Most of us don't give much thought to the buildings we pass on our daily commute. But every so often, we come across one that makes us stop, stare, and marvel at its “beautiful impossibility.”

Sometimes it’s the sheer scale or location of a structure that leaves us wondering how on earth it was built and appreciating the craftsmanship behind it. Other times, it’s simply the building’s beauty—its symmetry, color, or decorative details that have long since fallen out of favor.

Whatever the case may be, you don’t need to know your arches from your architraves to appreciate these architectural gems. And, luckily, with online communities like the one that shared the images we’re featuring here today, you also don’t need to travel very far to admire them.

The buildings featured in today's collection inspire a sense of wonder in all kinds of ways. Let's take a closer look at three of these architectural gems to see what makes them so extraordinary.

#1 The Persian Art Of Aine-Kari (Using Tiny Mirror Shards In Walls And Ceiling To Make Them Shine) In The Tomb Of Shah Cheragh Built In 13th Century

(The golden chandelier was added in 18th century.)

© Photo: SoggyConclusion4674

Known as a “mosque of mirrors,” the shimmering interior of the Shah Cheragh shrine in Shiraz, Iran, has captivated visitors for centuries. And even in pictures, it’s not hard to imagine why.

In a dazzling display of the ancient Iranian craft of Ayeneh‑kari, millions of tiny pieces of mirror are carefully arranged in geometric shapes and floral patterns. They encrust the interior’s walls, domes, and ceilings. As light enters the space, countless reflections are scattered throughout, creating an otherworldly effect.

The intricate craftsmanship showcases both remarkable artistry and centuries of cultural tradition, but it was never intended to be purely decorative.

#2 Facade Of A Brick Townhouse In Hampstead, London, UK

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#3 The Writers Museum - Edinburgh, Scotland

© Photo: rockystl

Shah Cheragh is also one of Iran’s most important pilgrimage sites, housing the tombs of two brothers of Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and here the mirrors also carry symbolic meaning and spiritual significance.

“In Persian culture mirrors and water have long represented purity, clarity and illumination. Reflective interiors amplified natural light and reinforced spiritual ideas about enlightenment and divine presence,” Penelope Piaff explains.

It’s one of the reasons mirror work became so common in shrines and mosques, where, she says, “the reflections create a shifting, almost celestial atmosphere, turning architecture into a poetic experience.”

#4 El Nido De Quetzalcóatl - Naucalpan De Juárez, Mexico

© Photo: rockystl

#5 Staircase. Castle Of Queen Margherita Of Savoy - Gressoney-Saint-Jean, Italy - 1899

© Photo: rockystl

If Shah Cheragh transforms architecture into poetry through light and reflection, Panagia Soumela inspires wonder in an entirely different way—through the seemingly impossible nature of its location.

Aptly dubbed “The ancient monastery hanging from the side of a cliff” by Joe Yogerst, writing for CNN, the Panagia Soumela Monastery is one of those architectural feats that might have you blurting out, “But how?!” Because even though the site, founded in the 4th century CE, has a pretty interesting and tumultuous history, its location is arguably even more dramatic.

#6 Strasbourg Art Nouveau

© Photo: ArtofTravl

#7 Panaghia Soumela Greek Orthodox Monastery - Trabzon, Turkey

© Photo: rockystl

Perched on a sheer cliff face nearly 1,000 feet above a wooded river valley, you would be forgiven for thinking that the scene, as Yogerst points out, “seems generated by artificial intelligence or computer graphics rather than a real place.”

But as the hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors who make their way to the site in Altındere Valley National Park, Trabzon, Turkey, can attest, it is in fact real—complete with chapels, courtyards, a library, living quarters, a bell tower, an aqueduct, and a stone-enclosed sacred spring.

All were carved into and built against the mountainside over the centuries. And although the dramatic setting continues to inspire awe (and boggle minds), it wasn't chosen simply for its appearance. The remote cliffside offered both protection and seclusion, making the mountain itself an integral part of the monastery rather than simply its backdrop.

#8 House For Sale In Brussels, Belgium

© Photo: plopsaland

#9 The Town Hall In Markgröningen, Built In 1441, Is One Of The Biggest Half-Timbered Houses In Germany

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#10 The Margravial Opera House In Bayreuth, Germany. It Was Built In 1744

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

El Nido de Quetzalcóatl (Quetzalcóatl’s Nest), a residential complex of ten apartments located in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, serves as an interesting modern foil to the Panagia Soumela Monastery.

While there's no question that a more than 1,600-year-old monastery is a sharp contrast to a “fantastical edifice” that takes the shape of a colossal serpent “scaled in portholes and iridescent mosaics,” the comparison is interesting because of the way each responds to its natural surroundings. In both cases, the natural landscape becomes an integral part of the architecture itself—whether out of necessity or by design.

#11 I Love Japanese Architecture So Much, It’s Beautiful

© Photo: International-Drag23

#12 1933 Tudor Revival Building Housing The Historic Coach And Horses Pub In Mayfair, London, UK

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#13 Stair Hall Fresco By French Painter Paul Baudouin (1844-1931) In Maison Hannon

A historic 1904 Art Nouveau townhouse designed by Belgian architect Jules Brunfaut (1852-1942) for the industrialist Édouard Hannonin in Brussels, Belgium

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

Designed by Mexican architect Javier Senosiain, El Nido is a striking example of organic architecture, which aims to harmonize buildings with their surroundings rather than reshape the landscape to suit them. Rather than viewing the site's ravines, caves, mature oak trees, and uneven terrain as obstacles to overcome, Senosiain allowed them to dictate the building's form.

Inspired by Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent deity of Mesoamerican tradition, and shaped by the site's natural contours, the building's sweeping curves replace the straight lines of conventional architecture. The result is what Amazing Architecture describes as an "undulating body that submerges, penetrates and emerges, to return to take refuge in the inner world from which it comes."

#14 Staircase Tower Inspired By Those At The Château De Chambord, Part Of The Late 19th-Century Neo-Renaissance Waddesdon Manor, A Country House In The Village Of Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, England

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#15 1774 Pulteney Bridge Over The River Avon Designed By Robert Adam (1728 – 1792) In The Palladian Style With Shops Across Its Full Span, Bath, England

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#16 Mosque In Djerba, A Mediterranean Island Of Tunisia

© Photo: just_an__inchident

But for all its cultural symbolism, sculptural qualities, and what Susana Ordovás describes as its "monstrous surrealism" and "environmental idealism," El Nido is first and foremost a place to live.

As she notes, "many call this colourful snake home, and it's swallowed up residents and holiday-goers alike over the past 16 years"—a reminder that even the most imaginative architecture can still function as an everyday home.

#17 Gent Belgium

© Photo: ArtofTravl

#18 Winter Garden Room With Stained Glass Windows In The 1908 Art Nouveau Maison Des Médecins, Charleroi, Wallonia, Belgium

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#19 Ornate Bridge Connecting Dresden's Palace And Cathedral, Germany

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

The buildings discussed here couldn't be more different, yet if there's one thing they have in common, it's their ability to make us stop and stare.

