Sả là một gia vị được nhân ta dùng phổ biến, đồng thời cũng là một cây thuốc chữa bệnh và trừ côn trùng tốt.
Sả là loại cây thảo sống dai, cao khoảng 1m, mọc thành bụi (tên khoa học là Cymbopogon Citratus (L.) Pers.), thuộc họ lúa (Poaceae). Củ sả là một gia vị được dùng trong chế biến nhiều món ăn, chủ yếu là để kích thích tiêu hoá, khử được mùi tanh của cá, thịt, giúp thức ăn thêm thơm ngon.
Theo Đông y, sả vị the, mùi thơm, tính ấm, có tác dụng làm ra mồ hôi, thông tiểu tiện và tiêu thực. Sả được dùng chủ yếu làm thuốc chữa cảm sốt, đầy bụng, tiêu chảy...
Liều lượng mỗi ngày 8 - 12g lá và củ sả dưới dạng thuốc xông hay thuốc hãm. Phổ biến nhất là nồi nước xông lá sả phối hợp với một số lá khác như lá tre, lá cúc tần, lá bưởi, lá tía tô. cây ngãi cứu.. mỗi thứ một nắm, đem nấu nước xông cho ra mồ hôi để chữa cảm sốt, nhức đầu.
Tác dụng chính của sả là ở tinh dầu. Trong lá sả có tinh dầu, thành phần chủ yếu là geraniola và citronelola. Vì vậy, khi ta vò lá sả thấy có một mùi thơm đặc biệt phảng phất mùi thơm của chanh.
Tinh dầu sả bôi lên da hoặc phun trong nhà có thể xua đuổi được ruồi, muỗi và các loài côn trùng khác như dĩn, bọ chét... do đó thường được dùng làm thuốc trừ muỗi và khử mùi hôi.
Phụ nữ cũng thường nấu nước lá sả để gội đầu cho trơn tóc, sạch gầu và có thể tránh được một số bệnh về tóc.
Ngoài ra, củ sả và tinh dầu sả còn dùng để chữa một số bệnh thông thường như : Lấy 3 - 6 giọt tinh dầu sả pha với xi-rô và nước, cho bệnh nhân uống để chữa đau bụng, đầy bụng, chống nôn và thông trung tiện. hoặc thái cũ sã đem ngâm rượu đễ dành khi đau bụng gió uống 1 li nhỏ
Bosses & Owners, Colorado, Crazy Requests, Denver, Ignoring & Inattentive, Office, USA | Working | May 28, 2020
I am one of three assistant directors at our company who report to our lead director. We have a team of about twenty employees who all four of us oversee. At the end of the day, each employee submits their production numbers and data which we report for our entire office.
Today, my role is to take everyone’s numbers at the end of the shift. An employee on their first day has not been properly tracking their production. I turn to our lead to ask how to record that.
Me: “Hey, [Lead], [New Guy] didn’t record his info correctly. How do you want me to report his numbers?”
Lead: “Have you gone over the training with him again?”
It has been roughly ten seconds since the new guy has told me he did not properly record.
Me: “Um, no, I’m just trying to fill out tonight’s report and I need to know what I should put in for his numbers.”
Lead: “Why haven’t you done that yet? If someone isn’t doing their work properly, you need to make sure you go over the training with them again!”
Me: “I understand that, but right now I need to get this report filled out and sent in in the next few minutes so this issue is pressing.”
Lead: “What I don’t understand is why you haven’t gone over the training with him again?!”
It has now been roughly thirty seconds since I noticed this problem. Our training for new hires usually takes over an hour and even a quick refresher would take at least twenty minutes.
Me: “That’s not really what I’m asking. I need to know how—”
Lead: “You should know how to train new people. Stop being defensive and do your job.”
They stormed out of the room.
I ended up having to contact our project manager to figure out how to report the discrepancy in the numbers. Later, I checked with the other assistant directors to find out who had trained the new hires that morning. It was the lead director.
Apartment Complex, Date, Landlord, Time, USA, Wisconsin |
Working | May 28, 2020
My partner and I are looking to move into our first apartment. I call a listing for an apartment that doesn’t fit all of our needs but is cheap and decent enough to at least look at. Please note that it is the middle of July.
Me: “Hello, I’m calling to find out if your one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit at [Location] is still available?”
Landlord: “October 4th.”
Me: “Um… what?”
Landlord: “October 4th.”
Me: “Oh, it’s not available until October 4th?”
Landlord: “We are in the month of October, ma’am.”
