Job descriptions are sometimes vague, and they don’t always encompass everything that is expected of an employee in a given position. Some of the requests these employees had to deal with include live bees, injuries, and lots and lots of poop. If you’ve ever had a job, you will either relate to this list or love your job so much more after reading it.
1. Comic Books And Possum
I am employed at a store that specializes in comic books and records. On my first day, my supervisor surprised me with an unusual task—they instructed me to handle a situation involving a motionless possum outside.
Equipped with a broom, a cardboard box, packing tape, and a plastic bag, I proceeded to fulfill this duty. As I stepped outside, a thought crossed my mind that the possum might not actually be lifeless and could simply be pretending.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I cautiously poked it a few times. Afterward, I carefully placed it inside the plastic bag, sealed the bag, and secured it within the cardboard box. This box, completely sealed with tape, was then left by the entrance.
And that wasn't all. To my surprise, at some point later that day, an individual mistook the box for a delivery from UPS or something similar and unknowingly took it home. I hope they're enjoying their unexpected possum encounter.
2. Well, It Is Bringing “Life” Into The World
I was unexpectedly called upon to help with an emergency birth while on duty as a lifeguard. Oh my goodness, what a surprise!
3. Excel-lent, I’m Out
One day, my boss summoned me to his office. I noticed his daughter sitting at his desk as he expressed, "She has an online exam for an Excel class, please ensure she succeeds." Rest assured, I have no intentions of updating my resume.
4. Protective Gear, Vicks Cream, and Coolers
I work as a technician specializing in refrigeration and HVAC systems. During the previous summer, a restaurant we provided services for caught fire, but some parts of the building, including the walk-in cooler, freezer, and beverage cooler, remained intact.
Before demolishing the building, the owners requested us to salvage the evaporator coils, which are the cooling fans inside the walk-ins. They wanted to save them as they were undamaged.
When we arrived, it had been over two months since the walk-ins had been opened, with all the food and products left inside. The condition inside was extremely unpleasant. The odor of rotting food, meat, sauces, and more was overwhelming.
Initially, I planned to handle it alone, but upon opening the doors, the smell was so overpowering that I nearly fainted and felt nauseated. Consequently, I propped open the doors and decided to return the next day to allow some ventilation and reduce the odor.
The following day, my boss and I returned, fully dressed in protective suits, boot covers, goggles, gloves, and regular dust masks. However, it turned out that our protective gear was still insufficient. The situation deteriorated further.
We successfully removed the evaporator coil from the cooler. However, in the combination cooler and freezer where the freezer door was positioned at the back of the cooler, the entire floor was covered in a slimy, two-inch layer of rotten food, making it slippery.
I nearly slipped multiple times, which was quite frightening. To combat the smell, we applied Vicks cream to our upper lips, but even then, it was almost unbearable. As we attempted to open the freezer filled with meat, we decided it was impossible due to the associated health hazards.
We promptly left, discarding our clothing and boots due to the severity of the situation. Furthermore, we invoiced the owners for the time we took to return home and shower before resuming work.
To combat the smells, I had to wash my hands with a predominantly bleach mixture. This experience was, by far, the worst thing I have ever encountered in my life.
5. I Mean, It Is A Life Lesson
As a teacher, I found myself assisting a intoxicated teenager to the bathroom, aiding her with her needs, and then re-attiring her. I had to support her while she remained unconscious for a prolonged period, all the while being cautious of any abrupt vomit occurrences.
6. How To Make Sure They Don’t Do It Again
During my time at Best Buy, my supervisor approached me with a request. He asked if I would be willing to work an overnight shift, and I agreed without hesitation. Initially, I assumed that my responsibilities would revolve around the usual inventory tasks.
However, to my surprise, my supervisor tasked me with the entire project of painting the front wall of the Best Buy store. Typically, professional painters were hired for such tasks, but it seemed that the company wanted to cut costs.
Despite the unexpected challenge, I embraced the opportunity. I kept my energy up by enjoying slices of pizza and listening to music while I diligently painted the wall.
Ultimately, the results were not satisfactory, leading the company to hire a professional the following day to repaint the wall.
7. Cashiers And Bee Venom
I used to work as a cashier at a store that specialized in selling honey. One day, they unexpectedly asked me to assist in gathering bees for bee venom therapy. Although my job description only involved sitting at the register, they were short-staffed and despite lacking any training in beekeeping, I agreed to help.
Nervously, I put on the beekeeper's outfit, but they insisted that the bees wouldn't sting, trying to convince me that the protective gear was unnecessary. However, I knew better because my colleagues would often complain about bee stings, occurring at least once a week.
