Episode 30
· 43:07
Yapping!
Erika:Hello, this is Erika.
Edgar:And Edgar.
Erika:And we are the Yapping Schnauzers. We entertain you with yap worthy stories we find around the web. Today's theme is Boundary Breakers.
Edgar:Our first story is, Am I Overreacting for Laughing When My Mother-in-law Introduced Herself as Grandma CEO in the Birthplan Group Chat. I am seven months pregnant with my first baby. My mother-in-law has always had a strong personality, but lately she is taking things to a new level. She insists on being part of every doctor's appointment, virtually, texts me tips from motherhood daily she had her last baby in 1989, and recently added herself to our private birth plan prep group chat with me, my husband, and my doula. What's a doula?
Erika:It's like people, it's basically a coach for birth.
Edgar:Oh, I see, I see. So, her first message: Excited to support this sacred arrival. Grandma's CEO checking in. Let's make this birth a tenten experience. She then listed roles she wants: logistics coordinator, nurse liaison, baby name consultant, and energy protector.
Edgar:I thought it was a joke and replied with a laughing emoji and I said, You forgot catering director. She didn't respond for a day, then sent a long text saying she was deeply hurt by my dismissive attitude and that she expected more respect for her generational wisdom. My husband thinks she's being ridiculous. I do too. But now she's telling the extended family, I mocked her role as a grandmother.
Edgar:Am I overreacting by being annoyed or was the nickname just too much? I would think it was a joke as well, because like, grandma CEO is just like a ridiculous title. But apparently she took that seriously.
Erika:I think that's kind of cute, I think the energy protector really would get me. Because she listed herself as logistic coordinator, nurse maison, baby consultant, and then energy protector. I'm like, I can't.
Edgar:Yeah, they all sound like cute and then energy protector just sounds mysteriously wrong.
Erika:Yeah.
Edgar:Does that make sense?
Erika:Yeah. I mean, it's cute that she's trying to be supportive and that she's trying to be there, but I think she's a little extra there. Wait, you think you would be annoyed?
Edgar:I don't think I'd be annoyed because most grandmothers I believe like want the best for the next generation. Like they typically help out and like raise like their grandchildren and they don't have to, know, but it's something they love doing.
Erika:I guess, not for everybody. Don't think every grandmother is like that. Every big
Edgar:grandmother is though.
Erika:Yeah, but I think for the most part. Then again you see grandmothers that are like overbearing or their way is their only way and that's when there's issues.
Edgar:Yeah.
Erika:So the top comment is all these fancy name roles she gave herself is basically her way of hijacking your experience. At this point you're just in the incubator while she's calling dibs on making the final decision for everything. Please kick this woman out of the group chat between you and your husband and your doula. Only people that needs to be at all the appointments discussing names, consulting with professionals, etc. Is you and your husband.
Erika:If you don't shut this down now then you might as well just hand your baby over to her the second they are born. I wouldn't be surprised if she has a whole nursery set up in her house just for the baby. She's obviously confused about what a role grandmother is because my grandmother does not get the same rights as the parents, which means no decision making, she visits when parents allow it, and she stays in her lane.
Edgar:It's like a very slippery slope and if they continue entertaining this, she's just gonna end up taking over everything.
Erika:Yeah, think it's adorable and I think it's cute that she wants to be part of it but there's also when it comes down to decision making it should be the parents decision not hers.
Edgar:Yeah, and plus it's a private matter between the doula, the OP and his husband. Shouldn't it be open to the public like their grandmother?
Erika:Yeah. I mean, I love that there's the generational wisdom but then also you have, there's a lot of things that has changed. There's a lot of things that have been updated scientifically and things that you shouldn't do that back then it was completely fine.
Edgar:Like I believe it was like normal before for babies like playing with mercury and just like a bunch of stuff like that.
Erika:Yeah, exactly. But you know, it's just a lot of things change and obviously, you know, she said the last baby she had was 1989, imagine then.
Edgar:That was like thirty six years ago, as of 2025.
Erika:Yeah, I mean it's one of those things where obviously her input is always welcome, but the final decision should always be the parents.
Edgar:Exactly, yeah. I just wonder why she's like so invested in this.
Erika:She's just probably excited, you know, maybe it's her first grandchild and stuff like that.
Edgar:So final verdict?
Erika:I would say she is not overreacting. I would be pretty much annoyed.
