It’s no secret that the way we communicate as humans has changed drastically in recent times. This shift is a clear indication of the declining state of our society. While we may occasionally come across heartwarming stories that restore our faith in humanity, they are becoming increasingly rare.
Let me share some anecdotes that highlight this decline. These stories might sound ridiculous, but they are based on real-life events that you may have experienced yourself.
A McDonald’s Mishap
One day, my husband and I decided to grab a quick meal at McDonald’s using the drive-thru. I handed the cashier a $5 bill for our total of $4.25, along with an extra 25 cents to simplify the change. To my surprise, the cashier claimed I had given her too much money.
Trying to make things easier for her, I explained that she could just give me one dollar back. Instead, she called the manager, who asked me to repeat my request. After a brief exchange, the manager returned the 25 cents, explaining that they couldn’t fulfill such requests. In the end, the cashier gave me 75 cents as change. Lesson learned: don’t confuse the staff at McDonald’s!
The Garage Door Dilemma
We needed someone to fix our garage door, and the repairman pointed out that we had an insufficiently “large” motor on the opener. Surprisingly, he suggested that we needed a 1/4 horsepower motor instead of the 1/2 horsepower motor we already had. I tried to explain that 1/2 is indeed larger than 1/4, but he insisted that four is greater than two. Needless to say, we never hired that repairman again.
Questioning the Deer Crossing Sign
Recently, a new neighbor in our semi-rural neighborhood contacted the city council office to have the DEER CROSSING sign on our road taken down. Their rationale was that there were too many deer-vehicle collisions and believed it wasn’t a suitable area for deer to cross anymore. It’s hard to understand such reasoning, especially when it’s clear that deer cannot read signs.
The Minimal Lettuce Order
At a Mexican fast-food restaurant, my daughter ordered a taco and asked for “minimal lettuce.” The person behind the counter apologized, explaining that they only had iceberg lettuce. It’s baffling how one could mistake “minimal” for a specific type of lettuce.
The Baggage Security Question
During the check-in process at the airport gate, an airport employee asked me, “Has anyone secretly placed anything in your baggage?” I couldn’t help but respond with a question of my own: If something was secretly placed in my luggage without my knowledge, how would I be aware of it? The employee just smiled knowingly and replied, “That’s precisely why we ask.”
The Pedestrian Signal Confusion
As I was crossing the street with a co-worker who has intellectual challenges, she asked me about the purpose of the beeping sound of the pedestrian signal. I explained that it helps blind individuals know when the light is red. To my surprise, she exclaimed, “What are blind people doing driving?!” It’s worth mentioning that she is a government employee.
A Locked Car Mystery
When my wife and I went to the car dealership to retrieve our vehicle after servicing, we were told that the keys had been accidentally locked inside. We went to the service department, where a mechanic was diligently trying to unlock the driver’s side door. However, as I observed from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was already unlocked. I excitedly told the technician, “Hey, it’s open!” To my surprise, he replied, “I know. I already took care of that side.”
These stories are just a snapshot of some of the bizarre and nonsensical encounters we experience in our everyday lives. While they may seem funny at first, they also serve as reminders of the declining state of communication and common sense in our society. It’s important to stay vigilant and keep our faith in humanity, even in the face of such absurd incidents.