Whether through mesmerizing mosaics, gravity-defying engineering, or architecture that grows from the landscape itself, they remind us that the world's most memorable buildings are often the ones that challenge our expectations.

Fortunately, this collection is full of "beautiful impossibilities," each with a fascinating story worth getting to know.

#20 The Gros Horloge, A 14th-Century Astronomical Clock Installed In A Renaissance Arch Over A Street In Rouen, Normandy, France

The Renaissance facade represents a golden sun with 24 rays on a starry blue background.

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#21 The Wedekindhaus In Hildesheim, Germany, Is One Of The Country's Most Elaborate Half-Timbered Houses

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#22 The Floor Of St. John's Co-Cathedral In Malta, A Floor Made Entirely Of Marble Tombstones Housing 400 Knights Hospitallers

© Photo: ArtisticRide6852

#23 Changi Airport Skytrain Tracks Next To The Rain Vortex In Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#24 The Golden Gallery Of Charlottenburg Palace In Berlin, Germany, Was Created In 1746 And Is Considered A Prime Example Of Friderician Rococo

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#25 Palais De L'isle, A 12th-Century Fortified Mansion On An Islet In The River Thiou, Annecy, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Southeastern France

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#26 1900 Art Nouveau Winter Garden Of The Ursulines Institute With A Stained-Glass Ceiling, Town Of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver Near Mechelen, Belgium

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#27 Living Room With A Glass Roof In The Maison Losseau, An 18th-Century House Renovated In The Early 1900s In The Art Nouveau Style By Paul Saintenoy, Mons, Wallonia, Belgium

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#28 The Rococo Kaisersaal In Würzburg Residence, Germany. Its Vibrant Frescos Were Painted By The Venetian Painter Tiepolo

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#29 Evangelical Market Church - Wiesbaden, Germany

© Photo: rockystl

#30 Castle Eltz, Germany. Built In The 12 Century And Inhabited By The Eltz Family For Over 850 Years

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#31 Spires Of The 14th-Century Church Of Our Lady Before Týn Towering Over The Skyline Of The Old Town Of Prague In The Morning, Czech Republic

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#32 The Marksburg Above The River Rhine In Germany. The Castle Is Over 800 Years Old And Has Never Been Conquered

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#33 West-Facing Posterior Of The Neuschwanstein Castle With A Two-Storey Balcony, Schwangau, Bavaria, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#34 Stone Cottages With Slate Roofs And Thatched Roofs, Cotswolds Village Of Broadway, Worcestershire, England

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#35 The Workshop Of Master Glassmaker Clas Grüner Sterner, Also Known As The Victor Marchal House-Workshop

Located at number 6 Rue du Lac in Ixelles, Brussels, is an emblematic example of the Art Nouveau style in Belgium

© Photo: FOllie65

#36 Templo In The Lake. Longxing Temple, Chengdu, China

© Photo: Ok_Chain841

#37 One Of My Faves From Gent Be

© Photo: ArtofTravl

#38 Justice Palace (Supreme Court), Vienna, Austria. Built 1881

© Photo: Kalifornier

#39 The Striking Interior Of The Notre-Dame Basilica In Montreal

© Photo: intricatexplorer

#40 Five Continents House - Antwerp, Belgium

© Photo: rockystl

#41 Villa Farnese - Caprarola , Italy

© Photo: rockystl

#42 Interior Of The Natural History Museum, London

© Photo: StrombergsWetUtopia

#43 Chateau De Chenonceau, With Its Gallery Spanning The River Cher, Is The Most Peculiar And Probably Most Beautiful Castle In The Loire, In France

It was rebuilt, furnished, and transformed between 1514 and '76 by women of different temperaments, and is known as the Ladies' Castle

© Photo: WestonWestmoreland

#44 1774 Palladian-Style Pulteney Bridge Reflected In The River Avon, Bath, England

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#45 The Indoors Of A Castle In The Kasbah, Algiers, Ottoman/Andalusian Style

© Photo: bigus-_-dickus

#46 Rusticated Arched Bridge With A Three Storey Doric Columned Loggia Above On Air Street Near Piccadilly Circus, London, UK

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#47 Gyeongbokgung Palace In Snow. Seoul, South Korea

© Photo: MunakataSennin

#48 Chapel Of Santa Catarina, Porto, Portugal - Draped In Azulejos

© Photo: sonderewander

#49 Hamburg Planetarium, One Of The World's Oldest Modern Planetariums

Housed in an Expressionist-style former water tower designed by architect Oskar Menzel(1873-1958) and built between 1912 and 1915. Hamburg Stadtpark, Winterhude, Hamburg, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#50 Half-Timbered Buildings Along The Rur River Flowing Through The Resort Town Of Monschau In The Winter, Eifel Region, Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Western Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#51 Hotel And Shops In The Historic Spa Town Of Karlovy Vary In The Winter, Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#52 19th-Century Neo-Gothic Mariahissen

Once housing a now-defunct lift, and the 19th-century Dutch Renaissance Laurinska huset residential building on the edge of Södermalm Island, seen across the bay from a street in Gamla Stan, the historic old town of Stockholm, Sweden

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#53 Late Gothic Ribbed Ceiling Of St. Anne's Church In Annaberg-Buchholz, Germany

© Photo: ArtisticRide6852

#54 Courtyard Of The Cathedral Of Trier, Germany, With Roman, Romanesque, Gothic And Baroque Architecture Visible In One Image

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#55 The Late Gothic Choir Of St. Lorenz In Nuremberg, Germany

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#56 Casa Josep Fiol, A 1902 Modernisme Building By Architect Manuel Comas I Thos In The Eixample District, Barcelona, Spain

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#57 Inside The Courtyard Of Burg Eltz

© Photo: justtoletyouknowit

#58 The 19th-Century Library Decorated With Paintings By Eugène Delacroix In Palais Bourbon, The Meeting Place Of The French National Assembly, 7th Arrondissement Of Paris, France

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#59 With A Length Of 69m The Antiquarium In Munich, Germany, Is One Of The Largest Renaissance Halls Ever Created. It Was Built Between 1570 And 1571 To House A Collection Of Antique Sculptures

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#60 The Great Karnak Temple At Luxor, Egypt, The Sacred Heart Of Ancient Egypt

© Photo: intofarlands

#61 The Half-Timbered Town Hall Of Alsfeld, Germany. It Was Built Between 1512 And 1516

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#62 The Imposing Staircase Of Weißenstein Palace, Germany, Was Finished In 1718

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#63 19th-Century Gothic Revival Marienburg Castle, The Former Summer Residence Of The House Of Welf In Lower Saxony, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#64 View From The Balcony Of The Jaw-Dropping Concert Hall, Palau De La Música Catalana In Barcelona

© Photo: patrickbrusil

#65 16th-Century Gothic Church Of Saint Bavo Located On The Grote Markt In The City Of Haarlem, The Netherlands

