The Service Industry: Your Best Stories Here

[Medusa]

I was in the "5 things nobody knows about you" thread and was writing about my time while working for a couple of different major airlines. It occurred to me that I have a LOT of awesome stories from my time at the airport.

Then it occurred to me that I have had MANY jobs where weird or awesome things happened.

Then it further occurred to me that I bet there are a lot more folks who have stories to tell - So Let's Do It!


Put your best stories here!

[Medusa]

I'll start:


While working at a major airline, I was called down from the ticket counter to help clean one of our jets that had come in on the last flight of the night. Our crew wanted to get it cleaned quickly so we could all get home early.

Cleaning a plane on the inside involves many things but one of them is cleaning out all the seatback pockets, crossing the seatbelts, vaccuming and general wiping.

Upon getting almost to the back of the plane, I noticed a seatback pocket that appeared to be stuffed with newspapers. Prior experience had taught me that, even with gloves, to NEVER reach into the pockets without being careful because people who dont think will often deposit things that could hurt us or things that were just disgusting.

Imagine my surprise when I carefully removed the newspapers and discovered that someone had neatly wrapped a human turd in a newspaper and deposited it in the seatback pocket.

a HUMAN TURD, y'all!

We later found that it had happened a couple of other times in the system and I believe that even found the lady doing it.

Needless to say, GROSS!

[Rockinonahigh]

I my early days I was involved with the casinos,so one night we were ask if we would like to make some over time seting up and after consert party that was being held at xyz casino where I worked.So we set things up for about a hundred ppl,it was top of the line spare no money set up.So hear we all wait for the folks to show up ....low and behold it Mr.Acky breaky himself band and all.

[Soft*Silver]

as a therapist, I was working with a woman who incidentally, said she had a poltergeist in her home.

those who know me well, know I dont deal well with paranormal stuff...but I had to swallow my own apprehensions so I could continue to work with this client. The manifestations were not why she was in therapy but they came up in sessions as incidental information...

one day I went into my office, which had been locked, no one had been in there since I had last been in there...

and in the middle of my desk, was a 3 inch columnar pile of things taken from my desk...

just like she said she encountered many times at home...

her appointment was next...

[Rockinonahigh]

I beleave there are things we just arent suposed to understand,I know there is such a thinga s the paranormal cause ive see it with my own eyes..gives me the willies it dose.

[Soft*Silver]

I beleave there are things we just arent suposed to understand,I know there is such a thinga s the paranormal cause ive see it with my own eyes..gives me the willies it dose.

NOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT TELL ME !!!!!!!!!!!!

:|:worried::bolt::scared::runforhills:

[WolfyOne]

Selling auto parts for 15 years makes me understand why real mechanics are needed. So many times customers would come in, tell us what's wrong with their vehicles and expect us to diagnose the problem. Most times a neighbor or relative will do the work. I've often said, when whoever does the work tells you what part you need, come back. These people are called parts changers and will keep coming back to spend more money to fix a simple problem that their parts changer can't figure out. I always welcome these people when bonuses are given out. If they went to a real mechanic, I'd of made less.


Once a guy with a Caddy came in and said he had his front brake pads changed a month ago and couldn't stand the squealing anymore. I asked who did the work and he told me the garage, but he bout the pads himself at Auto Zone. I asked how much he paid and laughed when he told me. All I could do is go to the back, get 3 different sets of pads. Took them out of the box and lined them up on the counter. Showed him good, better and best. When he asked me about prices I thought he'd faint. I finally told him to make up his mind, I had other customers. Eventually he took the best ones I had and they weren't cheap for a Caddy, but you get what you pay for. In his case, it was paying to have his front brakes done again.


Sometimes you have to feel sorry for those that don't know much about cars and trust the people they know to do them right.

When I was a service manager at a garage and I'd have to tell a customer what was wrong with their car, all I'd hear is I don't have that kind of money and isn't there something else we can do to get them running. We call it putting a band-aid on a wound, but letting them know it will only last a short time and they'd have to come back again for another band-aid.

[SuperFemme]

I worked for a high end faucet manufacturer.

My first day I answered the phone and gave a price for the faucet the man was inquiring about. THEN he asked if I had 3/4" nipples.

I was so offended that I hung up on him. He called back and asked for my boss who pulled me into his office to inform the that it was plumbing part.

Ooops.

I worked for Carls Jr. when I was a teen and wore the promotional button "We do great things with our potatoes" on the tip of my preggy belly. When a man came in and exposed himself I offered to make him a hot coffee. Because, well, it was OBVIOUSLY cold out there.

[Medusa]

Did I tell y'all about the time that I took a seasonal job at Office Depot to supplement what I earned as a Project Manager for the state because I had HUGE cell bills while dating a certain Jackhammer? (Cell Bills were like $500 a month!)

Don't ask me about the days of working for the State from 7am - 5pm and then getting to Office Depot at 5:30 and working until 11pm...only to do it alllll over again 5 days a week :blah: (it was worth it ;) )

Yeah, I had worked at Office Depot on the night shift for a couple of weeks when I discovered that someone had put a dead squirrel in a Wal-Mart sack and shoved it into a shelf of merchandise. :blah:

[SassyLeo]

When I was 16, I got a job at Michael's Art & Craft Stores. I ended up working there for like 6 years!

Anyway, we always had tons of kids and parents in the store looking for projects for Girl Scouts and Campfire Girls and dads who needed something to keep their kid(s) busy on their custody weekend...etc.

