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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/BookGnomeNoelle on 2025-10-19 14:51:02+00:00.
This happened Thursday, but there were repercussions, apparently.
I work the front station for a clinic, and help patients with their paperwork if they need. It's afternoon and a new lady comes in. She's already grumpy because she has to do seven pages of paperwork, I'm grumpy because she's taking her attitude out on me, and I just want 5:00 to hit.
I offer to help her with her paperwork, and she says, "I'd appreciate it" but she says it in this snarky tone of voice, like it's the least I can do for her. Then she follows it up with, "It's bad enough all these questions make me feel like a r-word." If you're not sure what word that is, it's the one people would use for mental impairments.
I hate that word. I hate it with a passion. It's a disgusting way for people to excuse their willful stupidity. I reacted without thinking and said, "That was my nickname in school." At first she stopped and asked, "Excuse me?" So I repeated, "Yeah, they called me that back in school, it was my nickname." I was dead-eye staring at her the whole time.
She stared at me for a few uncomfortable seconds, then she took the paperwork and sat down. When she went back, she apparently brought up my comment to the doctor, because I got pulled back to her office to discuss the situation after the patient left.
Then Friday, I got called into the manager's office. And I got heavily chastised, because "sometimes our patients may make rude and nasty comments, but it's our job to take care of them so they feel comfortable." Of course, I was written up for my actions. I'm angry about the situation, and I pointed out that she made herself uncomfortable by using that word. But I was still clearly in the wrong.
Tl;Dr - Patient said a nasty word and I made her uncomfortable by saying "that was my nickname in school" and now I'm written up at my job.