Gripes

Psycho parent: Look, you’re not in his resource time, so he can’t get help from you then.
Teacher: Yes, well, I’m teaching another class, so I can’t be there.
Psycho parent: I know it’s not your fault, but don’t you feel like you should take some responsibility for that?

High school
Sterling, Virginia

Outraged copywriter: I think it’s time for lefties to conform and make check marks like the rest of us.

Wausau, Wisconsin

Overheard by: righty and proud of it

Boss: I can’t get this damn phone to work.
Coworker: It helps if you’re just a little bit smarter than the technology.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Suit: You know, this whole process is like making out with your cousin.

350 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

Big boss, after company-wide sales meeting: Are there any questions?
Employee #1: Yeah — how come all of a sudden the soda machine only gives back one quarter from a dollar?
Big boss: How much?
Employee #1: Just one quarter.
Big boss: Did it used to give more?
Employee #1: Yes, I used to get two back.
Employee #2: Soda is 75 cents.
Employee #1: I’ve been here for 13 years and it’s been the same — I always get two quarters back.
Employee #2: I’ve been here for two years and it’s been 75 cents for at least that long. Maybe the machine was broken.
Employee #1: No, it wasn’t broken!
Big boss: You have to stop now.

233 Spring Street
New York, New York

Overheard by: get me out of here

Office grunt: Now if I say something tastes like shit, I’ll have a frame of reference.

Hyde Street
San Francisco, California

Overheard by: A.D.

Cube rat: Do you realize that it’s 2007 and we’re still sharing the planet with fucking animals?

210 East 43rd Street
New York, New York

Female editor: I’ve never been to Hooters, and I probably never will.
Male reporter: The service is exceptional.
Female editor: It takes the longest time for me to get my food there.
Male reporter: That’s the best part!

100 Avenue A
Conroe, Texas

20-ish female associate: Yeah, and you should see her hair! She dyed it red.
20-ish male associate: Really? How red? Like, Netflix-red?
20-ish female associate: No! Worse than that. Like Tandoori chicken-red!
Middle-aged male associate: Wait, wait, wait — what on Earth are you two talking about? What ever happened to fire engine-red and candy apple-red? [Met with silent, blank stares, then waves his hand in disdain] Bah! You kids nowadays are all freaks!

Ann Arbor, Michigan