Edgar:Yeah, I don't think the OP was overreacting. Like it's sweet that the grandmother wants to have like a nice part in the birth of the child or whatever they're trying to make.
Erika:Yeah, I mean it's nice that she wants to be part of it, I don't think the final decision should be up to her. I think it's just one of those things where she can be part of it to an extent.
Edgar:Exactly, yeah. And they should just watch this now, at least just so they can temper the expectations for their grandma.
Erika:Yeah, I mean, it's fine. I mean, I think it's great to have family part of your birth, but, yeah,
Edgar:it's
Erika:one of those things. So the next story is, Emmy the Asshole told my coworker that she's falling for a romance scam and now she's upset. My friend, let's call her N. N and I worked together for three or four years at a hair salon. N is early 30s, of an airhead, gullible, but really kind and nice person.
Erika:She's currently in a relationship with a guy for about six months. He lives in New York. We're in the Midwest. They talk on the phone all the time. He's been out here a couple of times to visit.
Erika:We've never met, but heard a lot of their relationship. This morning, she texted me at six a. M. Asking to borrow 10 k because her boyfriend's mom have a family emergency and needs the money soon. She said he's working on an offshore oil rig in Dubai for two months for two months and couldn't transfer the money until he's back to The States.
Erika:She doesn't have the money. So she asked if I can ask my relatives for the 10 ks for her. I told her that this sounds like a romance scam and that if he's asking her for such a big amount like that early, the relationship is a red flag and she should reconsider. I told her that since I don't know her boyfriend that well and if he ghosts her, either me or her will be on the hook for 10 ks. Now she will answer my text or call.
Erika:She also took a personal day from work today. Am I the asshole? Should I keep my mouth shut and mind my own business?
Edgar:OP's friend made it OP's business when she asked her for $10,000.
Erika:Exactly.
Edgar:Like it's clearly some sort of scam. I know they
Erika:100.
Edgar:Supposedly meant, but still yeah. What someone looks like is different from, I guess, what they actually do and what they do in their life. Especially since they live so far away from each other. They don't know what he's doing in New York City. I know even if he's in Dubai, and if he is, he's probably vacationing with someone else.
Erika:Someone else's money that he scammed.
Edgar:And I see this one guy, he's like a, I think he was on Tinder and he was like a scammer. And what he did was he would get middle aged women to wire him hundreds of thousands of dollars. He would use the money to get dates and then he will have them in his rotation and they will just basically fund his lifestyle and he'd be travelling all around the world doing that.
Erika:That's disgusting.
Edgar:Yeah, I think they finally caught him because he took millions and millions of dollars from women.
Erika:That's crazy.
Edgar:The delusion was high everywhere, but I don't know. I imagine he was a very happy guy for like a few years.
Erika:Maybe he was good looking because some guy is not gonna get that money unless he's a good smooth talker.
Edgar:I forget how he looks like, but he's at least a smooth talker. There's like a whole documentary about him.
Erika:Really?
Edgar:Mhmm. Might have been in Netflix.
Erika:That's insane. Think it's just, online is very tricky. It's hard to really verify or have anybody, unless let's say you're in the same town and you meet up and you know then you go on multiple dates and even then I feel like you could barely start scratching the surface at one year with a person. I think after five years I think that's when you kind of get to know the person's you know habits and you know the person's more characteristics and all that. I think it's a little bit more deeper than just one year or six dates or one month.
Erika:So it's just one of those things where if you want to be a risk taker you can, but I just say be cautious and if you go on an online date definitely tell your friends, share locations, because you just never know now.
Edgar:Exactly. I think the biggest red flag is he asked for 10,000 million dollars up front and it's still technically at the start of their relationship.
Erika:Yeah, it's only been supposedly six months and he has visited a couple times. So, you know, maybe, but the coworker said she never has met him so she could be lying saying that they didn't meet. So there is an edit. So it says, yes, she's very naive and gullible. She believes she can talk to ghosts and spirits.
Erika:That's another can of worms that I won't get into.
Edgar:She probably believes in astrology too.
Erika:Probably. She didn't bring her boyfriend around when he was in town a couple times, just a bunch of excuses. There you go, probably lied. I told her sister about it and got an earful about how I shouldn't judge a person in need like that. I gave up.
Erika:Okay, well they're siblings for a reason.
Edgar:She has enablers. That's why she's so naive.