One day a woman was in with her son. She had asked for some help getting some supplies together. She wanted bandanas, beads and glitter glue. So I showed her where everything was. Then I was called to the cash register to ring.

She proceeded to not pay ANY attention to her child and he was running around with one of the bandanas on his head, a stick from the floral dept and a fake plastic sheriff badge. Playing cops and robbers.

A bit later, I see the mom and not the boy... I wander around doing my usual straightening up in the aisles. Then I wander down the aisle which held kits to make dream catchers and sun catchers. Like this:

http://cdn2.overstock.com/images/products/L12126383.jpg

We stocked all the extra paints on the bottom of the aisle ledge, all lined up by SKU number for ease of ordering. Probably about 100 paint bottles.

I see the boy. On the floor. He had moved all the paint bottles onto the floor and was arranging them in rainbow order, like this: http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/1892/937/f56fbb0e0e3d5f/www.discountschoolsupply.com/images/products/23415b.jpg

:| :| :|

I just about had a heart attack. I asked him where his mom was, kind of loudly so she might hear. He shrugged his shoulders and stared at me. I walked to the aisle where the mom was and reminded her (probably not as nice as I should have) to keep an eye on her child. She just kind of looked at me, half apologized, and walked over to get him to bring him back to where she was shopping.

This is just one of MANY stories I could tell about working at Michael's :annoyed:

[SuperFemme]

Did I tell y'all about the time that I took a seasonal job at Office Depot to supplement what I earned as a Project Manager for the state because I had HUGE cell bills while dating a certain Jackhammer? (Cell Bills were like $500 a month!)

Don't ask me about the days of working for the State from 7am - 5pm and then getting to Office Depot at 5:30 and working until 11pm...only to do it alllll over again 5 days a week :blah: (it was worth it ;) )

Yeah, I had worked at Office Depot on the night shift for a couple of weeks when I discovered that someone had put a dead squirrel in a Wal-Mart sack and shoved it into a shelf of merchandise. :blah:

Did ya'll cook it? Or is THAT the mysterious thingy in the back of Jack's pants whilst dusting?

I am jealous. I never once got a turd. Human or otherwise as a surprise gift.

[SassyLeo]

Did I tell y'all about the time that I took a seasonal job at Office Depot to supplement what I earned as a Project Manager for the state because I had HUGE cell bills while dating a certain Jackhammer? (Cell Bills were like $500 a month!)

Don't ask me about the days of working for the State from 7am - 5pm and then getting to Office Depot at 5:30 and working until 11pm...only to do it alllll over again 5 days a week :blah: (it was worth it ;) )

Yeah, I had worked at Office Depot on the night shift for a couple of weeks when I discovered that someone had put a dead squirrel in a Wal-Mart sack and shoved it into a shelf of merchandise. :blah:

A DEAD SQUIRREL? :|

[Medusa]

When I was 16, I got a job at Michael's Art & Craft Stores. I ended up working there for like 6 years!

Anyway, we always had tons of kids and parents in the store looking for projects for Girl Scouts and Campfire Girls and dads who needed something to keep their kid(s) busy on their custody weekend...etc.

One day a woman was in with her son. She had asked for some help getting some supplies together. She wanted bandanas, beads and glitter glue. So I showed her where everything was. Then I was called to the cash register to ring.

She proceeded to not pay ANY attention to her child and he was running around with one of the bandanas on his head, a stick from the floral dept and a fake plastic sheriff badge. Playing cops and robbers.

A bit later, I see the mom and not the boy... I wander around doing my usual straightening up in the aisles. Then I wander down the aisle which held kits to make dream catchers and sun catchers. Like this:

http://cdn2.overstock.com/images/products/L12126383.jpg

We stocked all the extra paints on the bottom of the aisle ledge, all lined up by SKU number for ease of ordering. Probably about 100 paint bottles.

I see the boy. On the floor. He had moved all the paint bottles onto the floor and was arranging them in rainbow order, like this: http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/1892/937/f56fbb0e0e3d5f/www.discountschoolsupply.com/images/products/23415b.jpg

:| :| :|

I just about had a heart attack. I asked him where his mom was, kind of loudly so she might hear. He shrugged his shoulders and stared at me. I walked to the aisle where the mom was and reminded her (probably not as nice as I should have) to keep an eye on her child. She just kind of looked at me, half apologized, and walked over to get him to bring him back to where she was shopping.

This is just one of MANY stories I could tell about working at Michael's :annoyed:



GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

Unsupervised kids in a store = HUGE GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

A family came in with a bunch of kids at Office Depot right before I quit and the little assholes....er, kids.....were running all over the store. They knocked over several displays of pens, pushed rolling office chairs all over the place, and generally were loud, obnoxious, and rude.

The BEST part? The family finally made their way up to the cash register to check out and I just happened to be lucky enough to be covering someone who was in the restroom. The mom reached into her oversized purse to get her wallet and then proceeded to pull out a shitty baby diaper that was all taped up and tried to HAND IT TO ME TO THROW AWAY FOR HER AND WAS OFFENDED WHEN I BENT DOWN AND PICKED UP THE TRASHCAN AND HANDED IT TO HER TO THROW AWAY HERSELF.

The funny part? She was so offended that I didn't want to steep my fingers in her kids nasty ass fecal dumpage that she asked to speak to a Supervisor because I was "being so rude to her".

The best part? Me being able to look at her and say, "I *am* the Supervisor."

