to think being stressed is no reason to make a receptionist cry?

[JackBauer]

So if you were the mother in the doctors who was already 5 minutes late when you walked in the door, and then snapped at the receptionist when she couldn't find your details fast enough and asked a perfectly reasonable question about how your dd's name was spelt I hope you're fucking happy.

I actually found the need to apologise for not sticking up for her after you had snotted off as you had your dd with you and I would not have been able to be pleasant about it.

But good job, I hope your dd learns manners from someone else. And fair enough you may have been worried about your DD, but that's still no excuse for your behaviour.

When I was working as a waitress as a teenager I once did not hear what someone said and asked them to repeat it, they replied "are you fucking stupid or what?", I very politely replied that "no I wasn't but I would go and find someone who was to serve them as that would obviously make them more comfortable". I left them gobsmacked. It was lovely.

Yep, I worked for the benefits agency years ago - that was pretty fun.

I'd get a call
woman 'where's my f'ing benefit you bitch'
me 'can I take a name or national insurance number please'
woman 'you f'ing WHAT? Are you f'ing stupid or something - don't YOU know my national insurance number?'
me 'I don't as I deal with over 4,000 cases, can I have your name in which case I'll find your details and we can look into your problem.'
woman 'you'd pay if I were black'
me 'madam you don't know the colour of my skin and I don't know the colour of yours. Can I have your name please.
woman to whoever is with her - 'oh I've got a really stupid cow at the benefits agency'.

8 hours per day 5 days per week. Glorious time!

I'm uber polite to uber polite people for this very reason.

I worked for a dodgy solicitor once. A client (excitable Italian the local mafia kingpin) rang ranting and raving ending with a threat to burn down the office with me in it. Never really liked all those Goodfella/Godfather type films since its not so cool and edgy in real life.

How very rude!!! Poor receptionist!