Erika:Yeah. I sent her a few articles about sweetheart and pig butchering scams. Still no reply. I know she read it.
Edgar:Did she though?
Erika:Maybe she scammed through it. I think it's just one of those things where if you have proof, like, come on. Like, you can't keep putting the blind eye on. She's not the type that's loaded. She lives with her parents in their basement and lives paycheck by paycheck.
Erika:I hope she will realize this is a scam before she's in debt. This would be an expensive lesson. And then edit two, she just texted and asked for money under the guise of her sister needing it. It was a flat no. I feel bad for her.
Erika:I told her other coworkers and my boss about it so they can say no to her and maybe she'll understand from a group perspective that we're trying to protect her. I think she is nice. I think this coworker is trying to look out for her because other people will be like, whatever, you know. Like she's gullible, I'm just gonna let her do whatever she wants and be in that or whatever. Get scammed.
Erika:So this is the final update. It says, what we, me and the Redditors, suspected was true. She was in a romance scam. She had never met her boyfriend in person. They only talk online.
Erika:She said she was lonely and was afraid of being alone. She said her boyfriend stopped contacting her after she couldn't get the money and started asking simple questions like, No internet on the ridge, satellite phone, etc. After that she realized that he was scamming her. She started telling me about how she has been sending small amounts of money like $50 to $500 for the past six months to help him with some small emergencies. When he ghosted her after she couldn't help him with a 10 ks, then she realized that she had been a romance scammed.
Erika:I'm glad she saw it for what it was.
Edgar:Exactly, yeah. Like especially with the small amounts, like it
Erika:makes
Erika:us
Edgar:It
Erika:adds up.
Edgar:Not only that, but it makes you feel more invested in like Esther relationship because you already put so much money down.
Erika:Imagine 50 to $500.
Edgar:I imagine it was just like more to $500. So yeah, she was like probably in debt already. Oh my god. She was definitely scared.
Erika:And she lives paycheck by paycheck and she's trying to help out a man.
Edgar:If I live paycheck to paycheck, that'd be even more selfish.
Erika:Exactly. I don't understand her thinking, Oh my gosh. I mean, I get she's kind hearted and nice, but I mean, I think there's I feel bad. You're lonely. Feel bad because a lot of people get scammed because of that reason, because they wanna find some partner or so like to have a good relationship or somebody to talk to, you know?
Edgar:I mean If you're too desperate for it, I feel like you don't attract good company. I know
Erika:and then, I don't know what it is, but I feel like girls, I talk from experience, girls can literally just tell you're desperate. Like you don't even have to do much, we can just tell if you're desperate to find somebody.
Edgar:And
Erika:it's just so unattractive because it just literally is like you wanna stay away from that man. Because you don't want somebody who's desperate.
Edgar:Yeah, it's not a good look.
Erika:No, it's not attractive at all.
Edgar:I imagine it just makes you think that no one wants them, like what's the issue with them?
Erika:I know, exactly, it's like why? Why are you so desperate that you wanna do everything to get me or whatever, you just want me because I'm available and not because you actually like me or is like in love with the idea of love, you know what I mean? Or being in a relationship instead of trying to find a partner. Okay, so the top comment is not the asshole. That's a classic scam scenario.
Erika:In any case, she shouldn't be trying to borrow such a large sum of money from you and your relatives, even for herself, much less for a total stranger who sounds nice online. It's a good thing you warned her. I suppose you might have added links to some reliable sources on scams too if you had that chance. Now you can only hope that she comes to a sensitive conclusion while isolating herself from you and taking time off work. I hope to think and do research.
Erika:Yeah, so I'm glad she came around and finally realized it was a scam.
Edgar:Yeah, she probably felt like dumb about being scammed so publicly, but I think OP, the co workers, they all like helped her out.
Erika:Yeah, definitely. Some of them might have been out two ks, 10 ks, five ks, they're trying to help her. I think it's just one of those things where I'm glad that she had people that cared for her. Yeah. Because some people, they always target isolated people.
Edgar:And
Erika:they have nobody to really look out for them and they have nobody to tell her no or don't do that or that's dangerous or it's just a scam. So she was fortunate at least.
Edgar:Very. It's a final verdict.
Erika:Yeah, she's definitely not that asshole. I think she did right for her coworker and she should be thankful.