I’m totally confused and too shy to press the issue.
Me: “I… Okay. Thank you.”
Landlord: “You’re very welcome.”
I hung up. I don’t know what happened there, but I decided I did not want a landlord that either I couldn’t communicate with, or who existed two months ahead of me at all times.
Bigotry, Canada, Coworkers, Harassment, Office, Ontario |
Working | May 27, 2020
I work in Human Resources and I’m meeting with a lawyer who is defending our company from an unwarranted sexual harassment claim made by a former employee after she was fired. As I am explaining to him that the company culture here would strongly discourage that sort of activity, my two — male — coworkers walk by, talking to one another super casually.
Coworker #1 : “Aw, man, my hands still smell like girl. All day, that smell never really comes off.”
Coworker #2 : “I know, [Female Coworker #1 ] is always the worst. [Female Coworker #2 ] isn’t too bad, but the smell when it’s [Female Coworker #1 ] just lingers and lingers.”
The lawyer gives me an “oh, really” eyebrow, like I suddenly lost all credibility about our corporate culture.
I call my coworkers to come back and, while trying very hard not sound stressed about the answer, I ask them:
Me: “I just overheard the last bit of that. Why do your hands smell like girl, and what does it have to do with [Female Coworker #1 ]?”
Coworker #1 : “Oh, it must have been her turn to buy the soap for that washroom. It just smells like fruit and girl, and the smell stays for hours. The soap [Female Coworker #2 ] buys smells like girl, but you can’t even smell it after twenty minutes or so.”
They wandered off looking really puzzled about why my visitor was laughing so hard, but all I could think was, “Thank God!”
British Columbia, Canada, Coworkers, Dry Cleaners, Extra Stupid, Victoria | Working | May 27, 2020
I work with a woman for whom English is not her first language. Her English is actually great, but I think she thinks it is a lot worse than it actually is, so she overcompensates… which leads to scenarios like this.
Coworker: “Do you know what happened to the towels in the bathroom?”
Me: “No, I don’t.”
Coworker: “Oh. Well, I sent them to be cleaned at [Other Location]. Do you know?”
Me: “I don’t know.”
Coworker: “Oh. Well, I put a tag on them and sent them to [Other Location] to clean, but they didn’t come back. Do you know?”
Me: “I. Don’t. Know.”
Coworker: “Oh. Okay.”
I turn around to gather my stuff to go home.
Coworker: “But I put a tag on them. And sent them to [Other Location] for cleaning. And they didn’t come back. Do you know?”
I turn back to her with an incredulous look.
Coworker: “Oh. You don’t know.”
Me: “No. I don’t.”
She was actually quite intelligent and knew three or four different languages, but… boy, her questions could sure be tiring sometimes.
Bosses & Owners, Harassment, Office, UK | Working | May 27, 2020
I am waiting by the printer having just refilled it with paper. My manager is at his desk not far from me.
Manager: “Don’t you hate those tan lines?”
I turn and see him looking at me.
Me: “What tan lines?”
Manager: “Your bikini line.”
Me: “How the h*** are you even able to see that far up?”
Manager: “When you bent over to refill the paper tray.”
Me: “…”
Manager: “What? If you don’t want men looking, you should crouch more like a lady or stop wearing skirts!”
I was extremely uncomfortable and ran to the HR manager. She was quite furious about it and demanded he be suspended until an investigation took place. Senior management, though, just sent him on equal opportunity training; the HR manager resigned in protest.
It seemed to work on my manager, though, as now he refuses to lift his eyes up from his desk. I can’t stand to be in the same room as him, though, so I have requested to move departments. If I’m denied, I will be resigning also.
Bad Behavior, Bosses & Owners, Providence, Rhode Island, Sub Shop, USA | Working | May 27, 2020
When I first got hired at [Sub Chain], I always heard complaints from the other employees bashing the owner of this particular one and calling her nasty names. I always thought that they were just exaggerating or being lazy because most of them were teens — despite being fresh out of high school myself.
About a year in, I realized they weren’t wrong when I was made to work with them. This is the thing that finally broke it for me and made me quit.
I only hear the manager’s half of the phone conversation. Her father was in the hospital prior to this for other health conditions and has had heart attacks before.
Manager: *Through tears* “I just found out my dad had another heart attack and he’s not doing well. They don’t think he’s going to make it. I’m leaving to go be with him. You need to find coverage or [My Name] will be here alone until twelve.”
Now she is angry, crying harder, and screaming into the phone.
