I got a small part time job and like most retail stores, one of the managers is kind of a d***. He calls me into the office:

Manager: “You’re in trouble for missing a meeting you were scheduled for.”

I’m utterly shocked, because I pride myself on being the best employee I can be.

Me: “I’m sorry. I was unaware of being scheduled for a meeting.”

He’s got this haughty attitude that is so annoying, and it is taking all I can to remain professional.

Manager: “You need to do better at looking at the schedule.”

Our schedules are posted on a group through the teams app. I pull up the meeting schedule, read it over, and look at my boss and go:

Me: “My name is not on the list.”

There’s a hint of anger in his face, but the superiority takes another step up.

Manager: “Well, I didn’t use your nickname when making the schedule. You should do better at reading the schedule, because not everyone is going to accommodate your nickname.”

It’s disrespectful to go out of your way to not use my nickname knowing fully well that it’s what everyone calls me. One of the main reasons I use it is because my real name is long and people mispronounce it. Literally everyone else uses my nickname, it is on my name tag. I’m even in the system as my nickname. The only paperwork that doesn’t have my nickname was my pay check.

I look back at the schedule and with all of the rage bottled up, I go:

Me: “Yeah, I understand that. My name’s still not on it.”

He decides to pull the schedule up on his computer. And shows it to me with all the confidence in the world, pointing at a name and going:

Manager: “It’s right here.”

I look at the computer, then at him, and go:

Me: “Yeah, that’s not my name.”

All of the bravado and superiority drop, and his face goes flat.

Manager: “That’s not your name?”

Me: “No, it’s not.”

So not only did he not know my name, but he had also used a different coworkers name, so he scheduled someone else for a meeting that they probably didn’t even need to be in.

We just stare at each other for a few moments, and I ask:

Me: “Can I can go?”

Manager: “Yes.”

Before I left, I asked him:

Me: “Am I still in trouble. Are you still going to write me up, because I would be happy to dispute this with the head supervisor if you think I still deserve a write-up.”

He responds with the quickest of no’s, and I leave.

I still told the supervisor. I’m not sure if he got to talking to or reprimand, but he sure as heck started using my nickname!

I have been wondering if I have ADD/ADHD for a long time. I finally decided to find a doctor and see what can be done. The day of my appointment, I was sitting alone at lunch, making a list of reasons I think I have it. (Coworker) came and sat with me; we’re polite, but I wouldn’t say we were friends.

Coworker: “Whatcha doing?”

Me: “Taking notes for a doctor this afternoon.”

Coworker: *She takes my notes and reads them.* “Oh. You think you have ADHD.”

Me: “Maybe.”

Coworker: “Did TikTok tell you that?”

Me: “I don’t have social media.”

Coworker: “Well, this one can be fixed if you cut down on screen time. This you can remove, because everybody does that. That one, just cut out anything artificial or processed, and go for a more fish-based diet. That—”

Me: “—You have ADHD?”

Coworker: “No! I’m just tired of people saying they have it when they’re just lazy or stupid or—”

Me: “—So you have a medical license?”

Coworker: “No?”

Me: “Then maybe leave the diagnosing to the professionals, huh?”

Coworker: “I’m just saying, drugs aren’t always a good choice.”

Me: “Calling your coworkers lazy or stupid when you insert yourself in their business isn’t a great choice, either.”

She rolls her eyes and leaves. I have already done loads of research and made several lifestyle changes, including the ones she listed, and things did improve a little bit, but I think I can do better. After I met with my doctor, she agreed to start me on a low-dose medication, and things are finally improving!

In a former job, I had a colleague who, despite being properly educated, with a master’s degree and all the shenanigans, had a very limited functional vocabulary when it was about work. I don’t know if it was laziness or something else, but everything was “the thing”. 

Normally, we were able to manage our interaction and actually understand what “the thing” was, but one day we were swamped with work, being the last day of a deadline for which we had a lot of administration to do, filling in and submitting forms with no moment to breathe. And this colleague calls me from their desk, just behind mine.

Colleague: “[My Name], any update on the thing?”

Me: “What thing?”

Colleague: “The thing, about the thing.”

Me: “I can’t get what you mean. Can you be more specific?”

Colleague: “You know, the thing for the thing, we had to do this thing, but we were waiting for thing from thing. Has it been done?”

Having lost already enough focus, I stood up, picked up a dictionary from the little bookshelf in our office, put it on their desk, and told them:

Me: “I know no things and can’t run after things right now. When you have found the words, I am at my desk.”

I might have overreacted a tad, and they were visibly taken aback by my reaction, but seriously, how do you expect me to understand anything if everything is a thing?

I’m chatting with a coworker, and the topic of heritage comes up.

Coworker: “I’m something like… three hundred and ninety-fourth in line for the French throne. Which doesn’t really mean anything unless they reinstate the monarchy and a whooole lot of people die.”

He pauses, then shrugs.

Coworker: “I don’t think I could do that much killing.”

A new ramen restaurant just opened up, and I was eager to try it. They had a lunch deal where you bought a bowl of ramen ($12) and got half an appetizer for an additional $3. I ordered the lunch deal and added tofu to my ramen for $2. Everything was DELICIOUS, but then the bill came

My bill was, by my math, supposed to be $17 plus tax and tip, but it ended up being $22. There was a $5 charge for “modification” at the end. I waved for the waiter.

Waiter: “Ready to pay?”

Me: “Hi, sorry, what is this $5 charge?”

Waiter: “Modifications are extra.”

Me: “But I already paid extra for the tofu. Where was this notice in the menu?”

Waiter: *Shrugs.* “It’s policy.”

Me: “Could you bring me the menu, please?”

Waiter: “Ma’am. It is our policy to charge for modifying the lunch deal.”

Me: “And I would like to see where that is written.”

Waiter: *Sigh.* “One moment.”

Eventually, the waiter returned with a smug expression and the manager, but no menu.

Manager: “Hello, ma’am, I understand there is a problem with your bill. I have removed the modification charge as a one-time exception.”

He takes the bill from my hand and gives it to the waiter.

Me: “Thank you, but I still want to see where it’s listed.”

Manager: “We have resolved your issue. My staff and I will not be engaging in this conversation any further. Please pay and leave.”

So I did.

I went back a few days later and asked the hostess to see the menu. After confirming that there was no notice of this charge, I took pictures of every page, found the restaurant on every platform I could, and gave detailed one-star reviews with my photos. The restaurant went out of business within six months.