The Route Of Shared Pain

(I work tech support in a call center, which can involve long and draining days. I take a break and head down to the mall adjacent to us and am browsing some items in an electronic store. Many of the items are the same ones I provide technical support for. I approach an employee to ask a question about a sale they have on their wireless routers.)

Me: “Hi, I wanted to ask about these wireless routers.”

Employee: *suddenly looking scared* “…Yes?”

Me: “I notice the sale is for the tri-band routers, but does it also apply to the quad-band?”

Employee: *looking surprised* “Oh. Sorry, it’s just I’ve been asked very different kinds of questions today.”

Me: “Let me guess. They’re surprised you have to plug them in because they should be ‘wireless?'”

Employee: “Yes! How did you know?”

Me: “I work tech support across the street. I had a call today asking why the ‘box of Internet’ had to talk to the clouds, and ‘why was the Internet all the way up there in the first place?'”

Employee: “Can… can I give you a hug?”