Edgar:Yeah. The next story is titled, My Boss Kept Scheduling Meetings During My Lunch, So I Started Eating Lunch in Every Meeting I used to take my lunch breaks at the same time every day, twelve to one. I don't eat breakfast, just coffee, so my lunch is essential and I just can't skip it. My calendar was blocked, but my boss, newly promoted, power shipping, started scheduling meetings right in the middle of it. The first couple of times I let it slide, figured maybe it was urgent, but then it became a pattern.
Edgar:I pushed back and reminded him that it was during my break and he said, well we all have to make sacrifices sometimes. I bet he doesn't make sacrifices for his own lunch.
Erika:Exactly, that's ridiculous.
Edgar:Yeah so, cool, got it. Next meeting I show up with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Had my camera on and mic unmuted, slurping and chewing, occasionally giving thumbs up while mid bite. A few days later it repeated so I brought sticky wings. Last week on Thursday it happened again.
Edgar:Glad I still had my pizza. He finally asked, Do you have to eat during the meetings? And I smiled and said, We all have to make sacrifices sometimes. It's Friday today. We didn't have any meetings during my lunch hour this week.
Edgar:What do you think?
Erika:I don't think he is an asshole at all. I think he stood up for himself and there's no reason, like I don't think there's HR, like if you were to have this for HR it wouldn't be possible because everybody's supposed to have their lunch.
Edgar:Exactly, I mean some places they have like, there's like no official time for lunch. Like at Google, there wasn't official time, they just have like hours throughout the entire day where lunch and food would be happening somewhere in one of the cafeterias. Mhmm. But yeah, currently like, from like eleven until like two, three, there's like people who take lunch, so like meetings slow down at that time.
Erika:Yeah, I mean, because Google is a little bit different, it's more special because you don't see that with a lot of companies.
Edgar:Yeah, but I mean, if you have like a team and all that stuff, and people you work with, you'll know like when they usually take their lunch.
Erika:Usually, yes.
Edgar:Yeah, so out of kindness and courtesy, you should schedule around that.
Erika:Yeah.
Edgar:I think you should just be in a deck or like you were saying in the beginning, should just power trip in.
Erika:Yeah, definitely. I don't think there was any need for that. Yeah. Okay, and then the top comment was, Working during lunch, does that mean you could also leave early? And then OP responded, I am a senior software engineer and I work remotely.
Erika:Thankfully, they still care more about outcomes than the time I spent working. Oh, and I love my work and my team. After my day job, I do freelance hunting for new clients and work on my own software service, so my time is pretty tight already. I usually end up working eleven to twelve hours a day, including weekends. That's why my lunch is sacred and essential for my well-being.
Erika:I don't mix working and eating together. I like to eat in peace and then focus like hell on my work. It's healthier and more productive this way.
Edgar:Yeah, get it. I imagine that's like the lunchtime he has, this is the only time where he feels like he can just lay back and just relax.
Erika:Exactly. No, I'm glad he did that because it's not okay. I mean, if he wanted sacrificed, in the team should be sacrificing their lunch, not just him every single time either. Because it's not fair. I don't know, people just power trip sometimes and they just wanna show, Oh, I have the bigger brass balls than you, you know?
Edgar:So, final verdict?
Erika:Oh, so the final verdict, I would say, he definitely is not the asshole.
Edgar:Yeah, I wouldn't do the same, because I don't think I want to eat in front of people like that, but get where he's coming from. So yeah, he's not the asshole.
Erika:Yeah, no. So the next story is, coworker tried a fake food poisoning to get out of work. Forgot she posted brunch pics on Instagram. So my coworker Tina calls in violently ill on Monday morning, claims she has some bad sushi and can't even stand up without getting dizzy. Cool.
Erika:Hope you feel better. A few hours later, some of her team casually checks her Instagram. And guess who posted a photo dump of Bottomless Mimosa brunch. Time stamped that morning. We're talking selfies, avocado toast, when life gives you lemons, add vodka captions, a video where she's literally cheering with friends in the background.
Erika:Oh my gosh. The best part, she forgot we follow her. One of the managers even commented, glad you're feeling better. She came in the next day acting like nothing happened, HR had a chat with her, now she keeps her account on private and suddenly gets really sick only after 5PM. What do you think?
Edgar:Like, this is like idiotic, to be honest.
Erika:How you forget you have your boss or people that you work with in Instagram. Like, I know some people, like I've met people that have like against adding anybody they work with in any social medias and nothing.
Edgar:Yeah.