[Gemme]

I have spent years in the following fields:

fast food
retail
hospitality

I. Hate. People. :blink:

[WolfyOne]

I could tell you a time I had my 5th transfer to our main warehouse because the owner liked me or just liked to see how many times I could move in 7 years.....anyhow, I was working the counter with a customer when a short guy came in about the same time the owner came up behind me and she whispered in my ear, I'll take the customer at the counter and I want you to run around to the other side and walk near that man who just came in. I did as she asked and when I came back to the other side, she whispered in my ear again.....I just bet someone you were taller than him and I won. I just burst out laughing when she said that.

[Kobi]

I worked in health care for many years. I walked into a hospital room to asses an elderly couple. Introduced myself which prompted a swift reply....hello dear, I am Mrs Feeble and this is Mr Feeble. It made my day.

[Soft*Silver]

I interned at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for part of my horticulture degree. One of my tasks was to learn about landscape immersion, which is simulating the native environment of a species using comparative hardy plant life. First though, you have to know how exhibits work. Many people are under the assumption that barriers/walls/fences are put up to keep the animals in. Not so. They are to keep humans out. If you go to a zoo, you will see at least two levels of barriers..one to keep the animal from getting to the human barrier and a human barrier to keep the animal safe from them. So you might see a glass wall or chain link fence where the humans might stand, some grass and simulative plant materials, a dip in grade, and either a water moat or wide ditch or a wall closer to the animal. Keeps everybody safe...

and its a good thing. You read about how monkeys throw feces at humans? Well, they learn it from the humans themselves. It is awful the things humans do at a zoo. And it is menacing to watch parents who are oblivious to the behaviors of their kids. Kids who grab limbs of trees and try to crack off a good portion of it so they can taunt the gorillas with it. Kids who throw food at the animals, and pop cans and baggies and toys. Or kids who hang over the fencing or sneak thru a fencing area, to bang on the glass enclosures. Meanwhile parents are talking, walking, hollering, grabbing elbows, or worse, videotaping little johny or susie while they make faces at a primate who is obviously getting agitated.

[apretty]

the time i (per store policy) returned a pair of jeans and the lady had had her 'LADY TIME' INSIDE of the jeans. or a miscarriage, either way--she got her $ back. (there's a special place in hell for ladies who return worn clothes and stand there while some clerk has to touch your used filth--you're not being slick, you're being gross--if you can't afford it, don't buy it, trashy.)

the time a woman had the audacity to ask me into her fitting room because she got 'stuck' in her shapewear (read: girdle). the time a woman opened her fitting room door to ask me if 'this' is how one is supposed to wear 'a thong'.

the timeS women peed in fitting rooms/changed tampons and left them in the fitting rooms/peed in a drain and my coworker caught her squatting with her skirt hiked up and (i'm guessing) panties pulled to the side/handed me a used diaper to dispose of (fuck you and your kid)/peed on a patio/peed on a chair/pooped on a wall/smeared poop on a wall/left behind hypodermic needles/left behind a bag of weed/told my coworker that he hoped he died of aids/washed their bodies in the bathroom after being released from the half-way house/shelter.

people are awesome.

[apretty]

the time i (per store policy) returned a pair of jeans and the lady had had her 'LADY TIME' INSIDE of the jeans. or a miscarriage, either way--she got her $ back. (there's a special place in hell for ladies who return worn clothes and stand there while some clerk has to touch your used filth--you're not being slick, you're being gross--if you can't afford it, don't buy it, trashy.)

the time a woman had the audacity to ask me into her fitting room because she got 'stuck' in her shapewear (read: girdle). the time a woman opened her fitting room door to ask me if 'this' is how one is supposed to wear 'a thong'.

the timeS women peed in fitting rooms/changed tampons and left them in the fitting rooms/peed in a drain and my coworker caught her squatting with her skirt hiked up and (i'm guessing) panties pulled to the side/handed me a used diaper to dispose of (fuck you and your kid)/peed on a patio/peed on a chair/pooped on a wall/smeared poop on a wall/left behind hypodermic needles/left behind a bag of weed/told my coworker that he hoped he died of aids/washed their bodies in the bathroom after being released from the half-way house/shelter.

people are awesome.


meanwhile. the staff is supposed to be sales-focused to 'drive' those numbers up 20% to last year. maybe, if we were selling haz/mat -wear.

[Medusa]

the time i (per store policy) returned a pair of jeans and the lady had had her 'LADY TIME' INSIDE of the jeans. or a miscarriage, either way--she got her $ back. (there's a special place in hell for ladies who return worn clothes and stand there while some clerk has to touch your used filth--you're not being slick, you're being gross--if you can't afford it, don't buy it, trashy.)

the time a woman had the audacity to ask me into her fitting room because she got 'stuck' in her shapewear (read: girdle). the time a woman opened her fitting room door to ask me if 'this' is how one is supposed to wear 'a thong'.

the timeS women peed in fitting rooms/changed tampons and left them in the fitting rooms/peed in a drain and my coworker caught her squatting with her skirt hiked up and (i'm guessing) panties pulled to the side/handed me a used diaper to dispose of (fuck you and your kid)/peed on a patio/peed on a chair/pooped on a wall/smeared poop on a wall/left behind hypodermic needles/left behind a bag of weed/told my coworker that he hoped he died of aids/washed their bodies in the bathroom after being released from the half-way house/shelter.

people are awesome.