Manager: “What?! No, I can’t ‘just finish my shift’! My father is in the hospital dying!”
The manager hangs up and leaves. After that, because the boss can’t find anyone to come in, she has to come in herself to “help” — all she does is ring out customers — and this is what she says.
Boss: “I can’t believe she just left like that! She’ll be lucky if I don’t fire her for walking out!”
Me: “Um… her dad is in the hospital; he could be dying. You seriously expect her to stay at work for what could be the last time she can see or even talk to her father?”
Boss: “I don’t care. She has a job to do. She should have finished her shift before going to see him. It would only have been six hours.”
I take off my gloves and start heading for the door because I seriously can’t work for someone THAT heartless.
Boss: “Where are you going?”
Me: “I’m leaving, you’re a heartless f****** c***.”
Boss: “How dare you talk to me like that?! I’m your boss!
Me: “No, you’re just a b****. I quit. Look in the mirror and you’ll see why all your stores are short-staffed.”
After a while, I did go back to that shop for some food and to see some of the coworkers I liked. I found out that the manager also quit, and the boss didn’t tell anyone else why she was there alone that day apart from “they both walked out.” My old coworkers were appalled to hear why we both walked that day.
Crazy Requests, Employees, Jerk, New Hires, Office, UK | Working | May 27, 2020
A new employee comes into my office and huffs at me while I’m on the phone. I ask him to wait outside but he sits down and glares at me. I hang up.
Employee: “Finally! That is so disrespectful, talking to someone on the phone when there’s someone else right in front of you.”
Me: “Well, you did come into my office while I was on the phone and my door was closed. So, technically, you were being disrespectful to me.”
Employee: “Whatever. I need to make a complaint.”
Me: “What about?”
Employee: “[Supervisor].”
Me: “And what’s the problem?”
Employee: “He keeps telling me what to do. It’s so disrespectful.”
Me: “That’s his job. He’s your supervisor. Without him, you wouldn’t have any instruction.”
Employee: “I’m perfectly capable of working on my own.”
Me: “I’m sure you are, but we have a chain of command here. I tell [Supervisor] what needs to be taken care of, and he delegates the tasks to whoever is most able or available.”
Employee: “But that’s so disrespectful. You have to listen to us.”
Me: “Has he given you something you were incapable of doing?”
Employee: “No.”
Me: “Do you believe it was unreasonable?”
Employee: “No.”
Me: “Did you have an issue with doing what he asked you?”
Employee: “Duh!”
Me: “And what did he ask you to do?”
Employee: “Move boxes from the delivery truck! He didn’t ask me; he told me!”
Me: “But that’s his…” *Deep breath* “Why couldn’t you do it?”
Employee: “I could do it.”
Me: “So, why did you have an issue?”
Employee: “I didn’t want to do it! He should have asked me, not told me!”
Me: “Why didn’t you want to do it?”
Employee: “I just didn’t.”
Me: “Did you tell him?”
Employee: “No. I just came here.”
Me: “So, [Supervisor] told you to do something, and instead of telling him, you came here to make a complaint about not liking what he told you to do.”
Employee: “Yes.”
Me: “Maybe you should talk to him before running to me?”
He glared at me again before raising his hands in frustration and leaving, shouting that no one ever listened.
The other managers and I had a meeting the following week, and the above employee featured heavily in our conversations. He had gone to every manager throughout the week trying to make the same complaint. We all told him the same thing.
We called him and the supervisor in, and we learned that he had only been with the supervisor for the first day, before lying that one of the managers told him he was working elsewhere. When we asked him what he was actually doing, he said he just wandered around for eight hours every day.
As no issues cropped up during the week, he pretty much proved he wasn’t needed and was dismissed. He left a letter behind criticising us all for being “disrespectful. ”
Bosses & Owners, Coworkers, Florida, Orlando, Retail, Silly, USA | Working | May 26, 2020
In my store, we have a few different choices when it comes to what we wear. Today, my coworker and I wore the exact same thing. My coworker has also dyed her hair to barely a shade darker blonde than me.
I notice the team lead walk by a few times and every time he does, he does a double-take at us. On one of the passes, he stops.
Team Lead: “You guys are throwing me for a loop today. You’re both wearing the same thing and you’re both blonde.”
I felt bad for him the rest of the day, even worse knowing in a few weeks I was planning to dye my hair red which would then confuse him all over again.
