at work. I'm a receptionist and if any one here works as one you probably know that people expect you to know how to do everything. an example of this was a nurse from one of the units called me and said "my fax got stuck in the fax machine and I can't get it out." there was a pause. I was waiting for her to ask for something else. she didn't. she went on, "can you come take it out?"

I'm like. "..."

that isn't my job. My job is to answer phones, direct callers and give information to visitors. besides, I don't even know how to use a fax machine; we don't have one at the front desk. I'm just kind of wondering what was running through her mind thinking that the receptionist - who isn't even allowed to leave the desk fyi except under emergencies - would be able to help fix her technical malfunctions.

SIIIIGH. :( so I directed her to maintenance. I'm not even sure if they're still in this late, but at least that's their job.

what about you, CC? what ridiculous phone calls/work related incidents have you received?

i'm a cashier and i get ridiculous questions all the time not the same as phone calls, but damn sometimes people just. don't. understand

i can somewhat put myself in your place :| (even though that might sound difficult, it's easy to relate to)

I've had a phone call at work many times of someone asking if we take dildos.

As a joke obviously. It's pretty amusing.

weirdest phone call i ever got: one time around midnight i got a call from a number i didn't recognize. i answered, and the girl on the other end asked me if she could buy some cocaine. after a long, very awkward pause, i asked her if she knew who i was. then she hung up.

some indian guy on the other line telling me how much shit i've won.

Someone called my cell phone and tried to place an order for Chinese food, whilst using an Asian accent. Pretty positive it was a random prank.

I think the worst was when a nurse called me to come upstairs and get a blood or urine sample to put in the samples fridge down here. :I I was like "w-what!? I AM NOT A NURSE GET OUT I AM NOT TOUCHING YOUR NASTIES" (I did not actually say that, thankfully another nurse corrected her mistake immediately.)

deadline - eugh I somehow think working in retail/as a cashier would be worse for issues like that.

smirnoff - now I want to know where you work

That's what I was wondering after I read Smirnoff's post, Nine.

ew, touching a stranger's bodily fluids is just disgusting (i had a hard time just carrying a cup of my own urine to the doctor :| ew... ew)

true, true... customers do give me and the others a hard time. it's like their iq just drops to zero the second they enter the store, 'cause they just don't understand a thing i say most of the time. for example... me: /picks up bag of 1kg onions "o, snap. it has no barcode!" customer: oh, they're soandsoprice me: ... yeah, but i need a barcode customer: but they're soandsoprice! me: i still need a barcode, hold on for a second, i need to call the guys in fruit and green customer: but i saw a sign and it said soandsoprice me: .... /ignores

that happens at approximately every single one of my shifts boring example, but it paints the picture, eh

I was working in a calendar kiosk before and a couple months into the new year we marked the calendars all down to $1. There were signs all over the place that said ALL Calendar's $1.... Yes, with all in caps. You wouldn't believe the number of people that would still ask how much a calendar was.

My favorite was a woman that would pick up one ask me if it was $1, I would say yes, every calendar is $1. She would then pick up another and ask again! She did this a dozen times before I finally told her "No, that one's special. I'm afraid it's full price." She sighed and said that was the one she really wanted and then left.

There was also a woman that came in when we first opened the kiosk in November and tried to return a calendar from the year before. She said she never used it and needs a new one for the upcoming year. I just laughed and called my manager down to deal with her. xDD