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#66 One Of The Entrances Of The Grand Egyptian Museum, Inaugurated This Week (Giza, Egypt) As The Largest World Museum Dedicated To One Civilization

© Photo: just_an__inchident

#67 Schwerin Palace, Germany, A Unesco World Heritage Site Since 2024

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#68 Staircase. Hotel Bristol Palace - Genoa, Italy

© Photo: rockystl

#69 Tyntesfield, A Victorian Gothic Revival Country House In An Estate Near Wraxall, North Somerset, England

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#70 1910 Art Nouveau Residence By Spanish Modernisme Architect Mario Rotllant Folcarà(1880-1946) In Cárdenas, Cuba

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#71 Nordkirchen Palace In Germany

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#72 Victorian Building Housing A Corner Bookstore In Buxton, High Peak, Derbyshire, England

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#73 Moritzburg Castle, A Baroque Palace On A Symmetrical Artificial Island In Moritzburg Near Dresden, Saxony, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#74 Santuario De Nuestra Señora De Los Remedios, Cholula, Mexico

© Photo: Amazing-Edu2023

#75 Bucharest, Romania

© Photo: Sea-Rope-31

#76 The Domed And Circular Staircase Of Bruchsaal Palace, Germany

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#77 Looking Up The Main Stairwell - Art Nouveau Centre Riga Latvia

© Photo: ArtofTravl

#78 Basilica Of Sacré Cœur De Montmartre In The Snow, Montmartre, 18th Arrondissement Of Paris, France

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#79 Stará Plynárna, A Former 1905 Acetylene Gas Plant Now Converted Into A Restaurant & Inn In The Village Of Hřensko, Ústí Nad Labem Region, Czech Republic

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#80 Kresbach Chapel, Mieming Plateau, Tyrol, Austria

© Photo: WonderWmn212

#81 Church Of The Gesù, Palermo, Italy

© Photo: Lepke2011

#82 Grand Staircase In The Late 19th-Century Neo-Renaissance Justizpalast(Palace Of Justice), The Seat Of The Supreme Court In Vienna, Austria

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#83 Das Holstentor, Lübeck, Germany (Gothic Architecture)

© Photo: Professor_Peace

#84 Federal-Style House With An Extensive Porch In Ohio

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#85 1923 Belle Époque And Eclectic Hotel Atlántico On Gran Via, Madrid, Spain

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#86 Traditional Slate Tile-Clad House In Goslar, A Historic Town In Lower Saxony, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#87 Art Nouveau In Douai France

© Photo: ArtofTravl

#88 1879 Neo-Gothic-Style Votivkirche In Votivpark On The Ringstraße In Vienna, Austria

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#89 Grosvenor And Lansdowne Crescent Gardens Surrounded By Late 19th-Century Georgian And Regency-Style Town Houses And The 1879 Victorian Gothic Revival St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, West End Of Edinburgh, Scotland

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#90 Church Of Santa Clara, Porto, Portugal

© Photo: sonderewander

#91 Rare Surviving Tudor Gatehouse, Built In 1595 Atop A 13th-Century Stone Arch That Formed The Original Priory Entrance To The Priory Church Of St Bartholomew The Great, City Of London, UK

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#92 House With A Corner Turret In Ammergasse 1, University City Of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#93 Details Of The Flamboyant Gothic-Style West Facade Of Orléans Cathedral Featuring Ornate Tracery And Crocketed Gables, Orléans, France

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#94 13th-Century Saigerturm(Saiger Tower) With A 19th-Century Upper Replacement Seen From A Cobblestone Street In The Town Of Stolberg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#95 Gothic Church In Hamburg, Germany

© Photo: Civil_Winner_3707

#96 1888 Residential Building On Korkeavuorenkatu 21 Designed By Swedish Architect Axel Högberg, Helsinki, Finland

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#97 Azerbaijan Carpet Museum (West Baku)

© Photo: MrJonson84

#98 Rotunda And Grand Staircase Of The 1915 Beaux-Arts San Francisco City Hall, San Francisco

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#99 Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania

© Photo: Sea-Rope-31

#100 Illuminated Château Frontenac On A Rainy October Night, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#101 Asamkirche In Munich, Germany. A Dark Rococo Gem Built In 1733

© Photo: TeyvatWanderer

#102 1911 Kurmittelhaus(Spa Treatment Center) With Curved Gables And Roofs By The Freiburg Architect Robert Mühlbach With The Collaboration Of Alexander Ackermann In The Spa Town Of Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#103 Guwahati Airport, India

© Photo: Srinivas_Hunter

#104 1919 Gothic Revival St Colman's Cathedral Seen Beyond The Colorful Row Houses In The Seaport Town Of Cobh, County Cork, Ireland

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#105 Frauenkirche Seen From The Neumarkt Square On A Frosty Winter Evening After The Snow, Dresden, Saxony, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#106 High-School In Timisoara, Romania

© Photo: Sea-Rope-31

#107 Interior Of The Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, Paris

© Photo: SensitiveDivide802

#108 The Stairs Where I Work In Bloomsbury, London

© Photo: photonphillips

#109 Gloucester Cathedral Cloister, Constructed Between 1351 And 1412. Perpendicular Gothic

© Photo: drodbar1

#110 Art Deco Wooden Escalators In The St. Anna's Pedestrian Tunnel In Antwerp. Inaugurated In 1933, They Are Among The Oldest And Last Remaining Wooden Escalators Still In Operation In The World

© Photo: FOllie65

#111 Staircase At The Kunstpalast Museum In Düsseldorf

© Photo: Typys

#112 Villa Borghese Gardens, Rome

© Photo: NoEye452

#113 Marble Staircase In The Eclectic And Neoclassical Palace Of Justice Inaugurated On 1883, Brussels, Belgium

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#114 Galleria Sciarra, Rome

© Photo: Boluddhismo

#115 St Barbara's Church, Kutná Hora, Czechia

© Photo: Moody-Waltz-147

#116 Federal-Style House With A Sunroom Addition In Forest Hills Gardens, Queens, New York City

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#117 Roman Pool In Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California

© Photo: ArtisticRide6852

#118 Granada, Spain

© Photo: naveen713

#119 Late 19th-Century Châteauesque-Style Château Frontenac Overlooking The Saint Lawrence River, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#120 Connecting Bridge Between The Dürkopp Werke Factories, Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#121 A-Frame Cabin On An Islet In The Middle Of Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#122 1765 Baroque-Style Sanctuary Of The Madonna Of San Luca Atop The Snowy Colle Della Guardia Hill Overlooking The Cityscape Of Bologna, Northern Italy

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#123 Starfield Library, Seoul

© Photo: photonphillips

#124 Art Nouveau Meets Modern Glass, Portugal

© Photo: Party-Belt-3624

#125 1918 Hampshire House, The Towering Wing Of The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel On The Shores Of Lake Gloriette, Which Closed In 2011. Dixville, Coös County, New Hampshire

