A friend and i decide to stop by a popular coffee shop for coffee and in my case a muffin. This is what happens when we go through the drive through.

Barista (through speaker): “please order when ready”

Friend: hello, we have 2 separate orders

Barista: what?

Friend: we have 2 separate orders

Barista: *pauses* okay

I tell my friend my order.

Friend: okay so for the first order can we get a large Hot mocha latte with 4 splenda on the side, a stir stick and a blueberry muffin

Barista: so a frozen mocha latte…

Friend: Hot

Barista: what?

Friend: a large Hot mocha latte with 4 splenda on the side and a stir stick

Barista: okay, and the second order?

My friend tells the barista what she wants and we are told to pull up to the window. When we get to the window we pay (i had a coupon and a free drink reward). The barista then hands us 2 straws, confused we ask why

Barista: for your frozen latte

Friend: um…we ordered a Hot mocha latte

Me under breath: with 4 splenda on the side and a stir stick

Friend repeats what i said.

Barista: oh you did order it hot didn’t you….

She then walks away for a good 5 minutes. Comes back with both my drink and my friend’s and starts to leave again.

Friend: uh the splenda?

She grabs the splenda and goes to walk away again. By this time i am laughing.

Friend: the stir stick?

The barista looks annoyed and grabs the stir stick and we drive off laughing. I add my sugar and mix it only to find out the barista apparently added 4 to the drink already. At least i was able to stay awake that morning lol

I was in college, going abroad by myself for the first time to study, and had less than a week after classes end to move back home and get ready to leave. When I got to Madrid, the man sitting next to me on the flight told me how to get to the city center using the subway. I got to the main plaza and was fumbling going up escalators with my large suitcases, accidentally dropping one on a woman with her wrist in a cast.

At this point, I am tired and realized that not only had I forgotten to print out directions to the hostel I was staying at that night, I didn’t even remember the name. Getting off the escalator, I was lost and panicking, not knowing what to do.

Some random man approaches me at this point and asks if I want to go with him to a hotel! I stand there flabbergasted when the woman with the broken wrist comes up and tells him off, getting him to leave. She tells me I need to be cautious, and after talking with her for a bit I end up telling her my situation. Concerned, she kindly lets me use her smartphone to look up the address and then proceeds to lead me to the front doorstep of my hostel!

While walking there, she tells me about her daughter and how she had similarly gone to Italy for an abroad program, and that she believes in karma – she hopes that someone will help her daughter just as she is helping me out. One of her names is Alegria, which means joy – a fitting name for her!

Over three years later, I still think of her often and hope that she and her daughter are doing well. I will never forget her kindness; she really saved me that day! I have since improved greatly in my traveling preparation and have visited 9 other countries by myself without any further incidents!

EDUCATED ON NEVER EDUCATING THE YOUTH

(My mom and I went to a big name superstore. Being uber excited for some reason, I decided to run into the store in full speed. I almost bumped into a middle-aged womam holding two shovels on her way out. Mind you I was only eighteen at the time.)

Woman: *really pissed* Excuse you!

(My mom finally enters as soon as the lady catches an attitude with me.)

Mom: *defensive tone* B****, don’t educate my daughter! That’s why she has two loving parents that taught her to behave or she will get her a** beat. She don’t need you or anyone else to teach her manners. I know what I’m doing thank you very much. Now go discipline your own kids.

Woman: *shocked* I…um….

(She ran off. What this lady didn’t know was that my mom, being Puerto Rican, don’t play with being thought of as a weak b****. And being her daughter, I know that she will make a scene out of literally anything. Normally I would feel bad for the the person being targetted by my mom, but this lady was asking for it so sorry not sorry.)

(I’m in a large gym where I’ve just finished proctoring a first-year mathematics final exam. I and a bunch of the other teaching assistants and instructors are frantically sorting the exams roughly by section into somewhat tidy piles so that they can be put into boxes and carried to the room where we’re going to mark them. While we’re in the middle of this, one student, a middle-aged man, comes up to us.)

Student: “Thank you, Department of Linear Algebra, for a most excellent examination!”

(We managed to hold in the laughter until he was out of the gym.)

I’m often mistaken for a worker no matter what i wear, as long as people are polite it doesn’t bother me, this occasion was new for me.

Woman: Excuse me can you tell me what computer i should buy?

Me: I’m sorry i don’t work here.

Woman: Im sorry deary, typical of this store, never a staff member in sight.

Me: No worries, (looking around clearly no one in sight) maybe i might be able to help, What are you looking to do?

(She tells me that she wants something for her young grandson, clearly a PC would be unsuitable as all he needs is internet and emails.)

Me: so perhaps a table would be better? It would be cheeper and he could use it on the go.

Woman: (she looks happy at first, but looking at all the choice, a worried expression crosses her face) err which one would you buy?

Me: Ok, well these models are too expensive, this one really wouldn’t last. (half to myself) we need one that has a good “brain” and with an easy to use “program” so that he can pick up easily enough.

(I find two good branded, mid-range options, one comes with anti virus the other is much cheaper.)

Me: (Turning around) One of these would be good.

Staff: Can i help you ?

Me: Oh didn’t see you there, this lady would like a tablet and i have offered these two as options.

Staff: Don’t listen to him, typical man wanting to explain everything. What you need is a PC.

Woman: I don’t want a PC, this man has explained everything, i want a tablet.

Staff: No you don’t a PC is much better, come with me i will show you what you want.

Woman: (not budging) no thank you, i have made up my mind and i want (looking to the tablets) this one.

Staff: Ugh fine whatever! get it wrong see if i care! (storms off)

(We look at each other before laughing, she goes off to pay and i finish my shopping, It wasn’t long before a manager approaches me because of the member of staff. We had to get security footage to prove that i wasn’t the one harassing customers.)