To my surprise, they then started blaming the bees for their own mishaps, saying that they had startled them or made mistakes, absolving the bees of any responsibility. Of course, it wasn't the bees' fault; it was their own fault for going out into the bee yard in inadequate clothing like shorts and t-shirts.
Reluctantly, I wore the outfit and joined them outside, where they handed me a glass mason jar with a lid and two tubes attached to it. The plan was to insert one tube over the bees and the other into my mouth, and using suction, I had to carefully suck up exactly 100 bees into the jar (the tube in my mouth had a mesh net to prevent the bees from flying in).
That evening, during a family dinner, my grandma inquired about my day at work. I responded honestly, saying, "I had to use my mouth to suck up bees." Needless to say, there were no further comments made at the table that night.
8. The Bugs Became Active
During the summer, I am employed at a shop that specializes in corsets, fostering a positive rapport with my supervisors. On a particular day, I found myself as the sole employee alongside my boss as we readied ourselves for an exceptionally hectic day ahead.
Notably, when the weather is pleasant, a greater influx of individuals patronize our shop to try on our assortment of garments. Approximately 20 minutes before our official opening, we inspected the numerous racks of corsets.
While examining one corset, I initially believed it appeared to be in satisfactory condition. However, I experienced a startling moment. I noticed movement from within...and it was stinkbugs.
Unbeknownst to us, an entire rack had been placed near a slightly ajar window, resulting in every single corset becoming infested with a minimum of two or three of these insects. To provide context, we estimated that approximately 100 corsets were affected.
Our attempts to shake them off outside and remove them proved fruitless, only exacerbating the activity of the bugs. Eventually, I devised an ingenious plan of submerging the slumbering bugs in warm, soapy water.
The only setback was the scarcity of suitable containers for this task, leaving us with just one bottle. Hence, I found myself darting around, employing a Mountain Dew bottle as a vessel for drowning stinkbugs.
I would swiftly empty its contents and discreetly continue this process, ensuring that none of our customers would take notice. Furthermore, the demands of the day were so consuming that I was unable to take a lunch break.
However, the silver lining arrived in the form of a $50 bonus as a token of appreciation.
9. Hamburger With A Side Of Fluids
Being a clinical custodian required dealing with unpleasant messes and bodily fluids, which was clearly stated in my job description. Nevertheless, I never expected patients to mistake my role as a custodian for that of a personal waiter.
Surprisingly, I didn't find it particularly bothersome since it provided some variety in my daily tasks.
However, I genuinely couldn't understand why they would glance at me, with my soiled gloves and dirty linen, and believe that I could be the ideal candidate to fetch meals and beverages for their ill loved ones.
TommyStockProject, Shutterstock
10. This Trash Is No One’s Treasure
I serve as an officer in the infantry. After spending several weeks in the wilderness, we were unable to rest due to the incorrect disposal of certain materials in the regular trash, which should have been placed in the hazardous waste dumpster.
Therefore, a group of 25 lieutenants in the United States infantry had to thoroughly examine and sort through the entire content of a dumpster to ensure its compliance. It was certainly a moment that made me question my presence there.
Interestingly, among us was an officer from Ghana who was undergoing training. I glanced at him and humorously remarked, "When you return home and they inquire about your experience in the US, omit this particular incident!"
He responded with a smile, "Rest assured, it will remain an American secret."
Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, Picryl
11. He’ll Never Learn That Way
I'm just a 16-year-old teenager, and I spend my summers working in IT support at my school. Interestingly, my boss has taken up the challenge of becoming a math tutor. Whenever we have slow days, he asks me to assist him by completing his online math assignments.
12. Carpool Meetings
Sometimes, I would have to ride together with my boss in his car to attend meetings. It was an interesting experience with him behind the wheel and me in the passenger seat. Instead of focusing on the road, he would often divert his attention towards me while he spoke.
In order to ensure safety, I became the designated person to keep my eyes on the road. During these drives, my boss had a peculiar habit of constantly changing lanes without any apparent reason, as if it were some sort of game.
Additionally, he would frequently alternate between releasing and pressing down on the gas pedal throughout the entire two-hour journey. But wait, there's more. In some instances, he would hold his phone with one hand, making sure the speakers were loud enough for me to hear the conversations happening on the other end.
To add to the erratic nature of the situation, he would even ask me to take notes while the car swerved along the road, all while he navigated with just one hand on the wheel.
13. You Have To Draw The Line Somewhere!
Every day at my job, I am faced with a daunting and colossal obstacle—a staircase that demands my presence. It seems to have taken upon itself the task of taking me up and down with unwavering devotion.