WORD!

What is it with people and their nasty?!

I'll never forget the time I walked into the bathroom at Office Depot after a fucking 12-hour shift one Saturday and someone in the women's bathroom had spread their lady time and feces all over the walls, floor, and even CEILING in one of the stalls. It looked like a gotdayum Jackson Pollock painting in there!

Or the time when someone filled both sinks full of toilet paper and turned the faucets on to flood not only the bathroom but most of the employee breakroom and manager office.

Or how about the time a man showed up at the airport for a flight and was covered in feces?

Or the time someone tried to return a chair at Office Depot that they had *obviously* had sex in. (yes, there were stains of an obvious nature)

Oooh! OH! Or the time a dude showed up wanting to make 300 copies of his "novel" that included full-color photos of him having sex with random objects such as donuts, stuffed animals, and even a Pringles can.

[Miss Scarlett]

Having worked in the service industry, I have the utmost respect for folks who work in food service, retail, medicine, etc. anywhere you have to deal with the public.

I always say "hello," "please" and "thank you" - especially "thank you."

If the person assisting me is wearing a name badge I always call them by their name.

[Rockinonahigh]

While I was working at another casino as banquett chef I went to the bathroom that we had in the kitchen for our staff,each night threre are two ppl scedualed to keep it clean but the ppl who use it are suppose to take care of there own mess like flush the dam thing,not get water(or what ever) everywhere and put things in the trash can. I went in one night about mid shift and OMG the nasty mess was plane awfull and stank like something had died in theire.I called the santation folks who came down to check it out.Well folks he took one look in the door then called his offiice who sent three ppl down in what looks like haz mat suits to clean it up.They found a dead rat in the water tank of the toilet,old diapers in the garbage along with tampons and condoms.The whole staff and I had a long meeting about this in wich they were told that till some renovations were dont the bathroom would be closed so if u need to go please ak for a personal break of 5 minits.This means that had to ask for a break then go three floors up the elevator to the bathroom by the lunch room and then get back in 5 minits,It didnt take long before they were haveing a fit cause they needed a bathroom back in the kichen are to save time.Three weeks later they got a new bathroom..self flushing toilets,times water in the sink,hot air dryers for drying hands with gave off a sent that was srtonger when blown over washed hands...oh yes each member of the staff had to key card in to the bathroom so now I didnt hear ...I didnt do it....I wasnt ever in the bathroom ect.U bet they were a whole lot cleaner after that.

[dixie]

OMG! I have so many stories like these that I could write a book! And I bet I'm not the only one. Anyone who has worked with the public has my utmost respect. All my work life, on and off, I've held public jobs. My first job was at a pizza parlor. (Which after two weeks, I realized that I would NEVER again in my life work in the food industry.) I've managed convenience stores and hotels. I've worked in tax offices and doctors offices. I worked for the last Census. ugh... So many stories, so little time...lol

Some of the worst though:

While managing a Shell convenience store which had a laudromat: someone decided to fingerpaint a mural in the restroom with their own feces. I have to admit, they had quite the artistic talent. I just wish they had used a different medium...ugh
In the laudromat I had to hand wash the washers and vacuum out the dryers. You would not believe the nasty disgusting filth you find in a public laundry. *shudder* Dirty diapers, used tampons and maxipads, human/canine/feline feces, puddles of piss in washers...


When I worked as an optometric technician for an eye doctor, I had to take folks into a little dark room and administer different vision tests with different machines. You would not believe the amount of times that patients would piss in the chairs. It blew my mind!! It's a doggone EYE doctor office!!!!! wtf??


As for the hotel, you can just imagine the insanity I have found in the rooms and even in the pool...

[Gemme]

Oooh! OH! Or the time a dude showed up wanting to make 300 copies of his "novel" that included full-color photos of him having sex with random objects such as donuts, stuffed animals, and even a Pringles can.

Maybe it's just my messed up sense of humor (after years of stuff like this and dealing with public in general perhaps) or my voyeurism showing, but this would amuse the Hell out of me,

Then again, as a teen working for BK, I had no problem with the guy who would order his stuff in drive thru and then drive to the window, naked from the waist down and jacking off. I took the money from his free hand, gave him change, and wished him a good day. Of course, as he drove forward, I jotted down his license number and asked the GM to call the 5-0 for a public indecency charge. The police came, I gave them the info between getting orders out (for those of you who don't know, fast food drive thrus are often timed and those times can make or break a raise for the staff and bring down fiery rings of fast food Hell upon the restaurant in general) and thought nothing of it.

Then the dude came back. Doing his thing...literally...again. This time, I'd had a really rough lunch, I'd been up since 3am and I'd had to walk to work that day due to car issues, but I lost it. I started with the inappropriate giggle and then it just escalated from there. I just kind of tossed his food at him and he sped away, but not before I saw the crestfallen look on his face. Sorry, dude. I can do three inches on my own, yanno? Bad luck for him, one of the officers I spoke to before about him was in the lobby and went after him.

I never found out exactly what happened but I didn't see him anymore after that. Too bad, I was just starting to get used to the guy. :blink:

[Apocalipstic]

A woman in a hotel where I used to work had a baby in the locker room restroom and was screaming It's Not Mine.

[Apocalipstic]

At a different hotel, people used to call the front desk screaming that their room had been burglarized....

I would ask them what had alerted them to the alledged break in.

They would reply that the lights were low, the trash was empty, soft music was playing and the bed was turned down.