Credit Card Company, Employees, Lazy/Unhelpful, USA, Virginia | Working | May 26, 2020
My grandmother falls prey to an Internet scam that results in a recurring charge on her credit card every month for $100. After a few months, she asks my mother and me for help, so we call the credit card company.
Employee #1 : “Okay, we have issues like this all the time. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to cancel this card and send you a new one, but I’ll put a security hold on your account so that your new information isn’t forwarded to the scammers. Then, I’ll start the paperwork to see if we can refund the fraudulent charges, and I’ll open an investigation into the scammers. Does that sound good?”
We thank him profusely for his help and even agree to pay extra to have my grandmother’s new card overnighted to her so we can put this mess behind us. But the next month, we see the fraudulent charges again. Because my grandmother has updater services — when she gets a new card, her company automatically sends the information to the companies that she has recurring charges with — we realize that the security block must have failed, so we call again.
Employee #2 : “I’m looking at the account, and I see that a new card was issued, but there’s nothing in the file about a security block for these charges, no paperwork started at all about the fraud, and no open investigation.”
Grandmother: “So, what you’re telling me is that your coworker openly lied to me over the phone when he said he was taking care of all that?”
It turns out that was pretty much the case. The second employee was very helpful. She stayed on the line with us while she did each step and confirmed that she’d completed each one as she did. We spoke to her supervisor — who also confirmed that everything had been handled — and told him that she did a great job, but we lodged a very strong complaint about the first employee who’d helped us.
Bosses & Owners, Employees, Extra Stupid, Fraud, North Carolina, Retail, USA | Working | May 26, 2020
We have an all store meeting on a Sunday morning where they have multiple stations set up to have all employees working their opening and closing pitches to customers. It is some major push with corporate to better understand customers through pitching them products or some such nonsense.
As I work in the service department, it doesn’t apply to my direct coworkers or me, but we have to show up anyway. One of the stations, though, is actually with the customer service workers who are going over ways to avoid fraud. One of the store managers who is directly over customer service is there, too.
All the employees are put into groups. My group is the third group to go to this station, so two others have already gone.
Representative #1 : “We need to make sure that, on checks, the name on the check matches their driver’s ID as well as address. Standard operating procedure is to write the customer’s ID number on the check.”
Manager: “If the customer has stolen a debit card but has the PIN, there really isn’t much we can do since we never look at the debit card if they put in the PIN. With a credit card or a transaction going through as credit, though, we can stop fraud completely because we have to put in the CID number on the back of the card so we can match the card with the customer’s ID.”
Representative #2 : “Honestly, it doesn’t matter if the name isn’t right because the whole thing would be between the person who had the card stolen and that person’s bank. So, we could technically stay out of it.”
Me: “So… when it comes to cards we don’t need to stop fraud or have no way of doing it?”
Manager: “With debits, not really, but with credit cards, you match the ID. Weren’t you listening?”
Me: “I was, but [Representative #2 ] just said that really the whole thing is between the person who lost the card and the bank. So, we can catch the fraud but honestly, there isn’t a point to if we still get paid and the person who lost the card isn’t technically on the hook for the charges applied to the card. Basically talking about cards at all is kind of useless.”
Manager: “Well… I mean, we can stop fraud by looking at the ID.”
Representative #2 : *To me* “But it doesn’t matter since it’s between the bank and the person.”
Me: “Yep, we can stop fraud by looking at the ID of the person with the credit card, but if we were to skip that entirely and just take the card, the person who had the card stolen could call their bank and not be on the hook for those charges.”
Representative #1 , Representative #2 , and Manager: “Yes.”
Arizona, Insurance, Phoenix, Roadside assistance, USA | Working | May 26, 2020
I work for a towing company that starts up in October 2016. This is exactly one day after it opens up, and all we offer right now is roadside assistance like jumpstarts and tire changes. We don’t have any tow trucks to drive quite yet, though we do have “Towing” in our company name.
We’re also contracted with a large insurance company, and apparently this customer got a card from her insurance company that had our number on it for her roadside assistance program.
Me: “[Towing Company], how can I help you?”
Customer: “Hi. I’m calling ’cause I got into an accident. What do I do?”
Me: “Have you called your local police to report it?”
Customer: “Yes, but I need a tow.”
Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but all we provide is roadside assistance services like jumpstarts and lockouts. We aren’t capable of providing towing service. When the police arrive on scene, they can call you a tow truck.”
Customer: “Isn’t this [Towing Company]?”
Me: “Yes, but we don’t offer towing services yet. We still don’t have the permits or trucks to do so.”
