I work at a well-known video game store. It’s the week leading up to Christmas, so we’re low on a lot of the high-demand items. Because I’ve been checking for most of these items at other stores over the past few days, I have a good idea of how hard everything is to find.

A middle-aged woman comes in, looking rushed.

Me: “Hi there. Can I help you find anything?”

Customer: “Yeah, I need a Switch and some games for it.”

Me: “Unfortunately, we don’t have any Switch consoles in stock. I know [Nearby Location] has a couple left, though.”

Customer: “I’m not driving out there! I came here for one!”

Me: “We don’t have any in the store, though. I can even call and have them hold one for you, if you’re worried about it being sold soon.”

Customer: “I refuse to drive all the way to [Nearby Location]! It’s too far!”

The location in question is about three minutes away. Even with traffic, it’d be no more than five minutes.

Me: “Ma’am, we do not have any Switch systems in the store. Not even used. I can sell you the games, but I have absolutely no system for you. I can call [Nearby Location] and hold one for you or I can have one ordered online and sent to your house, but there is no system in this store that you can purchase right now.”

Customer: “Fine! I’ll just shop at [Competitor]!”

I let her leave. The competitor in question was also sold out. The kicker? We got more Switch systems in the next day.

It’s two days before Christmas and I’m in line at a game store in a strip mall. I need to get three gift cards: two for sisters, and one for another friend. This takes me nearly half an hour due to both customers and employees. For starters, the store is staffed by only two employees. There are two people in line ahead of me.

Customer #1: “Do you have a copy of Plants vs. Zombies 2?”

Mind you, you can download this game for free.

Employee #1: *Checks inventory* “Looks like we have one left.”

The employee checks the rack and notices that it’s not there.

Employee #1: “Is anyone here holding Plants vs. Zombies 2?”

Customer #2: “Yes, I am.”

Employee #1: “These people would like to buy it.”

Customer #2: “I’ve been holding it in my hand since before they came in the store; they just got in line before I did.”

Employee #2: “I’ll call around and see if any of our other stores have it.”

Customer #1: “I should be able to buy that copy; I was in line first.”

This goes on for a bit while [Employee #2] calls around. Meanwhile, [Employee #1] goes through the process of — slowly — ringing up [Customer #2]’s purchases. I am next in line throughout all of this.

Employee #2: “Looks like our store twenty minutes away has it; I’ve asked them to hold it for you.”

Customer #1: “You have been very rude to me! I can’t believe you would sell that game to her when I was clearly in line first.”

Customer #2: “I was here before you; I just got out of line to get more things.”

Customer #1: “IF YOU GET OUT OF LINE YOU LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO PURCHASE ANYTHING!” *Leaves in a huff*

[Employee #1] then motions me up, and I request three $10 gift cards.

Employee #1: “Looks like the only gift cards we have say, ‘Happy Birthday,’ on them.”

Me: “Seriously? These are for Christmas! I don’t even need Christmas themes; just the standard black gift cards you carry all year will do!”

Employee #1: “Let me check.”

In the end, he managed to find two non-“Happy Birthday” gift cards. I feel bad for that employee, working with people who think it’s okay to start customer feuds, dealing with idiot customers, and working in a store run by a manager who doesn’t know how to staff properly or manage basic inventory items.

For context, I am a bisexual woman. I was out to my previous coworkers, but as retail is wont to do, pretty much every other employee has been replaced due to transfers or promotions or general turnover. My newer coworkers are a mixed bag; I’m out to some but not to others.

I am working with a coworker whom I am not out to; I have been warned by another coworker that this coworker is rather bigoted. As I haven’t witnessed this myself, I am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt… until this happens.

We are working together after hours for the first time on a normal weekly project I usually do alone.

Coworker: “Hey, do you mind if I play some music? I work better with something going on.”

Me: “Sure thing! I work better with music, too, and I’m not picky about what you play.”

Coworker: “Even if it’s Disney music?”

Me: “Are you kidding? I know the words to pretty much every song from every movie!”

We work and talk about our favorite songs from each movie as the relevant songs come up, including a lengthy discussion about the coworker’s favorite movie and how much she loves it because the family in it is almost identical to hers. I start to think that maybe I’ve been misled about this coworker…

A song from a snow-themed movie comes on and we both belt the words while we work.

Coworker: *After the song ends* “Did you know that the actor that played [Character] is gay?”

Me: “Really?”

I open my mouth to say, “That’s awesome!” but she cuts me off.

Coworker: “I think it’s so stupid how gay people push so hard to have gay stuff in all these movies and TV shows. Nobody wants to see that!”

I am stunned speechless. Her voice sounds absolutely infuriated and she is turning red in the face with anger. I miss half her rant because I start drafting a text to our boss as I’m getting a little worried for my safety.

Coworker: “I mean, what does it matter? Why do they want to ruin everything by being in it?”

When I speak next, it’s in a tone one would talk to a child with.

Me: “You know, I can’t speak for everyone, but I bet it’s nice to look at a TV or a big screen and see someone just like you. You love [Movie] because the family is just like yours, right? I’m sure gay people just would like to watch something they love and see someone like themselves and their families, too.”