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#126 Ornate Bay Window Of A Brownstone In Park Slope, South Brooklyn, New York City

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#127 French Renaissance-Style Alwyn Court Completed In 1909, An Apartment Building At 180 West 58th Street, Midtown Manhattan, New York City

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#128 19th-Century Bethesda Terrace In Central Park, Manhattan, New York City

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#129 Colorful San Francisco Victorian

© Photo: Party-Belt-3624

#130 2101 Divisadero St., San Francisco, CA

© Photo: ArtisticRide6852

#131 Domino Sugar Building, Brooklyn, New York

© Photo: Northern_Lights_2

#132 Federal-Style House In The Town Of Thomaston, Knox County, Maine

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#133 Detail On Flatiron Building, NYC

© Photo: DrDMango

#134 Philadelphia City Hall In The Snow, City Of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#135 1891 Richardsonian Romanesque And Renaissance Revival-Style Delmonico's Building On 56 Beaver Street, Financial District, Lower Manhattan, New York City

© Photo: ManiaforBeatles

#136 The 3rd Floor Of The Seattle Central Library

© Photo: Advanced_Honey_2679

#137 Boston City Hall

© Photo: No-Analyst-1613

The universe has a way of keeping everything in balance. After a bad streak, something good often follows. Even the heaviest rain ends, and eventually the sun comes out. Sooner or later, the way people treat others often comes back to them.

Across several Reddit threads, users shared the best examples of instant karma they’ve ever witnessed. Some were incredibly satisfying, while others were unexpectedly funny. We gathered the most memorable stories here.

#1

This is a positive karma story. It was a few days before Christmas and I was looking for a parking spot at my nearby mall. Total nightmare.

I was on one of the main lanes that went past a mall entrance. That lane was stop and go traffic. There was a guy trying to walk across the lane. I was surprised and mad for him when four cars in front of me refused to stop for 20 seconds and let him cross the lane.

I stopped and motioned for him to cross. He gave me a smile and pointed to his car. He was parked in that first row of spots right by the entrance! I got a primo parking spot on one of the worst shopping days of the year, just because I had some common decency for my fellow man.

#2

My daughter was on hospice due to a degenerative terminal illness. We wanted to donate her organs to try and save other kids after her passing, but they said the organs and tissue were so far gone and couldn’t take them. So I called a researcher who had dedicated her career to researching and caring for kids with my daughter’s condition. I asked if she would be able to use anything from my daughter’s body to support her research and maybe save other kids that way…

She asked about our situation and told me that the current doctors were giving up too soon—there was more we could do. She said she’d be willing to take over our care from across the country (before telehealth was a thing). Her expertise and willingness to help us doubled my daughter’s life.

I am forever grateful. And for those curious, we did donate whatever she wanted for her research when my daughter passed away and then got our daughter’s body back to bury.

© Photo: ashleyLNL

#3

This story is the quickest I ever saw karma work.

A woman I knew was married for 20 years. One Friday her husband came home from work and told her he wants a divorce. He proceeded to pack a bag and told his wife he would be back next week for the remainder of his belongings and divorce papers. He then said, don't think you are going to get any of my money, better start looking for a job and I'm going to sell the house.

She was in shock and had no idea there was a problem with their marriage.

The next day, she gets a phone call from a hospital. Her husband suffered a massive stroke and was in the ICU. When she arrived at his room a young woman was there. When she saw the wife walk in, she got up, walked over to her and handed her his car keys. She looked at the wife and said, his car is parked outside the emergency department, I put his belongings in the car, I'm leaving, I didn't sign up for this. It was then the nurse walked in and told the wife, her husband had a stroke [while] with the girlfriend.

The wife had her husband transferred to a long term care facility. She made sure he had what he needed and nothing more. She then started enjoying life with his money and doing whatever she wanted.

© Photo: CassandraApollo

#4

I was working as a writer-producer on a TV show. We had a special coffee truck at the set as a treat for the cast and crew. I waited until the crew had gotten drinks, then went up and ordered a drink for myself. While I was waiting, a guy came up that I knew to be a fairly well-known journeyman actor, but we'd never met. He put in an order for a drink. Almost immediately he started fussing about how long it was taking. The barista put a drink in the pick-up window and called my name. Before I could even react, the guy grabbed my drink and took off.

Twenty minutes later I was sitting in a casting session and the casting director brought in that guy. To audition for a role in the episode that we were in pre-production on. That I wrote and was executive producing.

I said, "Hey, how was my coffee?".

© Photo: CherylHeuton

#5

I was working at a gas station and this lady fills up a fountain drink and bee lines to the door without paying. I asked her if she was gonna pay and she flipped me off and told me [get lost] and proceeded to leave without paying. As I lookout the window all I see is her trip over the curb and fall to the ground , and the drink landed on her and drenched her. I’m extremely petty so I went outside, hit her with a Nelson Munoz “ha-ha” and told her that’s what she gets! It was hilarious.

© Photo: Street-Yoghurt-5663

#6

I was sitting at a red light and this guy pulls up next to me and apparently since I own a mustang it means I wanted to race him. He's revving his engine at the light with his girlfriend or whatever she was acting like he was hot stuff and as he's showing off I see a cop pull up behind him so I nod in agreement and when the light turns green he peels off and almost immediately gets pulled over. As I drive by I look and both give me a glare as I laugh.

© Photo: Padiern

#7

As I was stopping at a set of traffic lights a guy in the car next to me stuck his head out of the window to catcall me. Then he crashed into the car that had stopped in front of him.

© Photo: Naive_Pay_7066

#8

I used to ride my bicycle to and from work about 1.5miles each way. One day during peak end of the day traffic leaving the parking lot I was in front of a bunch of cars waiting to turn left and a senior person where I worked zipped past all the cars behind me on his motorcycle. He stopped next to me, flipped up his helmet visor, said "Nice bike loser," then revved the engine and yeeted out into traffic.

Almost immediately I heard the screeching of tires as he slammed the brakes and got t-boned by someone pulling out from the opposite side of traffic. He and his motorcycle went flying, it landed on top of his leg just in a smashed pile of metal and fiberglass...as I came calmly pedaling up to him on my bicycle. Fortunately for him I was an EMT and we worked at a hospital so I checked him out and he was fine other than a wrecked motorcycle and broken leg. A minute or two later the ambulance pulled up and took over and as they loaded him onto the stretcher I pointed to the pile of what used to be his motorcycle and said, "Nice bike loser," and pedaled on home.

© Photo: Sad-Elk3268

#9

I saw a drunk guy throw a rock at a cop car. The window must have been bulletproof, because the rock bounced back at the guy and hit him in the family jewels. The cop took a sip of his coffee, got out and cuffed the guy.

#10

My mom trying to force me back outside to weed the flower beds when I came in because there were hornets. She called me a wimp, walked outside and got stung between her eyes within twenty seconds. Hahahahahaha...told ya!