Customer: “But my insurance gave me your number. It’s on my card. Are you calling [Insurance Provider] liars?”
Me: “No, but that number is probably there for more minor roadside inconveniences. If you had a flat tire, I could help you, but all I can suggest is that you wait for the police to arrive or to call your insurance provider and have them call you a tow truck.”
Customer: “I’m going to report you to [Insurance Provider] and make sure they never use your towing service again!” *Hangs up*
Me: “But we don’t even do towing.”
Towing started up a month later. We’ve never had that person on our records since as far as I could tell.
Coworkers, Illinois, Lazy/Unhelpful, Liars/Scammers, USA, Wedding | Working | May 26, 2020
I am getting married and looking into videography. My budget is minuscule, so I ask a coworker for a quote because I know she has equipment and does this type of work on the side. She quotes me $400 for an edited highlight video including ceremony, speeches, and dances. A week later…
Coworker: “Hey, [My Name], did you decide if you wanted to have me tape your wedding?”
Me: “Oh! I almost forgot. Your quote was more than reasonable, but I don’t think we’re going to be able to swing a videographer at all. Thank you, though!”
I go back to work. Later, I see her with her head together with my boss. The two approach me.
Boss: “Are you really not hiring a videographer?”
Me: “Yeah. I just don’t think we can afford it since we went with the more expensive photographer.”
Boss: “Well, I don’t find that acceptable. It’s really important to have a video! I watch mine every year on my anniversary. So, I’m going to hire [Coworker] for you.”
Me: “Wait, what?”
Boss: “Consider it a wedding gift.”
Me: “Thank you so much!”
Cue the group hug.
As my wedding approaches, I try to plan details with my coworker. She ends up no-showing to my rehearsal, which is concerning, but the day of my wedding she shows up ready to go. I see her record the entire day on two separate cameras.
Two months later, I send her a message.
Me: “Hey, [Coworker]! I’m so excited to see my wedding video! No rush, but our dating anniversary is coming up in two months, and I was wondering if I might have video by then? I know we didn’t really discuss a timeframe.”
Coworker: “Oh, you’ll have it in plenty of time!”
Two months later, a week before our dating anniversary, I ask for it again.
Coworker: “I can probably get you the ceremony footage by then, but the reception needs more work.”
She sends me the ceremony footage a week after my dating anniversary. It’s nothing special but a great memento nonetheless and I thank her. I decide to be patient for the remaining footage.
Come Christmas, seven months after my wedding, I ask her again.
Me: “How’s the footage coming?”
Coworker: “Well, you didn’t tell me your sister was supposed to sing, so I don’t know how good the audio is going to be.”
Me: “Oh, I didn’t know there was a quality issue. That’s okay. I can get her to record a track; maybe we could overlay it or something.”
Coworker: “That might work.”
Me: “Okay, let me know.”
Three months later:
Me: “Any updates on my video? I can get a track from my sister. I’d love to have it for my one-year anniversary in a couple of months.”
Coworker: “The server it was on crashed and I lost all my work in progress so I have to start editing all over. It’ll be done in time.”
My husband and I go on a trip for our anniversary. Despite constant reminders to her, when we get back, there’s no sign of it. There are lots of “next week” and “tomorrow” conversations before I’m fed up.
Me: “We really need to talk. My wedding was well over a year ago. Why don’t I have my footage? Is it really bad and you’re ashamed to show it to me? Did [Boss] not pay you? Whatever it is, I’m happy to help figure it out! I just need you to communicate with me!”
Coworker: “It got deleted from the servers again. I have the memory cards but I’ll have to start over. [Boss] only paid me for the ceremony so I’m doing this for you as a favor.”
This whole time, my boss has been asking to see my video and pushing me to get it from my coworker, so I clue her in on the conversation.
Boss: “That’s a lie! I paid her $600!”
What follows is a big mess in a group chat. [Boss] claims to have paid her $600 cash. She shows a screenshot of a bank statement with a $500 cash withdrawal about a month before my wedding and says she had another $100 on her at the time.
[Coworker] claims to have been paid by check, either $150 or $200; she doesn’t “remember.” [Boss] claims not to even have checks. [Coworker] then shows a screenshot of her bank statement, showing two deposits for $300 a couple of days apart, but still claiming that she doesn’t “think” she got more than $200.
I’m confused because the original quote I received was for $400. [Boss] claims she paid extra because she wanted me to have more than just highlights which was what I got quoted for. [Coworker] claims [Boss] only hired her for the ceremony and she’s doing this out of the goodness of her heart.