She didn’t have anything to say to that. Our (lesbian) boss never scheduled us together after hours again, and I never told the bigoted coworker that I wasn’t straight until long after we’d both left that company.

‘Rock Band 3’ for X-Box 360 has only been out for a year or so. As the owner of a computer store, I’m pretty friendly with many other business owners in town. One owns a favorite restaurant of mine a block away. They have a large room for parties/spillover when busy/etc. We came up with the idea of doing a “Rock Band” night. I have the Xbox and she offered to get the game and full musical instrument set as she could give it to her son after we used it. I also offered to host, as I had played it before.

We get set up and everything is going great. Some people sing or play instruments, they submit songs and actually wait turns to make sure everyone gets a go. Some folks just sit and watch, enjoying drinks and food.

Then a mom shows up with her kid, who looks to be about twelve or thirteen years old. Both are carrying acoustic guitars.

I greet them and point out the waiting list for RB3 songs and encourage them to grab something to eat or drink while they waited their turn. She immediately gets snarky with me.

Mother: “Well we need to know when we can play.”

Me: “The list is right there. Just choose what song you want to play and which instruments you want to use.”

Mother: “Well we brought our own! We don’t need to use those electric instruments!”

Me: “Oh, I don’t think you understand. We’re playing Rock Band 3. On an Xbox. Those aren’t real instruments.”

I’ve had people ask about that before, when I was playing the guitar at my shop; they didn’t seem to realize it was a game controller.

Mother: “No! I got the email saying we could play!”

Me: “Right… you can play on the Xbox. We’re not doing anything with real instruments. But the owner is right there; maybe you can suggest an open mic night?”

Mother: “NO! THE EMAIL SAID WE CAN PLAY OUR INSTRUMENTS!”

The whole time her kid looks mortified, but never says a word. Finally, the owner notices this woman arguing with me and comes over. She’s a great lady but tolerates absolutely no bull-s***.

Owner: “What’s up?”

Mother: “The email you sent said we can play our own instruments!”

Owner: “No, it didn’t. I sent that email out myself. It clearly says it’s Rock Band for the Xbox. You’re welcome to stay and join in the fun.”

The owner turns to the kid.

Owner: “Would you like to try playing a song?”

The kid’s face lights up, but you can guess what happens next.

Mother: “We’re leaving!”

She escorts the kid out the door.

Me: “You ever see her before?”

Owner: “I don’t think so but she must have eaten here at some point since she’s on our email list.”

I later checked the email from the restaurant and yeah: clear as day it said we’d be playing ‘Rock Band 3’ on the Xbox 360. There was no indication it was open mic night or that people should bring their own instruments. The mother just didn’t want to admit she was wrong. Just felt bad for the kid because he definitely looked like he wanted to join in the fun.

I own a local video game store. I occasionally host tournaments, and the prize or prize money is something usually high-value, such as a $100 gift card. All of the signups for the tournament are done ahead of time, but occasionally, I will take people who show up the day of if there’re still slots open. Today, I’m hosting a tournament for Super Smash Bros. I’m female.

Me: “All right, so we have [short list of names] for the first bracket!”

Random Guy: “Which bracket am I in?”

Me: “What’s your name?”

Random Guy: “[Random Guy].”

I check my list. He’s not on there. I look at my signup list and he’s not on there, either.

Me: “Huh, I don’t have you on my lists. When did you sign up?”

Random Guy: “Oh, I never did. But I was told I could just show up!”

Me: “You’re welcome to spectate, and if tournament day comes around and there’re still spots open, yes, you could sign up, but since I filled up on spots about a week ago there’s no way to do that.”

Random Guy: “Well, the owner said I could!”

He has a smug look on his face. One of my regulars looks at him.

Regular: “The owner did? Really?”

Random Guy: “Yeah! He said to show up and he’d find me a spot!”

All of my regulars start laughing. The random guy suddenly looks unsure and confused.

Random Guy: “What? He did!”

Me: “Buddy, then you got lied to. I’m the owner. I never tell people they can show up the day of and be guaranteed a spot.”

Random Guy: “But… you’re a girl!”

Me: “Yeah, what about it?”

Random Guy: “Girls don’t play video games! You probably just got hired to look pretty!”

My regular hands me his controller.

Regular: “How about you two fight one-on-one? If girls can’t play video games, it’ll be an easy win.”

Everyone pretty much agrees for us to play. The random guy jumps at the chance. We start… and he loses miserably. Once the game is over, he dumps his controller on a table and storms out.

Regular: “So, are you gonna tell him you’re the top player of this game in pretty much the whole city?”

Me: “No, girls don’t play video games.”

Now any time they sign up, my regulars ask if they can “just show up” to get a spot.

Related:
Call Of Duty: Misogynist Warfare, Part 5
Call Of Duty: Misogynist Warfare, Part 4
Call Of Duty: Misogynist Warfare, Part 3
Call Of Duty: Misogynist Warfare, Part 2
Call Of Duty: Misogynist Warfare