Erika:Which I understand why, but I mean, other people just don't care. Because if you have nothing to hide, you're just gonna add people.
Edgar:Yeah, I usually add anybody who add me back, like I know now at least. Because I don't really have to hide anything.
Erika:Exactly, so I think she should've just done better and not get Yeah, that
Edgar:must've been an embarrassing call with her HR.
Erika:Yeah, it's embarrassing, oh my god, imagine going in there and saying, so, you you called out sick and we have proof that you went on
Edgar:a crunch
Erika:with mimosas.
Edgar:When life gives you lemons, add vodka.
Erika:That's even worse. That was so funny.
Edgar:Her greed destroyed her.
Erika:Okay, so the top comment is when I post things it's always days or weeks late, which is also good, know, when you post too much and post it at an immediate time, I feel like your life is in danger. You never know if you have a stalker or you have somebody there, like it's just weird. You should never post when you're actually there, you should post like an hour or whatever when you leave.
Edgar:I do that like often as well just because like I like enjoying the moment and I usually forget to post things until like months or weeks later.
Erika:Yeah, definitely. I think it's just one of those things where it's important to keep in mind your safety.
Edgar:Yeah, some people are just that chronically online.
Erika:I know, I cannot. I am not. I rarely post anything in my, at least my private accounts.
Edgar:Yeah, how much Red Arrow posts a lot now, just because I have to do that for networking and
Erika:stuff like Yeah, no, it's important, definitely networking, so you gotta be online more. All right, and then it says, I don't know why people can't just mind their business. If she has a pattern, she will eventually get fired. I simply do not care what any of my coworkers do or what excuse they use or don't use. We can get all fired over minimal things.
Erika:Clock in and do your job and clock out.
Edgar:Yeah, I mean also I imagine whichever one of the co workers like gratted her out is like an asshole to be honest. Yeah. Like if I saw that, like I saw one of my co workers was like, Oh, I'm gonna die, I have like, I don't know, I'm just very sick. And then I see them on LinkedIn or like on Instagram and they're like, add vodka or whatever in their caption. I just wouldn't like, I wouldn't say anything.
Edgar:I joke about it like one on one with them and like with any close friends we have, but I wouldn't be talking about it with HR.
Erika:Yeah, that's just messed up. But then again, I think it was one of the, think one of the
Edgar:The managers?
Erika:Yeah, saw it and said, oh, one of the managers even commented, glad you're feeling better. So, yeah, I mean, if the managers sorry, it's kind of hard not to say anything, you know what I mean?
Edgar:I don't know how
Erika:the manager
Edgar:I feel like if you're a manager, your job is to make sure your reports do the job, but if they had to have some fun days off, just let them, you know?
Erika:Yeah, I mean, I don't know. It's a slippery slide there too because then you'll be like, oh, she lets her have a day off and go out and drink potcups and say anything, then I can do that too. So everybody's going be doing that.
Edgar:I know, then they'll let the manager do that too. Everyone's on an equal footing, everyone has that level of trust.
Erika:I don't know, it's
Edgar:I just think whoever ratted her out, would say is the most asshole issue in the story.
Erika:Yeah, I mean, if I saw somebody do that I wouldn't say anything. I would just be like, yo, I would text the person, I would be nice.
Edgar:I would
Erika:be like, yo, you posted this and the manager can see this, take it out, aren't you supposed to be sick? I would text her or message her personally. I wouldn't send it to HR or tell HR, that's just my up.
Edgar:Yeah, think that's probably the best thing to do. I wouldn't do that just because I don't care enough. Yeah, the nice thing to do would be like, Hey, by the way, everyone can see this. Almost everyone can see this.
Erika:Yeah. I mean, at least if you post something, block the people.
Edgar:Yeah, block Like have it, I guess, be targeted?
Erika:Yeah, you could post it, yeah, you could put it to everyone but those people, you know, maybe the people that you work with, so.
Edgar:Pro tips.
Erika:What? I've never done this, but I'm just saying that's what you can do. So,
Edgar:final verdict?
Erika:Nah, I would say the one that ratted her out is the asshole.
Edgar:Exactly, yeah. I think OP's coworker has an invaluable lesson, at the end of the day, I feel like no one should have been reported for this. It's like, it's just such a dumb thing.
Erika:I
Edgar:know. It's so unserious.
Erika:Mean, if you have sick
Edgar:should have a nice laugh about it though.