© Photo: BIGDL666

#11

Recently saw a video of a man screaming the n-word out the window of his massive truck, flipped the bird too, at a black woman and IMMEDIATELY crashed into a light pole. I'm pretty sure I've seen it about a dozen times and I upvote it every time.

#12

I was at a casino. My husband and I normally don’t play seriously - usually go and eat brunch and put aside $50-100 to spend on slots and drink free. We usually sit next/near to each other so we can hang out.

I was about to sit down next to him at a slot where he was, and this guy literally SLIDES under me. I almost sit on his lap. I was like “wth okay”. I go around the carousel and play the one around. Hit the few hundred dollar smaller “jackpot” (think it was like $350 on $10?).

You could tell he was one of those who watched the machines and was waiting for one of them to hit.

This guy was MAD.

© Photo: e-rinc

#13

My husband told me of a time his sister reaped instant karma. I was not in the family yet at the time of the story.

He, his (now ex) wife, 3 kids, sister, her husband and their 4 kids and his parents were at a theme park. They were going to one of the outdoor shows. Everyone got seated and his sister says “I’m going to use the bathroom”.

She comes back with a churro. Just for her. Nothing for her kids or anyone else. She sits down and goes to take a bite when a seagull flies over and drops directly overhead. It landed on her and the churro.

He said they all laughed so hard at her. She was not amused.

© Photo: stitcherfromnevada

#14

When I was young, my brother made a bunch of fish sticks for himself leaving me and my friend hungry. We asked if we could have some and he completely refused, laughing in our faces. So, we are sitting on a couch watching tv as he comes walking in holding a giant plate of fish sticks and ketchup. As he walks through the door he begins to say, “MmmMmmmm these look good.” But instead of finishing the word good, he trips and drops the plate. Fish sticks and ketchup go everywhere. To this day it may be the hardest I’ve ever laughed.

#15

I was in college and working this [trashy] sandwich shop to make money while I applied for temporary jobs/internships.

There was this miserable server who had clearly been there too long and had “seniority” which ironically came with so much arrogance and disdain for anyone else in the restaurant. He was so negative and patronizing to everyone and would just start petty arguments or make snide remarks to make people feel small.

One day I was telling one of the other sandwich workers that I had been in the middle of this months long internship application in Thailand and was crossing my fingers that I got it.

This [jerk] overhears, interjects, and has the audacity to tell me something like, “keep dreaming. You’ll never get it, you can’t even make a proper sandwich fast enough.”

Not even an hour later I got an email that I had been selected and would be heading to Thailand for a 4 month internship in a month’s time.

I immediately went to my boss, told him the news, gave my resignation, and walked out to tell the server, “I got the job. I hope you learn how to be happy with where you’re at.” I have never seen a look of such pure shock and remorse on someone’s face, but it felt so good.

#16

Wholesome one:

I was at Petco Park watching the Padres play the Diamondbacks, in the lower deck along the third base line. My son spent a lot of time running up to where the ball girl was, tossing foul balls to waiting kids. This one kid in a Diamondbacks jersey got a ball and gave it to my kid. During warmups in the bottom of the next inning, the player whose jersey the kid was wearing tossed him a ball directly.

#17

Child support arrears hearing. Ex was in contempt, deferred. Ex often lied under oath but hard to prove. Ex lied to Judge X who as a result gave him some leeway.

Ex laughed about lying to the judge it in the hall. Judge’s Clerk overheard the hallway snark about the lie and reported to the Judge. Judge had bailiff bring him back in, revoked community recognizance (suspension of jail for contempt) and ordered him to jail.

Ex immediately bailed himself out of bail (even before booked) with cash he had in hand — of an amount he testified under oath to the judge he couldn’t pay in arrears for ~6 months. That fact got back to the judge that same day.

Judge X was against incredibly pissed and took permanent control over the case and ex received zero benefit of the doubt thereafter. Maybe not instant karma but deeply satisfying.

#18

This single girl in my friend group was always after guys that showed interest in other single girls in the same group. I guess she saw them as rivals, and it boosted her confidence to 'steal' a guy from them.

She tried it again at a festival. She was flirting shamelessly with a guy that was clearly into her friend, kept touching him, trying to catch his eye and dancing close to him. She ignored his dismissive signals, until he loudly said: 'Oh my God, you attention [seeker]. Can't you find a guy who is actually interested in you?'

Her face sank and she didn't say much for the rest of the day.

#19

There was a railway crossing that was in very badly in need of repairs - so bad that you had to slow down to about 10km when you crossing it so you didn't damage your car. City couldn't do anything about it because railways are federal jurisdiction.


My husband and I were a couple of blocks away when this guy in a muscle car passed the car behind us and my car at the same time (on a double yellow line as well) 


As the guy goes tearing off we look at each other and say 'he's not from around here and doesn't know about the crossing' 


Sure enough when we caught up his car was wrapped around a lamp post skid marks showing he must have hit it at speed. 


Did we wait to give the police a statement - you betcha. .

#20

Belligerent dude was screaming and yelling at a family guy just trying to put his boat in at a boat ramp with his wife and kids. Belligerent guy eventually punches the family guy in the face and knocks him off the dock into the water.

Almost the instant the guy hit the water the two "fishermen" at the end of the dock slammed belligerent guy facedown into the dock and handcuffed him. Turns out they were undercover FL DNR.

#21

I was in a popular coffee place (think: America runs on) and the person at the counter in front of me was placing his order. And by placing his order I mean screaming at the poor woman behind the counter. He ordered a coffee, black and a med tea with cream and sugar. The employee kept asking if he wanted iced or hot tea and he kept literally screaming MEDIUM TEA WITH CREAM AND SUGAR!!! While this interaction was going on, he was handed his black coffee. As he continues to berate the poor employee about how she is a moron because she can't get an order correct, he takes the lid off of his coffee to make sure it's right. He finally finishes up his order by throwing the money at the cashier and sweeping his coffee off the counter to go to the other end to wait for the rest of his order. Well, he did not secure the lid on his coffee after checking it and spilled burning hot coffee all over both of his hands. It was the most satisfying act of karma I had ever witnessed.

#22

Somebody was tailgating me as I was driving 15mph up a snow covered mountain road. This road would expand to two lanes over certain stretches of it. We came to one such place and they passed me while accelerating. They immediately lost control on the slippery surface and went right into the ditch.

© Photo: wbrameld4

#23

There's an intersection I regularly took at my previous job. It's one of those deals where the left lane turns into a "left turn only" lane as soon as you go through the main intersection, but then there isn't time to move over.

But that doesn't stop people from constantly trying because it's fewer cars in that lane at the light.

I had so many close calls, including being run off the road a few times. It felt like people would rather sideswipe my car than just wait a few seconds for me to pass them and then safely move over.

I did have one incident where apparently the guy was in such a hurry that he didn't wait long enough to move into my lane. He clipped my back bumper with his front bumper.