However, it leaves me slightly perplexed, as I do not recall enrolling in any exercise regimen.
14. No Escape
My work has had a devastating impact on my social life, leaving it in ruins. The demands of my schedule leave me with little time for anything other than work and going straight back home.
15. Office Spiderman
At my workplace, the air conditioning unexpectedly stopped working. In response, my boss kindly approached me and asked if I would be willing to climb onto the roof to reset the switch on the unit.
Although the building is merely three stories tall and has a tin roof, it was high enough for me to be at risk of serious injury had I slipped. To make matters more interesting, I work in an office setting and was dressed in my formal business attire while cautiously traversing the roof to reach the A/C unit.
It wasn't until about six months later, after enduring two more trips to the roof, that we discovered the existence of a reset switch conveniently located inside the office breaker box. Well, at least we had some adventurous moments, right?
16. Now, If The Tiles Were In The Computer
At work, I had the responsibility of addressing and replacing damaged ceiling tiles. Guess what my role was...Surprisingly, I held the position of a Linux-Sys administrator.
17. Brawls And Exploding Glasses
Back in the late '90s, I had a role as a supervisor at a nightclub. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows though. I had to deal with some women who were hoping to get free drinks by flirting with me, which wasn't exactly enjoyable.
However, the absolute worst incident was when a horrifying fight erupted. These two guys were throwing each other around like ragdolls, and to make matters worse, they ended up right next to my bar.
I immediately sprang into action, frantically removing any glasses that they could potentially use as weapons. Unfortunately, I couldn't move fast enough.
One of the individuals managed to grab a massive glass ashtray, roughly the size of a dinner plate, and forcefully brought it crashing down onto the other guy's skull. The impact was brutal, resulting in a horrifying spatter of blood that seemed to be everywhere.
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV ,Shutterstock
18. I Don’t Know Much, But I Know I Can’t Fix It
I was out there, mowing a big plot of land, using a lawnmower. Now, what happened next was totally unexpected. You see, I was cutting the grass right beside a road when a car pulled up and abruptly came to a stop, making a loud "clunk" sound.
The driver, who was all by herself, seemed clueless about what had just happened. She simply expressed her confusion by saying, "The car just stopped." Now, let me tell you, I'm not exactly a car expert.
On a good day, I might be able to identify about half of the things underneath a car's hood. But this lady beside me knew even less than I did. With no other plans for the moment, I decided to take a peek underneath the car to check if it was leaking any oil.
To my astonishment, what I discovered was the drive shaft lying right there on the ground! "Well, ma'am, I'm afraid I won't be able to help you fix this," I said to her honestly.
19. I Do Books, Not Roadkill
One day, while I was attending my history class, a rather unpleasant situation unfolded. As I looked out the window, I noticed a decaying deer lying motionless on a set of railroad tracks. Judging by its deteriorated state, it had likely been there for a couple of days already.
The pungent odor combined with the sweltering July heat made the scene even more dreadful. At that moment, all I wished for was to focus on my studies and engage in intellectual conversations rather than dealing with the unfortunate task of removing the deceased animal.
20. Money’s Always Tight!
I recently started working at a furniture store after being a painter at my previous job. They noticed my painting experience on my resume and mentioned that they were facing financial difficulties.
Despite offering me a job with a $6 pay cut from my previous salary, they assured me that I would have consistent working hours. To begin with, they assigned me the task of painting all their office spaces, fully aware that the work I was doing was worth much more than the mere $10 per hour they were paying me. And it gets much worse.
They explained that in their workplace, everyone had to be capable of handling various responsibilities, even though no one besides me seemed to go beyond their assigned tasks. It took me approximately three months to realize that they were incredibly lazy as bosses.
These individuals had no clue about effective business management, and the only reason they had a business was due to their fathers' hard work. Moreover, I discovered that the furniture industry was quite problematic.
They blatantly deceived customers, purchasing cheap items from China and selling them at a staggering 400% profit.
21. Luckily, I Can’t Smell
I work as a lifeguard, and sometimes we have to deal with some unpleasant tasks, like cleaning the pool. The most challenging incident happened last summer in the scorching heat of Alabama. There was a young boy who came to our pool with his family.
Everything seemed normal at first because we usually have many kids enjoying our pool, which has two waterslides and a rock-climbing wall. However, nobody expected what was about to happen. The boy climbed up the stairs to the waterslides without any issues.
But as soon as he started descending the faster enclosed one, he suddenly had the urge to do something rather inappropriate. He decided that that exact moment was the perfect time to relieve himself. Needless to say, he did his business right in the middle of the slide.
