and slumped off to go sit down, looking quite upset. The customer just looked at me and rolled her eyes.)