We Wish We Could Have This Image Scraped From Our Brains

CONTENT WARNING: Gross (Description of infection and treatment)

It’s 2005, and I’m working at a popular Canadian coffee shop while in university. One day, I come in to work and see a new employee in the back filling out paperwork. I introduce myself.

Me: “Hi! I’m [My Name], nice to meet you. Is this your first day?”

Woman: “Yes, it is! And my name is [Woman].”

Me: “Well, I look forward to working with you! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to—”

Woman: “I have a doctor’s appointment on Friday, so I won’t be in.”

Me: “…okay?”

Woman: “Yeah, I have a nasty yeast infection that won’t go away.”

Me: “Um…”

Woman: “It never gets better, only worse, but thankfully, my husband doesn’t mind the smell.”

Me: “Okay, listen, I have to—”

Woman: “The doctor is going to scrape it out of me. It’s like a surgery. He’s going to scrape the yeast out of me.”

Me: “All right! Well, I have to clock in so…”

Woman: “Yeah, it’s really bad. And it smells. Oh, are you leaving? I’ll catch you at break and tell you more!”

I scurried off as fast as I could and tried to forget what I had just heard. I never did see her again. She had to leave right after filling out her paperwork, and I didn’t work the next day, but I was told things got even weirder.

Apparently, she refused to do any work at all — citing her right to refuse unsafe work — and still expected to get paid. Climb a ladder to get a box? Unsafe. Make coffee? Unsafe due to the high temperatures. Clean the tables in the lobby? Unsafe due to the cleaning chemicals.

She was sent home after telling several other colleagues — WHILE BEHIND THE COUNTER — about her “lady problems” and upcoming “scraping”.