To make matters worse, he then rolled onto his side, creating a trail of poop that stretched all the way down the side of the slide, leaving a disgusting brown streak. Of course, we had to close down the pool, and as lifeguards, it was our responsibility to clean up the mess.
Strangely enough, I must have lucked out (or maybe not) because I cannot smell anything due to being anosmic. As a result, I was the one chosen to tackle this unpleasant task.
Since it was a tunnel slide, I had to crawl on all fours throughout the entire slide, trying my best not to slip, while wiping off the walls covered in poop. The heat added to the already dreadful situation, making it an exceptionally challenging and messy day.
Patryk Kosmider , Shutterstock
22. That’s Not What Mirrors Are For
During my time in high school, I worked as a lifeguard at this indoor water park. To my surprise, it was part of my job to clean the bathrooms once my shift was over. I had no idea this was in my job description.
It was quite an experience, and definitely something I won't be doing again in the future. I had the misfortune of having to clean the male public restroom, and I couldn't help but wonder how it was possible for some individuals to manage to pee all over the mirror.
23. When You Don’t Even Get Paid
Here's a self-explanatory one: internships without compensation.
24. Going The Extra Mile
I used to work in a fast-food establishment that operated similarly to Culvers. Customers would place their orders at the counter and be given a number and a cup for their beverages. They would then find a seat and we would bring their food to them.
One of our shift leaders was dealing with an ongoing medical problem, but he was receiving treatment and managing it quite well. He was also an exceptional employee, always going above and beyond.
However, one day he wasn't feeling great and ended up fainting on the floor. It was a terrible sight to witness, especially since he hit his head on a sharp corner of a countertop. Luckily, this happened in the back of the restaurant where customers couldn't see.
The unfortunate part was that he was in the kitchen and the injury was causing significant bleeding. I immediately went into panic mode. I quickly grabbed gloves and paper towels in an attempt to slow down the bleeding.
One of my coworkers called for an ambulance, while another contacted our store manager using her cellphone. The situation became even more chaotic after that. The shift manager was completely disoriented and couldn't even provide his name when the paramedics arrived.
Thankfully, he kept all his medical documents in his car, so another coworker had to break into it to retrieve them. The assistant manager had to step in and take over the shift. She lived only a few minutes away, so she arrived before the injured shift leader left for the hospital.
I ended up accompanying him during the ride and stayed by his side at the hospital. We were all very close at that workplace, more like a big family.
When he regained consciousness after receiving the necessary treatment, I playfully teased him, saying, "I didn't expect this when I agreed to cover your shift tonight!" since I had taken over for someone else.
He made a full recovery but became more vigilant about his medical condition and any potential warning signs.
25. Really Odd Job
I am employed in a small company where I handle various tasks in an office setting. At one point, I found myself responsible for completing any odd job that came up.
This unusual situation struck me vividly when I was tasked with locating a suitable facility to clean and dry a colossal, valuable, and highly specific canvas tarp that had unfortunately grown moldy. To add to the challenge, I was given an absurd budget to work with.
As I made calls in advance and explained the situation, each place I approached declined to take on the task. It was an unpleasant experience, and it caused me a considerable amount of stress.
26. At Least Give Me A Day Off!
I used to work as a bank teller in the past. Unfortunately, I had been a victim of an armed robbery incident. It was a really frightening experience as I vividly remember someone pointing a pistol directly at me.
Surprisingly, despite the traumatic event, I was still expected to go back to work the very next day without any time off to recover.
27. When The Expectation Doesn’t Match Reality
I was excited to start my new job as an assistant in a computer science lab at the college. When I met with the student work coordinator, they explained that my main role would be helping beginner students understand challenging concepts that can be difficult to explain.
I saw this as a great opportunity to take on a challenge and essentially play the role of a tutor. I was motivated to assist students who may struggle with certain concepts in computer science. However, during the job orientation, I received different instructions from my actual boss.
They informed me that my primary tasks would involve sitting at a desk, resetting passwords, and occasionally refilling paper in the printers. Unfortunately, due to some past incidents of plagiarism, we were strictly forbidden from assisting students with their assignments.
Instead, a new position was created in another department with stricter supervision to specifically help students with their work.
28. A Little Head’s Up Would Be Nice
I used to work as a software developer, and one day my boss assigned me a pretty absurd task. It threw me for a loop—They wanted me to spray paint a booth for a trade show!
It wasn't something I expected to do in my line of work, but I guess there's always room for unexpected adventures. Looking back, I wish I had chosen a more appropriate outfit for the task at hand.