My damage was a tiny dent and maybe some slight scuffing of the paint in a small area.

But for him. His entire bumper was ripped off the car and lying in the street.

I don't normally laugh at bad things happening to people. But after years of having to constantly deal with AH drivers there, it was so gratifying to finally see one of them getting what they deserved.

#24

Ok, not my story, but it's so good I have to retell it here.

A good friend of mine was boating on a lake, and at the end of the day there was a huge pair of lines at the ramp to pull boats out of the water. Each side of the ramp had a car or truck with trailer backing down to put their trailer into the water; they would bring the boat or watercraft up onto the trailer, strap it on and drive up out the middle. The middle section was kept open for people to egress.

The line on each side was over half an hour long but two guys thought they wouldn't wait, so they backed down the middle, and their friend rode up on a jet ski - and popped it right into their small trailer, and they went zipping back up the ramp flipping everybody off and laughing.

When they hit the top of the ramp - the jet ski fell off the trailer, having not been strapped down properly. The jet ski fell and rolled over and over down the ramp, breaking the fiberglass into pieces, and ended up dumped back in the water in front of everyone. The whole place was cheering and jeering, while still the guys had to back down again in front of everyone to pick up their ruined jet ski!

Again not my story, but such a great scene that I had to retelll it from what I heard.

#25

During the early days of Covid folks were doing stupid things for basics like toilet paper, bottled water and hand sanitizer to name a few.

My daughter and I are at Costco and I see ONE case of bottled water. I am like cool, I could use that. Meanwhile, Karen also sees it and literally sprints by me with her cart to get it, nipping my ankle with her cart as she went by!

I don’t care and I am NOT running so before I can turn away she rushed under the Costco racks to get it off the pallet and when she stood up she cracked her head open on the racking…blood gushing out really good…she definitely got done stitches out of it.

All my daughter and I could muster was a big ol’ belly laugh at her…my kid is now 16 and still talks about that when I occasionally take her to Costco.

#26

Last day of 6th Grade, outside playing kickball before school let out. A kid named Dereck cut in front of me because "he was better at kickball than I was". Dereck went to kick the ball but slipped. He fell awkwardly and broke his lower leg somehow. I hope you are enjoyed your summer in a cast Dereck.

This memory still brings me joy 30 years later.

#27

Oh I have a good one. We were driving across town one afternoon, rare nice day where we lived. Sun was out so everyone was trying to get out and do something. Traffic was worse than normal, and we were on a busy 4-lane road at the back of a pack of it.

I looked in my rear view just in time to see two cars road raging each other. Trying to run one another off the road, honking, the whole nonsense. As they approached, they cut into the open lane and the second car tailgated the first one HARD. As soon as they could get side by side again, a couple of spots in front of us, the back passenger of the tailgating car climbs up and sits on the door frame, upper half out the window.

He swings at the other car for whatever ungodly reason, and right as his arm comes back around, a police motorcycle comes between us and the car now beside us and lights them up. I will never forget the "OH [DANG]" look on that guy's face when he turned and saw the cop. Not sure what the charge was going to be, but I know my evening ended a lot better than theirs.

#28

I was on a small group bike ride, riding through a construction zone. What was normally two auto lanes iand a bike lane (in each direction) was cut down to one auto lane and a bike lane. We were in the bike lane, and a car that had an open lane to itself nevertheless decided to buzz us with the horn blaring while speeding through the construction zone. The car behind them was an off-duty cop who also happened to be a cycling teammate of one of the guys on our ride. He followed the bad driver home, got a picture, then came back and got a witness statement from us and also the flagman at the construction site, before calling in the offender. It was the most efficient police work I've ever seen or heard of.

#29

There was a regular at a coffee shop that I used to work at that no one liked serving. He was always rude, would expect everyone to know what drink he wanted, and would tell you how terrible you are at your job if he felt you were going too slow.

He gets his order in and I'm the one making his drink (a mocha). Now, not to toot my own horn but I'm good at making coffee drinks. I had been doing it for 4 years full time and I made sure this drink was PERFECT. This guy still found a way to complain about it (something about the latte art looking "pedestrian").

He goes to grab the drink and he grabs it from the rim with his fuzzy gloves on. Mind you, this is a very full drink and grabbing a full paper cup from a very flimsy rim is a sure fire way to get that drink a quick trip to the floor.

I try to offer him a sleeve so he can carry it without burning his hand (he asked for it to be made extra hot) and he just waves me off saying "I know what I'm doing, girly."

He carries it over to the table he's sitting at and, as he's sitting down, this drink spills over the very nice looking laptop he had left there.

He tried to argue with the manager about getting a refund and his laptop paid for but he backed me up and we never saw him again.

#30

I pulled up to a light at a turn lane to get onto the freeway. The girl in the car next to me had her trunk open. I tried signaling to her, and she thought i was trying flirt with her, rolled her eyes, gave me a dirty look and ignored me. She sped off all crazy like i was some creep she was trying to escape, and once we got on the freeway all her stuff started flying out the trunk..I still have an evil laugh when I think about it.

© Photo: LordSugarTits

#31

During school football (soccer) one of the guys was deliberately pushing me and was just being really annoying for no reason, during the match he once pushed me so hard I almost went straight into a brick wall. Just few mins after this he got kicked in the face while trying to defend.

And I still went to check on him despite him being [a jerk] to me.

#32

A bully at school used to pick on all red headed people all the time for no reason other than their hair colour.

She has 4 kids now all with different shades of red hair. She doesn’t say red though. She calls it auburn or things like strawberry blonde or magnificent copper.

One post of her daughter in the sunlight with the caption absolute perfection just love the way the sun hits her magnificent copper hair.

© Photo: Ms-Introvert-

#33

Heh.. I was on an international flight back to the US. As we approached, there was an announcement to be sure to have your passport available, like anyone didn't know that in advance. So when we landed, a guy in the row in front of me pulled his luggage down from the overhead bins, and started frantically looking through it for his passport, totally blocking the aisle. Dozens of passengers were stuck behind him, trying to deplane. I said in my calmest voice, "Pardon me, clear the aisle, we are trying to deplane." The guy roared at me "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" His wife (who had her passport in hand) tried to restrain him and get him out of the aisle. But no, he refused to budge and took his time.

I was waiting in line at US Customs with gigantic suitcases full of electronics and stuff I bought in Tokyo, hoping not to get heavily taxed. The Customs Agent just waved me through. As I departed, I noticed Mr. Aisle Blocker at another station. Customs made him empty his luggage and was tearing it all apart, searching it thoroughly. I laughed and left.

Don't deplane angry.

#34

Attention-seeking teenage girl wasn't getting the attention she wanted from a young man who was talking to his friends, picked up her water bottle like a club to smack the young man, but the lid wasn't on properly and when she raised it above her head she got an instant shower from a full bottle.

#35

Watched someone skip a queue confidently… only to realize they were in the wrong line and had to walk all the way back while everyone watched.