I would ask if there was a candy and a note about complimentary turn down service on their pillow...(cause every time I break into a room I leave a single fiendish piece of chocolate for them as a memento of my visit)

The Candyman Strikes Again!

[Gemme]

A woman in a hotel where I used to work had a baby in the locker room restroom and was screaming It's Not Mine.

*nods*

I call that the Shaggy Syndrome...."it wasn't me!"

[Waldo]

You people are depressing the hell out of me.

[Apocalipstic]

I work for a Production Company now.

One day someone called and asked to rent a midget. Not book, not hire, not a little person....no, they wanted to rent a midget.

[Medusa]

I worked for a financial firm that dealt with reposessing automobiles and boats and also dealt with car loans when I was in my early 20's.

I'll never forget the time I had been dealing with a lady who claimed to have faxed me proof of her cashier's check at least 6 times.
I informed her that we were going to come pick up the car unless she provided the necessary documents, at which time she began screaming, "Im FAXING IT TO YOU RIGHT NOW! IS IT NOT COMING OUT OF YOUR MACHINE RIGHT NOW?"

"No." I answered.

"But Im faxing it AS WE SPEAK", she said.

Come to find out, after me asking her to describe IN DETAIL exactly how she was faxing the papers to me, she was actually holding her papers up to her computer monitor and hitting the "print screen" button repeatedly.

:|

[socialjustice_fsu]

I was the director of an adult psychiatric inpatient unit within the confines of our state mental hospital several years back. I would often work late or come in at odd hours (insomnia). My office was in the basement of a very old building that once housed the morgue. It was about 2 AM one morning and I was making some rounds on the units and most all the patient's were either sleeping or unusually quiet (rare but rather nice). I had just settled down to review charts in the basement and this voice bellowed out over the PA system stating boldly, "THIS IS GOD!" Now mind you there were speakers in the pt. rooms much like the one's that are found in modern day hospital rooms today (really therapeutic for paranoid patients). Within a matter of seconds the staff and patient's were out in the halls waiting for 'God' to speak again. Before I could get to the patient that was the guilty party of knowing the code to access the PA system he had spotted a patient turning paintings around and hanging them backwards down the halls as all the commotion was going on. Right before I got the phone away from him he was shouting (where this pt. could not see him) to "Put those paintings back or you don't get your weekend pass, BANG, BANG...signing off, THIS IS GOD."
My guess is several of those patient's remained with us a little longer than anticipated since they had now heard the voice of God. There was quite a bit of xanax dispensed that morning...to staff. God, I miss those days.

[Kobi]

Ok, I am getting totally grossed out here.

I like the PA stories tho. Never had a message from GOD. But we did have an employee named Clark Kent so I didnt think anything when I heard him paged. But Clark was followed by Lois Lane, Jimmie Olsen and Perry White! It was good for a chuckle and a reprimand for all those involved.

[Apocalipstic]

Working Bar Mitzvahs....

Also at a fancy hotel where I once worked were various Bar Mitzvah parties...

The kids, would go in the bathroom stalls and lock all the doors then crawl out.

Tie all the chairs together and to the table with cloth napkins.

Make sculptures in the salt shakers with layers of salt and ketchup.

Line matches up on ribbon between 2 tables and catch them all on fire.

Try to play choking games with belts and napkins.

Their parents in the room looking fondly on......

Yeay.

[WolfyOne]

When I was a teenager I worked at a place called Hollywood Kiddieland. I was working a helicopter ride when a lady tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to stop the ride and get her son off it because he was scared. I did as she asked. When her son came around to the gate, he said to his mom, why did you make her stop the ride, I was having fun......as his mom just tugged him away.

[Greyson]

Come to find out, after me asking her to describe IN DETAIL exactly how she was faxing the papers to me, she was actually holding her papers up to her computer monitor and hitting the "print screen" button repeatedly.

:|


Oh this is the best one yet. :|

[apretty]

When I worked as an optometric technician for an eye doctor, I had to take folks into a little dark room and administer different vision tests with different machines. You would not believe the amount of times that patients would piss in the chairs. It blew my mind!! It's a doggone EYE doctor office!!!!! wtf??


what's with all the people PEEING everywhere?! seriously, wtf.

[christie]

I am really grateful that bean counting doesn't mean that much interaction with people.

*goes back to petting abacus*

[Medusa]

We can reverse this shit and talk about the service we have received too.

I can't wait to talk about how I went through a drive through a year or so ago and the person at the register sneezed into her hand and then used her snottyness to cap my drink.

Um, NO.

[Apocalipstic]

Or driving through and they ask "will this be for here or to go?"

Well, I was planning on sitting right here at the drive through munching on my fries. :quickdraw:

[Mitmo01]

omg this i have so many of these stories but something that always sticks out in my mind is this:

I worked for MCIWorldcom for 6 years in customer service and when 9/11 happened there was a skeleton crew at the center that i worked at because most everyone went home---so there is like 20 of us on the phone when usually there would be like 300 or more

so 9/11 has just happened and we literally had people calling in wanting to know why they could not reach new york and they were seriously mad like irate

we were all like well just turn on the television youll know why
it was freakin sad

[Medusa]

Oh yeah, 911 was BAD.

I was working 2 overlapping jobs at that point. One was as a Project Manager in the Engineering department of a major telephone company and the other was my part-time at the airport for a major airline.

I got slammed on both ends.