29. At Least They Won
During my college days, I had the opportunity to work at a bar. Whenever the place wasn't crowded, our manager had a habit of selecting a few of us to join him in a game of beer pong. One fine day, he chose me as his partner.
As we played multiple rounds, we grew more competitive and decided to spice things up by playing for some cash, $20 per game. The stakes kept increasing as the game progressed, and we even had some rounds where we would either double our winnings or walk away with nothing.
Before long, we found ourselves battling it out in an intense $400 match. Having lost quite miserably in the previous round, both of us had stomachs full of Bud Light. Suddenly, in the midst of the game, the manager abruptly halted everything.
He motioned for me to follow him behind the bar. To my surprise, he shoved a finger down his throat and started vomiting. He turned to me with a determined look, urging me to do the same. However, I opted not to comply with his request.
Upon seeing my reluctance, he informed me that my job was on the line if I didn't follow suit. So, feeling a mix of confusion and apprehension, I reluctantly stuck a finger down my throat as well. We returned inside to resume the match, and miraculously, we emerged victorious.
30. I Hope You Like Confrontation
I used to work for a very wealthy individual who had made significant investments in real estate. As an electrician and all-around handyman, my main role was to maintain and renovate his diverse properties.
However, what he conveniently failed to mention was the additional responsibility I had as his "muscle". I was expected to carry out tenant evictions for those who had fallen behind on their rent.
Moreover, he conveniently neglected to inform me that most of his tenants were struggling with addiction issues. Furthermore, it seemed to amuse him greatly to have me guess the amounts he had spent on various items.
He would repeatedly challenge me, saying "try to guess how much," until I could come up with an estimate.
31. You’re Also My Etiquette Coach
My boss used to share text messages he received from his ex-wife with me, seeking my advice on how to respond respectfully and avoid sounding rude.
32. Pressing And Squeezing Are Kind of the Same Thing
I had the challenging task of pouring out nearly 500 bottles of drinks. However, that wasn't the bad part—it was the fact that every single one of them had expired. I had to carefully open crates filled with bottles, pouring out the unpleasant liquid, some of which had been sitting there for over five years, down the sink. It's safe to say that my role can be quite disheartening, as I am responsible for dealing with these soda-related issues.
33. Can You Change The Seasons?
I had to politely clarify to our customers the reasons why we didn't have particular types of fruit available. It seemed difficult for customers to understand that strawberries were not available during the winter period.
Unfortunately, they are not in season in the area where I work. Moreover, it's important to note that having scalding hot coffee thrown at us is definitely not a part of our job description.
34. The Extra Tasks You Do When You Really Care
I'm a doctor, but I like to bring smiles to my young patients by making them balloon animals. Even though it's not officially part of my job, it's a special way to brighten their day.
35. Who Couldn’t Use A Few Extra Dollars?
I used to work as a car mechanic, but one time, the company decided to upgrade their computer systems. They asked me to go up into the attic crawlspaces and install new ports for every terminal.
It was quite a task, but in the end, I didn't mind because I still got paid and they even compensated me a bit for the cable I had to use.
36. Spy Work
During my time working for a company that owned various franchises, I found myself faced with a task that filled me with anxiety.
I was instructed by my boss, who had given me orders that morning, to drive approximately an hour away to a store that had recently terminated its franchise agreement with us.
This particular store had been canceled due to its failure to pay around $50,000 in fees owed to our company. We had heard through grapevine that they wasted no time in removing our branding, replacing it with their own, and continued operating as usual.
My boss wanted me to gather secret photographic evidence to substantiate these claims. It was my role as the marketing coordinator, after all. Ironically, that morning I had already prepared a resignation letter that I kept tucked away in my pocket.
I had planned on resigning just before my boss assigned me this covert mission. However, I decided to wait until I returned from the assignment to submit my letter. Knowing that I would soon be leaving the company, I found myself caring much less about the task at hand.
I carried out my mission by capturing the incriminating photos while driving past the store, utilizing a regular digital camera since this happened before the advent of iPhones.
To avoid any potential confrontations or incidents with the store owners, I parked my vehicle down the street, set up my camera for the perfect shot, then proceeded to drive past without diverting my attention from the road.
Halting and causing unnecessary attention was the last thing I wanted to do. As if things couldn't get any more captivating...on that very same day, a close friend of mine who served in the air force decided to stir up some excitement of their own.
They actually threatened to declare a mayday at the local airport, convincing the authorities to clear a runway for an immediate landing (mind you, my friend was on the ground and not piloting the aircraft).
Naturally, this emergency landing made it onto the news, drawing attention from the public. Although there was no real danger, having a fighter jet touch down at a domestic airport was enough to spark interest.