#36

My friend is a little bit insecure, I’m 28F she is 27F and I love her but she can do some weird insecure put downs at times.

Anyway, I was meeting her friends from college while day drinking and she decided to tell them my most unflattering story of how I drank way too much in Miami and *felt* like I was going to puke. (I didn’t puke in public, I puked in the toilet eventually, I was fine when it mattered). This was a story from years ago, and I said but I didn’t actually puke anywhere, she kept saying oh no you were going to you were going to puke in the Uber and even went so far as to clamp her hand on my mouth to “demonstrate how she had to tell me to not” which did not happen, I never came close to puking in the Uber. I almost hit her when she touched my face, it was so out of pocket but I decided to be the bigger person, that her behavior was immature, from a place of insecurity and anyone I would care to even know would be able to see that.

A few hours later, I’m pretty sober having only had some beers throughout the entire day while she was having pretty sugary cocktails. We are on our way to dinner in her friend’s car, and she projectile vomited out of nowhere all over herself and the car. I took care of her when it happened and stayed with her, however in the back of my mind I couldn’t help but feel this was total karma for being pretty mean and also my reward in a way for staying calm and cool.

© Photo: squidpuss97

#37

This is a small one that happened years ago but still gives me joy. I was turning off of a one-way street. A car was stopped in the road and was honking at me to hurry up and turn because they wanted to turn onto the one-way in the opposite direction. I pointed at the one-way sign and drove off.

In their anger, they must have not seen the police car across the street. After I turned, I watched them turn down the one-way, going the wrong way, in my rear view mirror and immediately get lit up by the police that they didn’t see. I’m smiling now thinking about it.

#38

Back when I played League of Legends, had a game against your typical toxic player. Everyone on both teams ended up reporting him.

End up chatting with some of the opposing team in the post-game lobby. As we're talking, we all get a notification saying the player was banned because of our reports. We were all shocked because we had never seen a notification like that before, let alone one that happened so quick.

#39

We were queuing to get in a football match. Just me (female) and my 6yo (at the time) daughter. She has strong morals, just like me, but she hadnt quite mastered the "pick your battles" lesson. A massive, hench, scary looking guy cuts in front of us in line. Just blatantly does it, not even pretending to be confused or anything. My daughter says to me (quite loudly) "mom, weren't we behind those people?" I tell her yes but we're in no rush (she wants me to have a go at the guy, I whisper and say no, its not worth it, karma will get him). After about 30 more minutes of waiting in the queue, the guy gets to the front and shows his ticket. Turns out hes at the wrong door and he needs to go ALL the way around the stadium to his door lol. Kick off was soon and it was a fairly decent sized stadium so I dont know if he got to see it not.

#40

My son and I were in the car at a red light in the left lane. In the middle lane next to us was another vehicle who was slowly inching their way up to the line and creeping into our lane. A police car was right behind them. I looked at my son and we both knew this guy was going to make a left hand turn from the middle lane. We debated about whether or not he noticed the cop behind him.

He didn't. As soon as that light hit green he floored it, and made that left turn in front of us. I stayed put, because I was pretty sure what was about to happen. Sure enough, that cop lit up and made that same turn in front of us. The driver didn't even make it half a block.

I almost forgot to go, I was laughing so hard and my son was wheezing.

#41

When I was younger and less assertive, I worked at a place that did trainings that were required for a certain professional field. We couldn't let people in later than 15 minutes after class start time because of state requirements. Not surprisingly, this made latecomers mad on a regular basis. I was pretty used to that, but usually people were mad at the situation, and even when they were loud or swearing it wasn't usually aimed at me personally.

I remember the first person to ever swear *at* me directly--I believe she was in danger of losing her license. She got aggressive, trying to physically intimidate me by leaning into my space (she was much taller than me) and taking steps like she was going to try and push past me to the classroom, and when I quietly but firmly held my ground, she screamed in my face and stormed out. I held it together but I was actually pretty shaken and upset.

As soon as she slammed her way out the door, the previously only overcast skies opened, and it POURED. She was actually parked directly in front of the building, literally less than ten feet from our door, and she still got absolutely soaked. Made me feel a lot better, I gotta say.

#42

The guy who was driving like a jerk flew past me, cut someone off, and ran a red light. I passed him further down the road. He had been pulled over.

#43

A big lifted truck with a [maga] flag on it cut off a bunch of cars on the road and then I watched his wallet fly out of the bed.

© Photo: 444MightyMouse444

#44

I saw a sassy young lady get a ticket for jaywalking right after she cursed and then turned her head to glare at me for stopping at the "don't walk" sign. I saw the cop across the street and she didn't. Literally happened a meter in front of us. This was in Austria where they police this type of behavior.

#45

In middle school there was a “fight”. more so this kid was getting picked on. we were outside in the middle of spring, it was icy. 2 kids tried to gang up on him and they tripped over each other on the ice almost immediately , in front of everybody.

#46

I worked at a restaurant and there was one girl who just didn’t like me for some reason. She was working a double and, on her break, went and bought fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. She came back and gave every single server one, except for me. As she grabbed the last cookie and lifted it to her lips, the cookie broke and fell onto the kitchen floor. The look on her face was so much more satisfying than any cookie she could have given me.

#47

New park built in my town so when it opened it was chock full of people. 2 13~ year old lads were giving me funny looks (i assume cz im 21 with a cane, thats a whole nother story) n theres a raised patch of grass (maybe 6 inches higher than the pavement) n one of them while locking eyes with me, trips on the edge of this patch of grass and literally eats dirt. I have not laughed like that in a while.

#48

I was on a second date, we went out dancing. He got really drunk, and he started making out with another (married) woman across the dance floor when I went to grab us drinks. I know the woman was married, because dude was the best man in her wedding.

I was stuck there, we had taken a shuttle and it wasn’t due back for hours. By a stroke of luck, I ran into some friends that brought me back to my hometown about 20 minutes down the road.

The next morning, I heard a great story: he and the woman went to an after party, they snuck in a bedroom to fool around, and owner of said bedroom walked and beat the absolute [hell] out of him. 3 front teeth knocked in, he needed surgery. I saw pics, it was bad.

Can’t get more instant than that.

#49

I was having some huge, unavoidable costs coming my way, and I was super stressed as I was not in good financial position, at all. My ex decided to help me out by giving me some money to help me cover it (he was in a way better situation than I). Just a week later he went on a holiday, and when he was flying back, before leaving the plane he found a leather jacket and he could not find it's owner, turns out it was apparently from a previous flight. The jacket had a tag on, completely new, his size and *ridiculously* expensive, and in the pocket he found almost exactly double the amount he gave to me, in cash.

It made me so happy. Karma does strike back!

#50

I was the one that received the instant karma. I was 12 and racing my neighbor around the house 3x. I was so far ahead of him, I yelled out that he was so slow I could beat him backwards. Proceeded to run backwards and fell on the driveway and broke my arm.