Erika:I don't know, not everybody sees it that way because, you know, when you have a sick day, you have people covering for you because you're sick. Not because you're out there having some fun. But then again, you know, it's up to everybody. Some people are better liars than others.
Edgar:Exactly, yeah. The next story is titled, My Relative Demanded a Family Discount at My Food Stall, then left a one star review. Bro. I opened a small street food stall after graduating culinary school. It's something I've been working towards for years, testing recipes, saving up, and finally getting permits and a spot.
Edgar:First week a few cousins and an aunt showed up. I was actually happy at first. Though came to, not they came to support. They ordered a ton, like enough of five people when they were only three of them. And when I gave them the bill, they laughed.
Edgar:Literally laughed. My cousin goes, Wait, you're charging us? We're family. I try to explain that this is my actual job now and everything I make goes back into keeping the stall running. My aunt scoffed and said, Well, I guess success went to your head.
Edgar:That we were closer than that. They paid, but with so much attitude it ruined my whole vibe that day. Two days later I noticed someone left a one star review on Google and said, Overpriced and rude service. I checked the account. It was one of my cousin's emails.
Edgar:Now I just smile when relatives say they want to swing by for a bite. Sure. Full price.
Erika:That's insane.
Edgar:That's like so petty. Like they expected to get like, I guess free food, and not even enough for them. They probably bought it for the whole family, and they were gonna bring it all back home.
Erika:That's so ridiculous.
Edgar:And they expected it all free, like this is crazy, this is hijab. I don't know what you were thinking.
Erika:For any small business, even family owned small you wanna support them, you go visit them, you pay for the meal.
Edgar:Come on.
Erika:It's just common courtesy. Especially if you care about them or you want them to succeed or help them out, it's because you don't go there and expect something free. Like,
Edgar:no. Yeah, you'd want them, like especially like, you wanna have them keep going with their stall if you really like the food, I guess they were just so petty and so upset that they just gave a one star review, which is basically nuking them.
Erika:I know.
Edgar:Like people were gonna look at it and be like, oh yeah, they're probably mean and the food's probably not that good.
Erika:Yeah, especially if they're starting off. How selfish and asshole ish can you be that you expect the meal to be free when they're literally just starting out?
Edgar:Exactly.
Erika:So- I
Edgar:feel like that's probably the end of his career.
Erika:Oh I hope that.
Edgar:Because like she worked for years to get like the stall open and get the skills necessary to make good food and now she has a one star review.
Erika:And not to mention the permits, Like getting a food thing, a food vendor or whatever, it's really difficult. They make you run for hoops because not only do you have to talk to Sony and whatever, you have to go to the health institution or whatever to get all those and you have to apply for those, have them inspected, and then if there's something wrong they have to go back in there and inspect it again and then continue and so on. And it's just one of those things where it's not easy to do. So the fact that all her hard work was destroyed because supposed family that went there to support her but instead wanted free food is such annoying and ridiculous situation because how do you call yourself family if you do that to your own cousin? Like your own cousin said, use the email to say, I mean, do they think that she's not smart enough to check who posted that review?
Edgar:Probably don't care.
Erika:Maybe, but it's just ridiculous. I would blacklist them.
Edgar:Exactly.
Erika:You're done. So the top comment is make sure to respond to that review if you can. Explain to the public it was your douchebag family and people that love you will happily pay full price and tip well to support you.
Edgar:I think yeah, that's the only thing she really can do is to clarify, Hey, I'm sorry that I came off as rude but I do not give free food.
Erika:To family.
Edgar:Not even to family.
Erika:Exactly. So yeah, the cousins and the aunts were assholes.
Edgar:Yeah, It's just gonna be pretty bad for her business because having a one star is gonna make you not show up in the searches.
Erika:Well yeah, I mean, I would ask my other family to come by and you know, whatever try
Edgar:to have her one that paper price?
Erika:Yeah, or just, you know, other people that you would trust. I'm sure she has friends and connections and have them, you know, do a review so that way it could help her.
Edgar:So final verdict?
Erika:I would say the cousin and the aunt are assholes. They need hit the road.
Edgar:Huge ones.
Erika:Yeah. So the next story is, Kept calling me sir on the phone so I gave him a taste of his own medicine. I'm a female, but I'm often mistaken for a man when speaking on the phone. One day I called my insurance company for support and the representative kept addressing me as sir. I politely corrected him, letting him know that I am a woman.