Oddly enough, when I later encountered my friend, they had footage of the news story on their laptop. It was during that moment that I couldn't help but think, "I was busy taking those sneaky photos while this was all unfolding.
Resigning from my job was definitely the right decision."
37. Couldn’t Be More Different
I ended up being the unofficial security person for an important guest from South Asia. I hopped on a golf cart and rode at the front of the group of vehicles, listening to the incredibly energetic song called "Thunderstruck."
I specialize in creating and managing websites as part of my job.
38. Can I Have A Different Life?
During my time at university, I had the opportunity to work at the IT desk. I remember a particular day when a graduate student approached me for assistance with shopping in Second Life.
Apparently, her professor had arranged a virtual class, and it was crucial for their game characters to dress appropriately. To fulfill her request, I first had to install the game on her computer.
Once that was done, she logged in while I remained seated at my desk. As she observed, I patiently familiarized myself with the game controls, ensuring that she carefully noted down the purpose of each one.
Interestingly, this turned out to be the most time-consuming task I had to tackle all day.
39. A Job With An Incredible View
I work as an engineer, which means I spend most of my time sitting in front of a computer. Occasionally, though, I have the opportunity to visit various construction sites in town, although it's not particularly thrilling.
One morning, as I walked into the office, my boss asked if anyone was willing to go on a site visit. It seemed like no one else wanted to go, so despite being new to the team, I volunteered. I said, "Sure, where do you need me to go?"
To my surprise, the site was located in Steamboat Springs, CO, which was a three-hour drive away from our office in Denver. It turned out to be the best day I've had at work. The moment I left the I-70, I was greeted by breathtaking mountain views that seemed to stretch for miles.
And to make things even better, I made the journey in my little convertible sports car which was absolutely incredible. Not only did I have the opportunity to enjoy six hours of stunning mountain driving in my sleek convertible, but I was also paid my regular hourly wage along with mileage reimbursement.
That day, I made over $40 per hour. I never imagined I would be paid to have such an amazing adventure through the mountains for six hours.
40. The Drink Ticket Revolution
I used to work at this bar that had a really bad reputation. The turnover rate was ridiculously high because people would get promoted based on who their dad played golf with the boss. I was only 22 at the time, and there was another bartender who was 38.
We were working at a wedding where guests had drink tickets. Our new boss, who had recently been promoted after yelling at everyone in her way, was only 18 and had brightly colored hair.
She actually shoved a girl who was having a breakdown in the back and told her to toughen up or leave. She also got caught tampering with people's hours on the timesheets.
She would always assign the easier tasks like carrying tables to the younger girls, while me and the other guys were given more physically demanding tasks like rolling up the equipment.
At the end of the night, instead of actually counting the ticket jars for pricing, she would just throw them in the trash while the servers were clearing tables.
The servers would accidentally throw wet food all over the tickets until she realized later on that she needed to count them for pricing. At one point, she targeted me out of nowhere.
She walked up to me while I was emptying my ice buckets and said, "Did you throw out your drink tickets??? You need to go find them and count them!" I replied, "No, you took them from me and *fellow bartender* about 10 minutes ago.
I haven't been to the back in over five hours." She gave me this look and went to the older head bartender, who just started laughing right in her face. After a moment, she looked around and saw a new server who was the same age as her clearing tables as instructed.
She walked over to her, probably because she thought she would be an easy target, and demanded that she go dig through the trash. In the back, me and the other bartender were shaking our heads and barely able to contain our laughter.
But surprisingly, the server stood up for herself and said, "No, I'm not doing that," even though she was usually so sweet. The supervisor went to find the janitor and explained the situation to him, but he didn't understand her because he didn't speak English well.
She demanded that he go through the trash, but he just shook his head and walked away. All of her attempts to bully us had failed—so she took it to the next level. She called her dad's friend, who was the boss, and told him what happened. He told her to write us all up.
So, as we were finishing our shift, she handed us write-up papers and then had to dig deep into the wet trash herself. As we were leaving, the senior bartender said, "You know, we could've just counted how many tickets were left in the new rolls and subtracted that from the original 1,000 tickets."
We all ran out of the hall laughing like little kids. Honestly, I didn't even think of that, but he knew it the whole time. The whole crew, except the supervisor, went out for drinks and we praised the young server for standing up to her.
41. Lying Is Not My Job
I had been working at an animal shelter that underwent a change in leadership, transitioning to a "no-kill" model. While this sounded promising, there were certain complications we faced in practice.
One of these complications involved dogs with a history of aggression, whom we still attempted to find homes for. There was a specific dog named Benny, a Jack Russell mix, who had a fondness for people but had unfortunately been surrendered to us for harming his owner's daughter's new Labrador puppy, an incident witnessed by the entire family.