I chime in the group chat.
Me: “[Coworker], if you were underpaid, I’m happy to pay you more! I just want my footage. I don’t even want you to edit it anymore; I just want the raw footage.”
Coworker: “It’s not about the money! I’m just a procrastinator. I have to look for the memory cards. It’s not on the one that I thought it was. You’ll have it Monday.”
We play the “next week” and “tomorrow” game for two more weeks.
Me: “I’m done! At this point, I have to assume you lost it and just don’t want to tell me.”
Coworker: “It’s on a memory card that’s the size of my pinky nail.”
Me: “I, like you, am a photographer. I know how big a memory card is! Do you really keep them in that many different places?”
Coworker: “Well, you know my car was totaled back in March. The memory card was probably in my purse and fell out and I missed it when I was cleaning.”
Me: “That was ten months after my wedding. It wasn’t backed up?”
Coworker: “I’m still looking; there are a lot of files to go through!”
She never admitted to completely losing it. She repeated her car accident sob story to mutual friends and continued to reiterate that a memory card is the size of a pinky nail. Zero apologies.
My boss flipped and demanded her money back. Even though [Coworker] only claimed to have been paid $200, she refunded “half” to my boss, which was $300. I ended up with nothing from my reception, not even a crappy cell phone video of my sister singing for my first dance with my husband. I guess I’m lucky to have gotten the ceremony footage at all.
I have not spoken one word to this girl since. It helps that we don’t work together anymore, but we still have a lot of mutual friends. Moral: do not hire friends and always get it in writing.
Bosses & Owners, Jerk, Retail, USA | Working | May 25, 2020
I used to be involved in one of those pyramid schemes in college. The woman who enrolled me said I could work around my classes, so it sounded ideal. I quickly learned I was not cut out for such a company.
My enroller called me several times a week to ask for leads and encourage me to buy more products. I did like the products I tried, but I was not treating it like a serious business, a fact I repeated several times. I made enough on kickbacks and commissions that I broke even, and I was happy with that.
Shortly before finals, I am overwhelmed and exhausted. The only thing I can cut from my life is [Pyramid]. My enroller calls as usual, so chipper that I question what she puts in her coffee every morning.
Enroller: *Super excited* “Hey, girlfriend! How’s it going?”
Me: “I’m exhausted.”
Enroller: “School got you down?”
Me: “Yeah, I’m just non-stop. I can’t keep going like this.”
Enroller: “That’s the beauty of [Pyramid]! We work around you!”
Me: “Right. About that. I’ve been thinking—”
Enroller: “Do you have any new leads?”
Me: “Uh, no. Actually, I need to take a break. Finals are coming up and I really need to buckle down.”
Enroller: *Sad* “You’re quitting?”
Me: “No, not quitting. Just… a hiatus. Finals are over next week, so it’s not long—”
Enroller: *Suddenly angry* “You said you were in this with me.”
Me: “I said I’d work around school. I—”
Enroller: “So, you are quitting. Really, that’s how you are?”
I’m already annoyed that she’s interrupting me so much.
Me: “No, I—”
Enroller: *Happy again* “Listen, I know it’s hard juggling work and school and friends. Girl, please, I’ve been there, done that, bought the T-shirt!” *Laughs*
Me: “I—”
Enroller: “But I’ve been with [Pyramid] for ten years, so trust me. When I started, I was so poor, I’d go days without eating and my kids had to split [Fast Food Kid Meals]. We were living in a spare bedroom in my parent’s house. Thanks to [Pyramid], I have my own roof over my head and a pantry full of food for my children and I don’t have to worry about anything!”
Me: *Uncomfortable* “And that’s great, but I—”
Enroller: “I never quit. Not once. Not when I was living with my parents, not when I was pregnant, not when my mother died. I worked through everything.”
Feeling backed into a corner, my fight or flight instinct is gearing up.
Me: “Look, I’m sorry. This is stressing me out. I’m taking a break. I’ll call you when finals are over.”
Enroller: *Angry* “So, you just come and go as you please?”
Me: “That was part of your pitch: that [Pyramid] works around my schedule.”
Enroller: “FINE!” *Hangs up*
Ten minutes later, the texts start coming in.
Enroller: “I’m glad you’re putting your education first if that’s what matters more to you. But you’re missing out on a great opportunity with [Pyramid].”
A few minutes pass.
Enroller: “I dropped out of college to work for [Pyramid] full time and you know everything I earned because of that decision!”