Erika:But he continued to say, Yes, sir. So I decided to turn the tables. As the conversation went on, I started responding to him with, Yes, ma'am. After a few times, he finally stopped and said, I'm not a woman. I am a man.
Erika:But I just kept saying, Yes ma'am. Eventually he got so frustrated that he hung up. Till this day, I still laugh hard whenever I think about that conversation. Yeah, I mean, come on. If you're talking on the phone and you're doing customer service, if somebody tells you you're a woman then address them as so.
Erika:Don't keep calling them sir. Like it's just common sense.
Edgar:Exactly, as a customer service rep you just have to like, even if it was like an asshole, or if she said it rudely, you still have to act cordial because your only job is that you're just taking the call and you're trying to be as pleasant as possible.
Erika:And then a lot of calls are recorded, why do you wanna be recorded with you calling them sir?
Edgar:Yeah, why do wanna be recorded and kinda act like that?
Erika:No, it's not worth it, like why do you wanna be reprimanded for something like that? Exactly. But I love that she clapped back. So if Quality Insurance was listening to that call, that lady's going to get reprimanded for sure. So exactly.
Erika:I think it's just one of those things where you have to, you know, just, it's not worth it. Just treat people with respect or especially if you're selling something or you're trying to get something done, you don't want a bad review.
Edgar:Exactly. Yeah. Definitely got a bad review. Definitely, probably got at least like some sort of smack on the wrist.
Erika:Yeah, I mean, I don't know about certain people how you answer the phone. Usually when you answer the phone you say, Hi, my name is blah blah blah, my ID number is this, or depending if you call insurance or whatever, then they could literally call and make a complaint and use your ID number and your name. Because people don't forget. People just think that you're not going to come back and say something. I mean, maybe if you care enough you would, but some people just think they're not going do nothing about it.
Edgar:Yeah. As a final verdict?
Erika:I would say he just got what he deserved.
Edgar:Yeah, was like, I don't know what else he expected from that situation.
Erika:I know. And he's the one that hung up too.
Edgar:Yeah. All that just to be the most angry one in that situation.
Erika:I know, like, he was the victim.
Edgar:The next story is titled, A Coworker Tried to Take Credit from My Project and Got Wrecked. I've been busting my butt on this big presentation for weeks, tons of late nights. My coworker Chad does nothing but smooth with the boss. The day of the meeting Chad stands up and starts pitching my slides like he made them. I am sitting there, fuming, when our manager goes, Nice work Chad.
Edgar:How did you pull this off? Chad, smug as hell, says, Just burned the midnight oil, you know? Bro. I couldn't stay quiet. I pull up my laptop, show the team my original files with timestamps, and say, Funny Chad, your midnight oil looks a lot like my 2AM drafts.
Edgar:Room in silent. Manager's face? Priceless. Chad's stuttering, I meant we collaborated. Nah dude, you didn't.
Edgar:Now Chad's on to be nice and I'm getting props for calling him out.
Erika:Good. That's just one of the things where I just get so frustrated when people take credit when it's not supposed to be, you know, theirs.
Edgar:Yeah, it's like, feel like this story is a little bit like fictional. Like it's probably something he wished he did, but anyways, think it's like the best thing you probably could have done. Like, I think because Chad and the manager are so close, they probably could just team up against OP and just have him get in trouble. But if this was like in front of more higher ups, they probably screwed the manager and Chad.
Erika:I mean- because
Edgar:the managers probably like talked him up, like Chad up, and was like, oh he's like the best person I have. Then now in front of everyone that's important in your company, you just found out to be like a fraud.
Erika:Yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean it's one of those things where this is the best outcome that could happen, but it's not always the case. It's just really about connections. It's who you know and who you have a good relationship with.
Edgar:Exactly. But it's like kind of dumb because eventually, because I feel like a lot of people have this mentality where they're like, oh it's all about who you know. But if everyone knows each other, knows how to do the actual thing that needs to be done?
Erika:They know people that do.
Edgar:Yeah but I feel like all the way up there no one knows how to do anything. They just know people who know how to do stuff.
Erika:Exactly, so if you're doing less work you have people doing your job.
Edgar:But after a certain point all you have is like, oh, I know someone down the line somewhere that can maybe do it, but they don't know anyone exactly who would know how to do it.