Though Benny could potentially be adopted, we needed to ensure he would not be placed in a home where he would be near other pets, given his past behavior. One day, a kind elderly couple came to the shelter looking for a small dog.
A kennel worker brought them Benny, and naturally, they fell in love with his calm and gentle demeanor. However, it was a mistake for the kennel worker to introduce Benny to them without consulting me, an adoption specialist, first. It turned out that this couple had two cats at home.
When I learned about their situation, I expressed my disappointment, saying, "That's rather unfortunate, but please have them come back in and we'll try to find them another suitable dog."
Unfortunately, my "supervisor" overheard this and scurried off into the back offices, like some strange grown-up horse girl gremlin she was. The kennel worker pulled me aside and told me, "We're just going to go ahead and let them adopt Benny."
I found it utterly repulsive. I argued against it, citing the incident with the other dog, but they replied, "We did a cat test, and he seemed fine with them!" This so-called test involved walking Benny on a leash past a cat and observing if he showed any aggression towards it.
It was neither a safe nor reliable method, especially considering Benny's known aggressive tendencies. It was clear that they simply wanted to offload a long-time resident onto this unsuspecting family.
I approached the supervisor who was in the midst of completing the adoption paperwork for the couple, fervently praising Benny. Summoning all my courage, I said, "Did you know that he had harmed another dog before?"
I was the first person in the entire shelter to inform them of this. They were appalled and vehemently denied having any knowledge of this. They were furious that they had gotten so far without being informed and stormed out of the shelter in anger.
It was quite a chaotic situation, and I nearly risked losing my job. However, I couldn't care less about that. I firmly believed that people deserved to know the true nature of the pet they were adopting.
Thanks to my decision to speak up, those cats at the couple's home were likely still safe and sound. It may not have been explicitly outlined in my job description, but I knew that lying to people was not the right thing to do.
42. Would You Like Change With Your Relationship Advice
It seems that somehow I have become the go-to person for relationship advice in our department.
Yesterday, I received a message from a former colleague who was curious about whether her boyfriend, who happens to work alongside us, was being unfaithful with ANOTHER coworker.
Today, an employee from a different department sought my opinion on whether she should bring her relationship to an end. Honestly, I don't have a deep understanding of either of these individuals.
After all, I am just a cashier who does their best to assist customers. Nevertheless, I did my utmost to offer my support and guidance.
43. Really Should’ve Said No
I am employed at a Walmart, and my manager requested a favor from me involving his son-in-law. However, he neglected to mention that his son-in-law is much taller than me. I ended up enduring the most severe physical altercation I have ever experienced.
Afterwards, my boss apologized, explaining that he was not in the right state of mind when he made the request.
44. Volunteering To Do The Job
During the winter, I make sure to clear the snow from the sidewalks. It may come as a surprise, as my profession is totally opposite—it's actually welding.
However, I willingly volunteer for this task because I enjoy getting all bundled up, putting on my headphones, and taking my time to complete a job that most people would rather avoid.
45. Don’t We All
I am a reliable support staff member for an IT help desk, where I fulfill various roles with a positive and helpful attitude.
Additionally, I am always here to lend an empathetic ear and assist when others are feeling frustrated or need to release some built-up stress.
46. Manager Or Babysitter?
When I was promoted to manager, I had high hopes of leading a team of responsible individuals. Little did I know, I ended up with a group of grown-up children.
A perfect illustration of this is when one of them exclaimed, "Oh my goodness! The door handle is totally broken, and we can't even shut the door to the outside!"
Feeling frustrated, I had no choice but to excuse myself from a crucial meeting and hastily contact a locksmith for assistance. Surprisingly, it turned out that a small rock on the doorstep was the culprit preventing the door from closing.
47. I Just Move People
During my time in high school, I held a position as a transporter at a hospital. Despite being under the age of 18, my primary responsibility involved facilitating the transfer of individuals on gurneys between different floors for medical examinations.
On a particular occasion in the emergency room, as I was preparing a patient, a nurse in a state of distress hastily approached me, forcefully placing a medical record on the nearby surface.
Urgently, she instructed, "Please conduct a rectal examination for the individual in room two and relay the findings to the doctor." She swiftly departed from the scene.
48. Collision For Cologne
When I was a teenager working at Walmart, I suddenly came face to face with a shoplifter while turning a corner. This person had managed to stuff their pockets with cologne and was trying to escape from one of the security team members.
Without warning, we found ourselves grappling on the ground, engaged in an unexpected wrestling match until he was finally apprehended. It was definitely not the kind of situation I had anticipated when I took the job.