Ten minutes pass this time.
Enroller: “I’ll do the work for you! Just give me some contacts; I’ll tell them you’re studying so I’m picking up your slack!”
Half an hour passes and I think it’s over.
Enroller: “You said you were dedicated. This isn’t dedication. It’s desertion. I’m disappointed in you.”
I finally give in and send one text.
Me: “You’re crazy and I quit. Do not contact me again.”
I filed a cancellation through the [Pyramid] website and blocked her number. I’m sure there are people out there making lots of money from companies like that, but I was not one of them.
Bookstore, Bosses & Owners, Boston, Health & Body, Massachusetts, USA | Working | May 25, 2020
I work at a big chain bookstore. One morning, we come in to discover a large chunk of concrete has fallen through the ceiling in the business section. We cordon off the area, warning all customers — cue customers, “But I know what I need! Couldn’t you just run in there real quick?” — and at around midday a contractor comes in to take a look at it.
We’re told the area was stabilized and we shouldn’t have any other rocks falling, but word also gets around that he found up there an old form of insulation known to contain asbestos.
We’re all expecting an immediate store shut-down, but the general manager hems and haws and stalls, saying that he needs to be in touch with higher management to decide what to do.
The next day, we’re back in as usual — now worried about getting cancer, rather than being knocked out by falling concrete. After a few hours, a call comes in over the walkies we all use to communicate:
“[General Manager], there’s a representative from OSHA on line two. OSHA, line two.”
Bad Behavior, Colorado, Delivery, Employees, Restaurant, Silly, USA | Working | May 25, 2020
I live in a state where recreational marijuana is legal. I’m ordering from a restaurant that’s popular with the stoner crowd and the people who work there are usually a little hazy themselves. For this reason, I’m usually pretty thorough about making sure everything I order is correct.
The delivery guy has just delivered my food and, to my surprise, everything is correct. I sit down to eat when I get a call.
Me: “Hello?”
Delivery Guy: “Hey, man, it’s your driver from [Restaurant]. I’m so sorry, man! I took your food to the wrong house!”
Me: “What? No, you didn’t.”
Delivery Guy: “You had [correct order], right?”
Me: *Pause* “Yeah?”
Delivery Guy: “I’m really sorry! I’m running back to the restaurant right now; I’ll be right there.”
Me: “No, dude, I’m telling you, I have everything I ordered right in front of me. I’m in the middle of eating it!”
Delivery Guy: “No, it’s totally my bad. Don’t worry.”
Me: “Listen to me. I just saw you! You handed the food to me! My name is on the receipt!”
Delivery Guy: “Sorry. It’s going to be, I don’t know, like, ten more minutes.”
Me: “Please, I’m telling you: I paid, you gave me the food, and it’s all perfect. You don’t have to do anything. We’re all good.”
Delivery Guy: “I know, I’m sorry. It’s just been a long night. But I’m almost back at the restaurant now, so I won’t be too long.”
Me: “Really, it’s okay. I don’t need anything-”
Delivery Guy: “It’s no problem. Just… Oh, wait…”
He is silent for a good few seconds.
Delivery Guy: “My bad! Have a good night!” *Click*
I never figured out what he thought was going on. The food was great, though!
Employees, Food & Drink, Kansas, Restaurant, USA | Working | May 25, 2020
I’m at a restaurant known for their many different hamburgers. I’m having trouble deciding between [Burger #1 ] and [Burger #2 ]. I finally decide on [Burger #1 ]. The waiter comes to take our order.
Auto Shop, Canada, Employees, Insurance, Lazy/Unhelpful, Non-Dialogue, Ontario, Vehicle Rental | Working | May 25, 2020
During a storm, a large piece of ice falls off the roof of our house, damaging the windshield and roof of my car. This happens on a Saturday night.
I call my insurance company to file my claim and get referred to a body shop. The shop they send me to is one of their approved/preferred partners. Part of my policy also covers a rental vehicle.
Monday morning, I have to work, so my mom drops the car off for me at the body shop. They ask her if she would like to pick up the rental car at that time. She says no, which is correct. The next day, the agent handling my claim calls to get more details about the incident and follow up.
He asks if I’ve sent the car to the shop yet and if I’ve gotten the rental car. I say yes, the car is at the shop, but because I have a work truck during the week, I am waiting until Friday afternoon to get the rental car. He says that’s no problem; I should just give the body shop a little notice and they’ll arrange it on the day I want to pick it up.