During the day, I would get a plethora of complaints both internal and external about the lack of phone service in and around NYC and at night it would be irate people demanding to fly to NYC even though all planes were grounded.

I remember one dude at the airport threatening to "whip my ass" if I did'nt get him to Islip, NY THAT EVENING. I was so tired and overwhelmed with the news that one of our relief pilots had been killed in the United Airlines flight that I just looked at the guy and took off my name badge and threw my hands in the air and said, "Well come the fuck on then. You wanna whip my ass? Just come ON! Just come right over this counter and start whipping because I just need an excuse at this point to bust you upside your damn head."

There was a line of people behind him who heard me go off on him and several people who stepped up and told that guy to get out of my face and to get his shit together. One lady even took a bottle of water out of her bag and gave it to me.

There were only 2 of us at the airport on the evening of 9/11. 450 passengers to accomodate in hotels or rebook on other forms of transportation. 450 people to provide with phone cards, toiletry kits, meals, etc. We ran out of everything.

It was 4am before we got everything handled and the next wave of people started coming in for the 6am flight to Charlotte, NC.
I had to be at my engineering job at 8am.

Nightmarish, needless to say, but I wouldn't have done it any different. There were so many people there who were terrified and upset. People who couldn't get ahold of their families in NY. People trying to figure out if their meetings had been affected. People just in shock.

It was just crazy.

[Waldo]

9/11 really changed my attitude about travel (well, duh) and how I deal with the challenges.

This isn't my story, but I'm sharing it because it's a good one and Medusa's story reminded me of it.

I happened to have changed my flight from that Tuesday morning to Monday night and was safely sleeping in my hotel room in Tempe when the first plane hit. I woke up just in time to tune in for the second plane to hit.

In 2001 I had a friend who worked in marketing and communications for one of the major airlines involved in the event. Suffice it to say that she did not have day to day interaction with consumers at this point in her career.

While I was stuck in Tempe for the week without the ability to get home, my partner was in very intermittent text communication with said friend to make sure she was ok, offering support, etc.

She would relay information here and there about what was going on. She'd had been on site at HQ 24/7 for days. They had but one "grief team" and two downed flights so people that would not ordinarily be called on to drop their regular airline duties and rush to the scene to coordinate, counsel and provide support were being sent out into the field to do just that.

If you can imagine that someone who is regularly tasked with making reservations or taking inquiries about upgrades is suddenly called on to take calls from frightened, angry, grief-stricken family members when a flight goes down. Now imagine it when they, themselves had friends and family on board those planes - as was the case with many this time.

When I was finally allowed to fly home that Friday I thanked every last airline employee who had a hand in getting me on that flight and getting me home. Even the poor woman who took my "deadly" nail clippers from me. And now when my temper starts to rise and my patience is running out with delays and cancellations I roll with it as much as possible. Although I do admit that last year around this time I was inconsolable when the weather caused an unexpected overnight stay in Houston on route to my birthday holiday in Mexico but even then I didn't take it out on the staff. I was just firm that she needed to help me salvage my holiday and get us there as quick as possible.

Weather, illness, delays, cancellations and unfortunately, worse - happen. This is when being nice, though firm, will help infinitely more than throwing a hissy fit. It also helps if you're prepared. Take medication? Keep it in your carry on. Have electronics? Keep the chargers in your carry on.

So for all of those who have worked tirelessly to get me where I need to go safely and with a minimum of fuss, I thank you.

[Apocalipstic]

When 9/11 happened, we had a ship about to dock in Boston which had just been built in France.

Only empoyees were on the ship, including our employees who had been building the sets and rehearsing in the on board theatre.

The ship was not allowed to dock on US soil and had to be diverted to the Bahamas for 2 weeks.

The girlfriend of one of our employees (who also happens to be gay and a former roomate of mine) called me over and over screaming at me that her G/F was being held "hostage" by the Cruise Line and that I did not understand that they were as much a couple as a straight couple and that I should give her the FBI's phone number.

SIGH.

[Apocalipstic]

Someone called me a few months ago and asked for a tumbleweed.

"Wrong state" I said, we have hay bales here in Tennessee.

This week, everyone has suddenly realized it is Easter and wants an Easter Throne????? WTH?

One year the hotel I worked for made the mistake of serving hossenfeffer on the Easter Buffet. :) I suggested a 12 stations of the cross theme, but was shot down.

[Kenna]

Someone called me a few months ago and asked for a tumbleweed.

"Wrong state" I said, we have hay bales here in Tennessee.

This week, everyone has suddenly realized it is Easter and wants an Easter Throne????? WTH?

One year the hotel I worked for made the mistake of serving hossenfeffer on the Easter Buffet. :) I suggested a 12 stations of the cross theme, but was shot down.

Awwwww poor Easter Bunny!!

[Medusa]

Speaking of Hossenfeffer....


I was working the ticket counter at the airport one time (pre-911) when a lady showed up wanting to travel with a box. I asked her what was in the box since she was wanting to take it on the plane with her and she whipsered, "My dog".

I checked her reservation and saw that she had not reserved a lapdog space and asked to see her vet records in order to proceed.

"Oh I don't have vet records", she says.

I then explain to her that we can't allow her to travel with an in-cabin animal without the proper documentation.

She then tells me that the dog is dead and wants to know if that makes a difference.

:blah:

Apparently, she had driven out to see her sister with her little Yorkie puppy and it had been hit by a car while on the trip. She wanted to take the dead dog home in the box with her.