49. Extra Mile, Very Small Tip
I was on my way to deliver pizza to a condo, and I found out that the woman's room was on the ground floor. I knocked on the door once, but there was no response. When I knocked the second time, I faintly heard her yell from behind the door, "Come in! The door is open!"
You know, I've had experiences like this in the past, where the door is supposedly open, and it always makes me feel uneasy. Nevertheless, I gave it a try and tested the door, only to find out that it was locked.
So, I shouted back to her that the door was locked, and she replied with disappointment, "Oh. Well, please look for the key. It's in the garden under the statue!" How wonderful.
She had a few statues in her small garden, so I started flipping them over and inspecting under rocks, hoping to find the key. Unfortunately, my search turned up empty. I couldn't help but wonder why she couldn't come to open the door—and soon I would find out the frustrating truth.
After informing her that I couldn't find the key, and her sounding quite upset about not getting her pizza, she directed me to come over to her window and open it.
As I opened the window and drew back the curtains, I was greeted by the sight of an elderly woman ensconced in a pile of pillows in the middle of the room. She had one of those flimsy plastic grabber arms and was attempting to hand me the money using it.
Then, she asked me to put the pizza in the grabber arm. I hesitated because I knew it would most likely fall to the floor, but her desperation made me give it a shot. Of course, the pizza ended up on the floor, leading to her looking even more hurt.
At that point, she gave me a pleading look that said, "Please climb through the window for me." So, I asked if I should climb through, and while I was attempting to open the window wider, the hinges broke.
I picked up the pizza, handed it to her, and then exited through her front door. As a token of gratitude for everything I went through, the tip amounted to about $2.
50. That Man’s Poor Niece!
I remember when my previous boss requested that I go out on a date with his niece. Politely, I mentioned that I already had a girlfriend. My boss responded by saying that having one partner wasn't sufficient.
Despite his insistence, I stood my ground and declined his proposition. This sparked anger in him.
51. Dealing With College Students
Living with college students in dorms can be challenging. Sometimes, their behavior in the bathroom can be quite unpleasant. They might leave a mess in the toilets and even create sculptures with their waste.
You might find leftovers on the walls, and they might even use feces to create elaborate drawings. Personally, I've come across some unpleasant surprises, like finding poop in a sink or seeing urinals filled with an unpleasant brown stench.
Experiences like these have made me reconsider ever working as a custodian again.
Cast Of Thousands , Shutterstock
52. Mixed Messages
I didn't join this job expecting to be told to obey every rule and policy, only to have the same person ask me to break them, and then face threats if I refuse.
I've come to the realization that the best approach is to kindly ask my boss to send me an email specifically requesting me to perform the task, in order to avoid any potential repercussions on my end. Unfortunately, this request has never been fulfilled by them.
53. Working With People
At work, I encountered a situation that was less than ideal. There was an elderly gentleman who had a large build, appeared intoxicated, had a beard, and unfortunately emitted a rather unpleasant odor.
When I politely asked if he had already paid for the half-eaten pizzas he had, he reacted by throwing them at me. I work as a cashier in a grocery store, and this incident made it a challenging day.
Additionally, I often find myself in the position of dealing with individuals attempting to take items without paying for them. It falls on me to handle these situations before involving the authorities or security. It can be disheartening at times.
Considering that I am a petite woman standing at 5 feet tall, these encounters with disgruntled individuals can be quite distressing. They tend to become quite angry when they don't get what they want.
54. Talk About A Jack Of All Trades!
One day, my boss noticed an interesting sight outside our building - a Coleman cooler with ropes sticking out of it. Curiosity piqued, he asked me to investigate. As I opened the cooler, I was taken aback to find four lifeless rabbits.
Without hesitation, I disposed of them in the trash compactor. In another adventure, I took on the task of tactically tracking and capturing a bird that had made its way inside our establishment.
After a six-hour pursuit, I finally succeeded, although it was quite a hassle! Over the span of six years, I aided approximately five customers in tire changes, and I assisted around 40 to 50 individuals in jump-starting their cars.
As odd as it may sound, I found myself dealing with unusual messes on a few occasions. I had to clean feces out of a urinal, and even had the peculiar task of removing urine from a Dyson Airblade hand dryer.
Working at a movie theater certainly keeps things interesting—there's never a dull moment!
55. It All Comes Back To Poop
During my time as a lifeguard in an amusement park, I was responsible for swimming in the deep end of the wave pool to locate and collect pieces of waste left by a child.
Anastasija Vujic, Shutterstock
Sources: Reddit, ,