Erika:That's why you have connections. That's why you have, like for example, I think it's important, like, you know, obviously networking. Yeah. Because if you want something to grow, need to talk to people, you need to have connections, you need to do all the usual things. And it gets to a point where you get into, depending on what job you have or job title, then you could have people do your job for you or help you or back and forth or use a connection or do a contract or whatever.
Erika:So it's just one of those things where that's what happens when you're too busy running a company, a multi millionaire company or whatever, then you need to know people. And then the top comment really is just that that manager's name is Albert Einstein.
Edgar:What the hell? And that guy signed on to it, I forgot?
Erika:Yeah, I don't know. Did Albert Einstein take credit for somebody else? And his boss was Abraham Lincoln?
Edgar:Oh, think I know what's happening. I think they all are in agreement that the story was fake. Like if you see it, it's like, oh yeah, the manager's name is Albert Einstein, and his boss, Abraham Lincoln, and the co founder was like,
Erika:Oh, okay, okay, I got you.
Edgar:And they're just dumping on him. RIP. I mean, that's what I figured. At the very least, or at the very most, is probably what he wished he did.
Erika:Yeah, maybe he just got just took
Edgar:a risk. He's just writing fan fiction right now.
Erika:Oh yeah.
Edgar:On his own life.
Erika:Alright, what's
Edgar:the next? Oh, what's the final verdict I guess on that story?
Erika:It's not really like am I an asshole story, but I would say Chad would be the asshole. Definitely. The final story is neighbor asked me to mow their lawn too since I already have the mower out. Was mowing my lawn Saturday afternoon, sweating like hell and just trying to get it done before I hit 90 degrees. Neighbor across the street wakes me down and goes, Hey, since you already have the mower out, mind doing mine too?
Erika:I laughed a little, thought she was joking. She wasn't. Added, It's like not even big. Just do the front part. I said, Sure, no problem.
Erika:You hiring me now? She looked at me like I was the rude one and just walked away back inside. That was like three days ago, grass still looking feral. Guess the mower being out wasn't quite convenient enough. Isn't that crazy?
Edgar:No, yeah, it's pretty crazy. But when I think about neighbors that like how about each other like that, think of my dad. Like he always does like everyone's snow and sometimes our lawn, just because it's like a nice thing to do. All our neighbors are like older people.
Erika:Yeah, no, I completely get it if they were older and they have struggling and it's harder for them. But if it's like a 30 year old and you're like do my lawn, like no.
Edgar:Yeah, do my lawn. Yeah, it just screams entitlement.
Erika:Yeah, and then it's like, you have it out already, why can't you do mine? Like, excuse me?
Edgar:I know.
Erika:Like, who are you? Yeah, it's just the entitlement is crazy. The top comment is, if my neighbor was elderly or otherwise in a situation that made it difficult for them to mow their lawn, I'll likely consider it. Guessing in this case, she's just lazy.
Edgar:Very lazy.
Erika:Exactly. But I think that's so sweet that your dad does that. My dad recently started hiring somebody to mow the lawn because he's a little bit older and he has really bad allergies. And I think it's a good thing.
Edgar:Yeah, been a blessing. He gets to spend time doing other things that he wants to do.
Erika:Exactly. And I think, you know, my dad, once you get older I feel like you want to conserve or be better with your health. And we have, I wouldn't say we have a huge backyard, but I would say it's a decent size.
Edgar:Yeah, it's like good enough for the dogs to run around happily.
Erika:Yeah, exactly. But yes, I would say she is definitely an asshole and she just needs to hire somebody. Let's say she said, Hey, can you do my lawn? I'll pay you. Yeah.
Erika:Completely different reaction, completely different thing. You know, just don't expect it to be free.
Edgar:Exactly, yeah. Or at least say nicer. Yeah. Like if they were joking, just like joke along with them. That way you possibly still get it free, like the OP's neighbor.
Erika:Exactly. It could have been a whole different reaction, whole different outcome if she was in such entitlement. Yeah. So that's all the stories we have today. Thank you for tuning in to this week's episode.
Erika:Check out our website www.yappings.com and join our mailing list for updates. If you love our podcast and want to support us, subscribe and share with your friends and family. We would appreciate it so much.
Edgar:Also, we have a Facebook group called AITA Relationship and Family Drama linked in the description. Join so you can share Am I The Asshole posts that you like or share your own stories for us all to judge. We may even read a few posts in one of our episodes if you're lucky.
Erika:Bye!
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