In my head I was like, "Woman, you ain't taking a friggin DEAD DOG on the plane with you while other folks have to breathe the funk..."

But then I looked at her biggo watery eyes and my little Grinch heart began to beat again, dammit.

We ended up going over to a local air-freight shipper and having the little guy put on dry ice and shipped back home to her.

She was grateful. I was relieved.

[Rockinonahigh]

Yep that was what mad me tick...for years.I didnt do anything else and didnt want to and would go back to it in a NY minuit if my body could handle it.Anyways as the local rideing club that was puting this on had given away a bunch of tickest to ppl who were disabled or to broke to go watch it,but the place thay set up the freebie bleachers were in the back of the bull
pens.Now folks we all know how green fresh bull shit stinks..BAD to say the least.As I was working for the stock contractor I voiced some op about the safty of anyone being safe that close to the bull pen much less than folks that had no idea about rodeo except thay were going to have a great time.So the contractor and the rideing club had to come to some desision as where to put the freebie bleachers...think high school bleachers...when the disabled busses showed up with so many kids and old folks...I said hell no it aint gonna happen cause up to this point nada had been done about this.After talking to the contestants we all made the desision that all of the freebie tickets and the familys were going to sit in contestants row.Somehow we got everyone in the spot we that to use.THe consession ppl were told to add up all the food that gave to the folks ad we the contestants pitched in top pay for it.This worked out great for us all,not shure who had the best time.

[Medusa]

Going through the drive-thru at McD's before I decided to stop eating heart-attacks-in-a-sack.

Them: "Welcome to McDonald's, can I take your order?"

Me: "Yes, I would like a quarter-pound hamburger."

Them: "Quarter-pounder Cheeseburger, Plain."

Me: "No. A Quarter-pounder Hamburger."

Them: "You want a Quarter-Pounder Cheeseburger Plain?"

Me: "No, I want all the ketchup and stuff on it - just no cheese."

Them: "Oh, a Quarter-Pounder. Plain."

Me: "Doesn't "Plain" mean no ketchup, mustard, or pickle?"

Them: "Yes."

Me: "I WANT the ketchup, mustard, and pickle. Just no cheese. So - A quarter pounder HAMburger, NOT a quarter-pounder CHEESEburger."

Them: "A Plain Cheeseburger?"

Me: " Ok. Make a Quarter-pound Cheeseburger and RIGHT BEFORE YOU PUT THE CHEESE ON IT......STOP!"

Them: "Ohhhhhh...a quarter-pounder cheeseburger with no cheese."

Me: "YESSSSSS"


:|

[Rockinonahigh]

I went to the drive in to get lunch and ask for a half dozen Mc nuggets..the person takeing the order said

Sir, we dont have half dozen but do have a order of six nuggets in a box..then they ask someone ..say this guy wants an order of a half dozen Mc nuggets..do we have that??

Only at Mc Donalds.

[SuperFemme]

My first job was at Del Taco. It traumatized me.

Drive-thru dialogue:

Hi. This is Adele.
Welcome to Del Taco
Would you like to try our Del Burrito or our Del Burger?

I felt like such a hooker.

[Medusa]

My first job was at Del Taco. It traumatized me.

Drive-thru dialogue:

Hi. This is Adele.
Welcome to Del Taco
Would you like to try our Del Burrito or our Del Burger?

I felt like such a hooker.


WORD! My first job was at a Mom and Pop's greasy spoon in the boondocks of Arkansas. It was owned by a very loud, very dysfunctional family that included a very flaming Gay son who was not out, a MEAN actively-alcoholic Mother, and a Father who was a penny-pinching miser who used to make us re-use tin-foil and re-serve rolls that people had already touched. EWW.

I washed dishes and kept the buffet full. It was gross and demeaning work for $4 an hour cash.

One night, the mean-Momma had made a bunch of pies to put out on the buffet. She had them cooling on a freezer in front of the main window and someone came by and shot the window with a BB gun, scattering little specs of glass everywhere.

The miser-Daddy proceeded to hold each one up to the light and pick out the flecks of glass with a dirty pocket knife. EWWWWW.

They later had to shut down when someone set the building on fire.
No, it wasnt me.

[SuperFemme]

WORD! My first job was at a Mom and Pop's greasy spoon in the boondocks of Arkansas. It was owned by a very loud, very dysfunctional family that included a very flaming Gay son who was not out, a MEAN actively-alcoholic Mother, and a Father who was a penny-pinching miser who used to make us re-use tin-foil and re-serve rolls that people had already touched. EWW.

I washed dishes and kept the buffet full. It was gross and demeaning work for $4 an hour cash.

One night, the mean-Momma had made a bunch of pies to put out on the buffet. She had them cooling on a freezer in front of the main window and someone came by and shot the window with a BB gun, scattering little specs of glass everywhere.

The miser-Daddy proceeded to hold each one up to the light and pick out the flecks of glass with a dirty pocket knife. EWWWWW.

They later had to shut down when someone set the building on fire.
No, it wasnt me.

Oh my god how did you deal?
umm? do you still have the lighter?

[Nina]

I was in my late late-late teens, first of the 20's...

there was a 24 hour donut place which was the rage with the college kids, and all the city worked--DPW and the like used it...overnight hang out for a drunk or two and all round destination place for many of the locals...

I was persuaded to go in one night with a friend and met abe...he took me into the back and I fell in LOIVE with the huge wooden work tables...I was going on and on about them, how I wished I could have them at home, and he offered me a job...