Fast forward to Friday. I get off work around 1:00 pm. I call the body shop to arrange the rental car as instructed. The woman that answers says I have to call the car rental company directly. Okay, no problem. That’s not what I was told, but maybe I misunderstood.
I call the rental company, and the gentleman gets me set up with no issues. That is, until he asks me for a reservation number that my insurance company should have given me. I explain that I never got one. He says that’s okay, I can still go get the car, but I should try to get the number before I get there.
As I’m leaving to walk over to the rental place, I call my insurance company to explain. I’m lucky enough to speak to the same agent that’s handling my claim — I called his direct line first but he was on another call.
I go over what just transpired and request the reservation number from him. He pauses for a moment and I can tell he’s frustrated.
He says, “Really?! That’s part of their job! They’re one of our approved shops. They should have set that up for you. One moment, please.”
He puts me on hold for a few minutes. When he comes back to me, I’m about a minute away from the car rental place.
“I’ve set you up with a proper rental; your reservation number is [number],” the agent explains. “It may take a few minutes for it to show up in their system but it will be ready for you today. I’ve also sent an email to my superiors about this. It shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.”
I tell him, “No, thank you for helping me sort this out. I’m sorry if I made it harder for you by trying to set up my own rental.”
“Not at all! You didn’t do anything wrong,” the agent says. “They shouldn’t have had you do that.”
We finish the call just as I walk into the car rental place. My rental car is already pulled out and waiting for me, and the staff there can’t have been more pleasant. I just wish the process had been easier.
Employees, Factory/Industrial, Italy, Lazy/Unhelpful | Working | May 24, 2020
This happens in the pre-cellphone era. Our company routinely performs jobs at a refinery located 230 kilometres away — that is, an hour-and-a-half drive. At 9:00 am, the foreman at the refinery realizes they will need special equipment to complete the job, so he calls the company and they send another worker with a van to deliver it.
At 10:30, the foreman is waiting outside the refinery. At 11:00, he’s annoyed and at 11:30, he starts to worry. The van finally shows up at 12.
Foreman: “At last! What took you so long?”
Driver: *Stalling* “Ehh, I had trouble.”
Foreman: “What trouble? I’ve been listening to the radio; the traffic was fine!”
Driver: “I had trouble… getting gas!”
Foreman: “Getting gas, eh? We’ll talk about that later. Where are you going now? We need to unload the van!”
Driver: “Why, I’m going to lunch before there’s a queue!”
Twenty years later, “I had trouble getting gas” is still the blanket reply whenever someone’s punctuality is questioned!
Current Events, Health & Body, Non-Dialogue, Norway, Oslo, Restaurant | Working | May 23, 2020
Due to the regulations in Norway surrounding the recent disease outbreak, most restaurants are closed except for takeout. I head over to surprise my husband with some of his favorite döner kebab to cheer him up.
As I am waiting — patiently, one meter apart from all the other patrons — to order, I see advertisements everywhere in the restaurant asking people to pay with contactless payment methods to avoid unnecessary touching. They’re on the digital menu screens, on signs, everywhere, asking people to pay with contactless methods.
I almost always try to use contactless anyway, so I’m pleased. There should be no reason to touch the PIN pad, as it is a transaction under the currency requirement that makes you enter your PIN code using your bank card.
I eventually make my way to the front, place my order, and go to pay using contactless payment, only for the screen to prompt for me to enter a tip into the keypad and hit “OKAY” to acknowledge the total. The gentleman working there has no ability to enter it in himself, so I am forced to touch the PIN pad regardless.
At The Checkout, Employees, Grocery Store, Jerk, Money, USA | Working | May 22, 2020
I’m really bad with confrontation.
Cashier: “Your total is $26.15.”
Me: “Okay.”
I hand her $41.15.
Cashier: “What are you giving me all this money for?!”
Me: “I— I— I— Change.”
The cashier gave me a dirty look. She called her supervisor, took a long time to count out $15, and shoved it into my hands. The whole time, she held my items behind the counter. I have no idea how I offended her so badly.
Welcome To The Brain On Autopilot; May I Take Your Order?
Employees, Fast Food, Georgia, Silly, USA | Working | May 22, 2020
While I’m at work, my husband texts me to bring home something for dinner, so I decide to go through the drive-thru of a fast food place famous for their chicken n’ biscuits, since nothing else sounds the least bit appetizing.
Worker: “Place your order whenever you are ready.”
Me: “I’d like two cajun chicken filet biscuit combos, please.”
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