I’m taking orders in the drive-thru.

Me: “Thanks for choosing (shop), How can I help you?”
Customer: “I’d like a bacon egg and cheese on a bagel”
Me: “Sure thing! What else can I get for you?”
Customer: “Can you put lettuce and tomato on that for me?”
Me: “Um, sir. This is (shop). We are the opposite of fruits and vegetables.”
Customer: “Oh, ok, well then a small black coffee too.”
Me: “Thanks! I’ll have your total at the window!”

(I’m paraplegic, and use a wheelchair. I’m a graduate student, but still use the library as a quiet place to study, as the guy I currently share an apartment with is rather… loud.

I notice two male undergraduates looking at me from behind the bookstacks. They’re whispering to each other.I hear mention that I’m disabled. I’m used to such juvenile behavior, having experienced it for most of my life, but still expect better from f***ing college students.

I pick up some of their conversation.)

Student 1: You should ask him. What are you, chicken?

Student 2: No! He’ll get mad!

Student 1: Just go ask him! I dare ya!

Student 2: Fine!

(Student 2 approaches me.)

Student 2: Can I, um, ask you a question?

Me: (annoyed) Is it about my wheelchair?

Student 2: Not really. I just noticed the rainbow flag on your backpack, and you’re kinda cute. Do you want to get a beer with me tomorrow?

Me: (realizing that he’s just really shy) Sure, how about at [popular campus bar]?

(Student 2 goes back to his friend, gets a high-5. I meet with Student 2, he almost chickened out, but Student 1 forced him to go. Student 2 and I eventually got married.)

I live in a good-sized college town in Massachusetts. Recently, a fourth bubble tea shop opened downtown. It sells “tea”. Its window stickers advertise “tea”. Its logo contains the Chinese character for “tea”.

The name of the store, in large lit letters, instead uses “tee”.

(I’m a manager in training at a retail store that sells items for a dollar or less. At this point, I’m pulling a U Boat of heavy boxes full of stock and setting them out where I need them to be).

Female Customer: “Oh, honey, those boxes look so heavy! Isn’t there a stock boy who can help you unload and carry those?”
Me: “Well ma’am, the only staff available at the moment are myself and the two female cashiers. Besides, I can do this job just as well as a man.”
Female Customer: “Hell yeah! Girl power!”

(It’s my first year of high school. Middle school was not a great experience: I didn’t have many friends, and the few friends I did have I wasn’t very close with. Luckily the school I went to ended at 8th grade so we all went off to different high schools. The middle school hosts a reunion for alumni every year. One of the girls from my middle school goes to the same high school as me. We are not and never have been friends but both schools were small so we know each other. She walks up to me)

Girl: “hey are you going to the reunion picnic?”

Me: “nope”

Girl: “What?! Why not. I’m going. I’m so excited to see some of my old friends…”

Me: “No, there’s not anyone I really want to see again”

Girl: “come on! There must be people you want to see!”

Me: “there aren’t…”

Girl: “lemme think… what about. Uhhh.

Me: “you see why I don’t want to go?!”

Girl: “hold on. *excited* Wait I know [my name]!!”

Me: …

Girl: …

Me: “uh yeah I see enough of her already”

Girl: *confused* “huh I don’t get it. Oh yeah that’s you. Okay what about uhhh…”

(I didn’t go)