I didn't know better....I took it...as I recall $1.20 an hour...I went to work at 10pm and finished crack 'o dawn the next day...

I worked with willie and don...both functional alcoholics both took me under their wings...it was a good place to feel protected in...(there was also a whole gambling thing going on there but it was really over my head)

willie couldn't really read...I got materials from the adult literacy project and worked on things with him...he got to be pretty skilled at reading and it was nice to see him feel good about it...it gave us something to do while the cinnamon rolls were proofing and there were some slow moments...

I was studying classical voice at the time and abe kept telling all the customers I was a great singer since I was full bosomed...he was kinda a pig...he thought it was OK to be a pig with me since he was Jewish, and I am Jewish so that gave us some kind of 'bond' in his mind--it was in his mind alone...

at about 3 or 4 am the donuts would come out of the oil...willie would swing the huge grate filled with dripping donuts out of the oil and I would fill them...the college kids would arrive like locusts, wanting hot bavarian cream doughnuts...they would crowd their way in the back and point well manicured fingers at the ones they wanted and then stand there waiting for me to pick up the still steaming doughnuts and fill them..."I want it Hot" was the constant refrain...'no',I would tell them, they are too hot to touch and I'll get burned..."but I want It H-h-hot"...I suggested that she could fill it herself (it was always the girls who did this)...I'd get the eye-roll and the flounced-hair 'okay'...I just stood back, we all did, and watched as she would pick up the doughnut, and then fling it down with a retort as she cradled her burned hand...I then told her I had to charge her for the donut anyway...

one of the perks of the job was that at the end of my shift when the streets were filled with snow, one of the DPW guys would always plow my way home...he'd drive the big truck and I'd follow in my VW bug, and then when I got home he'd plow out my driveway and in I'd go...

wow...I haven't thought about Abe's for a long time...I didn't like doughnuts when I started working there and don't like them to this day...odd since I do like fried things, just not doughnuts...and I *still* lust after those huge wooden bakery work spaces...

thus ends the ramblings...

[Gemme]

I was in my late late-late teens, first of the 20's...

there was a 24 hour donut place which was the rage with the college kids, and all the city worked--DPW and the like used it...overnight hang out for a drunk or two and all round destination place for many of the locals...

I was persuaded to go in one night with a friend and met abe...he took me into the back and I fell in LOIVE with the huge wooden work tables...I was going on and on about them, how I wished I could have them at home, and he offered me a job...

I didn't know better....I took it...as I recall $1.20 an hour...I went to work at 10pm and finished crack 'o dawn the next day...

I worked with willie and don...both functional alcoholics both took me under their wings...it was a good place to feel protected in...(there was also a whole gambling thing going on there but it was really over my head)

willie couldn't really read...I got materials from the adult literacy project and worked on things with him...he got to be pretty skilled at reading and it was nice to see him feel good about it...it gave us something to do while the cinnamon rolls were proofing and there were some slow moments...

I was studying classical voice at the time and abe kept telling all the customers I was a great singer since I was full bosomed...he was kinda a pig...he thought it was OK to be a pig with me since he was Jewish, and I am Jewish so that gave us some kind of 'bond' in his mind--it was in his mind alone...

at about 3 or 4 am the donuts would come out of the oil...willie would swing the huge grate filled with dripping donuts out of the oil and I would fill them...the college kids would arrive like locusts, wanting hot bavarian cream doughnuts...they would crowd their way in the back and point well manicured fingers at the ones they wanted and then stand there waiting for me to pick up the still steaming doughnuts and fill them..."I want it Hot" was the constant refrain...'no',I would tell them, they are too hot to touch and I'll get burned..."but I want It H-h-hot"...I suggested that she could fill it herself (it was always the girls who did this)...I'd get the eye-roll and the flounced-hair 'okay'...I just stood back, we all did, and watched as she would pick up the doughnut, and then fling it down with a retort as she cradled her burned hand...I then told her I had to charge her for the donut anyway...

one of the perks of the job was that at the end of my shift when the streets were filled with snow, one of the DPW guys would always plow my way home...he'd drive the big truck and I'd follow in my VW bug, and then when I got home he'd plow out my driveway and in I'd go...

wow...I haven't thought about Abe's for a long time...I didn't like doughnuts when I started working there and don't like them to this day...odd since I do like fried things, just not doughnuts...and I *still* lust after those huge wooden bakery work spaces...

thus ends the ramblings...

I worked overnight at a donut shop for two weeks. Not my cuppa. I was good at flipping the donuts in the grease with the sticks and filling them, but not so much with the lifting the palate-sized trays and fitting them into the cart and some of the other baking duties.

I went home smelling like burnt donuts every morning and that stuff does NOT come out. It was in my hair, bedding, clothes and any fabric I touched, including sofas and my favorite recliner.

Work = two weeks
Time to get the smell out of everything = 8 weeks :blink:

I did, however, get to see beautiful sunrises when I was leaving to go home.

[Medusa]

I was just reminded of the time that I worked Christmas help at the Mall as a Santa's "Elf". My job was to lift the kids up to Santa's lap and hold up various stuffed animals off to the side so the photographer could get a good picture of the screaming babies.

I'll never forget the Mother who insisted that her kid wouldnt smile unless I threw myself on the ground and acted like I was hurt.

It worked. The little sadistic asshole smiled and clapped like I was Mickey Mouse handing out free candy.