#51

Me getting at ride to my front door at 12 midnight with 2 really heavy bags. I thought I was going to be walking all night with those bags. I stuck out my thumb and I got a 30 mn ride. That was a karma kickback for a long ride and a burger I gave .I’ve since given another 30m car ride to another in need.

#52

A guy who jumped me from behind and slammed me to the cobblestones, fell down with me, landed under me and broke his leg. I was completely unharmed.
Oh yeah did I mention it happened right outside the church at a funeral!?

#53

Happened about 30 years ago but is family lore now... a friend who was into some shady business left a bag of cash on the roof of his car. A good Samaritan honked to try and let them know... they fingered him and drove off. They laugh about it now and hope the guy picked up the bag, it had about 30k in it!

#54

There was this bloke waiting in the queue for the ski lift.
A woman with one of her daughters was blocking the way a bit because she was waiting for her other daughter, who was in her twenties, and he told her to move to the side; the woman politely asked him to calm down. That annoyed him and he was firm and a bit too harsh in his response.

Ten minutes later, he took a nasty fall on his snowboard and fractured two vertebrae...

The bloke on the snowboard was me...

I was on holiday and, really, there’s no point in getting stressed when people lack common courtesy at times like that.

Anyway, I’m fine.

#55

Some peniswrinkle of a kid constantly harassed my ex in high school. Went out of his way to yell, swerve, scream, anything to annoy us.

One day we pull out of a shopping plaza and PW sees us, busts a U-turn. We're turning left. This [jerk] goes flying past us, flips us off, rams right into the back of literally everyone waiting at the red light. He hit so hard, he was facing us. Five cars involved.

I started laughing and pointing. My ex got out and helped him find his tooth. We are not the same.

#56

I was driving home in rush hour and the police had stopped/were directing traffic. The car behind me didn’t know why I was stopped and were honking non-stop. Lots of pedestrians. The car tried to go around me, stopped alongside me and were flipping me the bird (both people in the car) with BOTH hands. In slow rhythm. The cop blew his whistle and motioned them over to give them a ticket I’m guessing. Not sure for what, but he motioned for me to go. I drove away happy thinking “instant karma.”.

#57

It had snowed a lot and was out hunting. In one single spot multiple vehicles had gotten stuck. I found a tiny "dry" patch that I could park in and start winching people out. Zero cell signal and a long way from any home; bad weather no less.

After pulling out 3 vehicles and starting on the last vehicle, a pickup pulled up behind me and asked what was going on. I told him that If I can attach my vehicle to his, it'd go faster since I would be less likely to be pulled forward into the snow and ice.

The driver told me no and threatened violence; sure as hell he came back with an axe handle. He thankfully saw "the light" and hopped in his truck.

The moment I finished winching out the last vehicle and started to reel in my winch cable, the SOB whipped around me yelling and flipping me off. Karma slapped him and he got stuck in the same spot as everyone else.

All the other drivers and I just waved and drove off leaving the idiot out there.

#58

Coming home from the Rocky Horror Picture Show one night around 2 am we were driving down the main drag when a car full of dudes in a pick-up truck challenged us to a race. I was driving a Lynx, which was not a fast car.

I accepted the challenge. They took off, I kept up until the speed limit at which point I stopped racing. They slowed down to get beside me as we crested a hill, threw lit fireworks at us and accelerated away.

A cop was parked on the hill, saw all of this and pulled them over.

We slowed down as we went by them, rolled down our windows and pointed and laughed.

It was pretty good.

#59

A dude was rude to me while ordering his coffee (I was the waiter) and then he chocked on the first sip.
Small, fast, satisfying.

#60

Dude at a college party I was at was making advances at a girl and she was not having it. We told him to buzz off and as he was leaving he fell down the steps to go outside.

#61

I was delivering 100’s of hire chairs in stacks of 10 on my back, alone in a van to an event. It was to the door only, no set up. The guy who met me at the big marquee at a local university was rude from the offset, super condescending, and expected me to set them all up for him according to his plan he’d drawn out. I explained I have to move on to my next drop we don’t do set up. He would not have it and insisted someone told him we would. Dressed in his smart shirt tucked into his thin work trousers and shitflicker shoes, he stormed up to me from the tent on my last journey from the van to to the tent, and as he reached me slipped in a puddle and fell completely on his back, DRENCHED. I just stood above him, and waited for him to get up without saying a word, no offer of a hand up 😂. He couldn’t run away quick enough.

#62

I was driving behind a Sheriiff’s Deputy along a rural 2 lane 45mph road that was double yellow. The deputy must’ve had their cruise set at 45mph because we were not going any faster or slower and a person in a sports car rolled up behind me driving fairly fast and they must’ve started to get impatient because they started flashing their lights and making swerves to overtake even though the road is a double yellow for many more miles to come.

Suddenly on a short straight, the sports car shifts down a gear and is gonna “disappear” and about halfway past me he realizes there is a Deputy in front of me and hit his brakes and swerves back in line, the Deputy hits their emergency lights, get in the oncoming lane of traffic slows down to get in behind the sports car and pulls the car over. Of course, I just kept on driving normally.

#63

Arrived at a 4 way stop before the car across from me. I was a bit peeved when he didn’t stop and rolled through the stop sign. I didn’t realize there was a cop right behind me… he instantly put his lights on and pulled the guy over.

#64

Years ago I was a server, it was my first job, and it was a breakfast shift. So I had to be at work at 5:30 in the morning. So about an hour into the shift we ran out of grapefruit halves. I had a booth where one of the women was sitting on the inside of the booth and when I told her we had just sold the last hat grapefruit half she threw a fit. Now normally if that happened we would send someone out to the grocery store which was only a few blocks away but it wasn't open yet and we couldn't do anything about it. She was absolutely screaming she was so mad. I was shocked. However when I brought her cup of coffee a few minutes later just as I was sitting it in front of her the handle broke out and it landed in her lap. The person sitting next to her immediately grabbed a cup of ice water and poured it in her lap. Now she was really mad and I had to head to the kitchen because I could not keep a straight face. The weird thing it was one of those old fashioned really really thick coffee mugs and I personally had never seen one break unless it's dropped on the floor. Karma works.

#65

Well it happened to me one time. We were late getting home, we were seniors in high school trying to get home to my house. A friend of mine was driving her car and the guy in front of us was going really slow, but the roads were a little slippery it had been snowing but the roads were clear but slick. So we passed them and then literally within a half mile or so we went around a curve and slid up in embankment and we're stuck sideways in the car. They came around curve there and probably were laughing at us. We backed the car back off the embankment luckily and drove home.

Luckily the car really didn't have any damage.

#66

Saw one recently at work. A girl had been really rude to me when I was already upset because of having a bad day and she made a comment about me being dramatic right as she walked into a guy that worked in the building (we work for a company that cleans the building not for the building itself like this guy did) and he spilled coffee all over her. Nobody really felt sorry for her or tried to help her because they had heard her being rude to me and knew why I was having a bad day (she did too. She just didnt care).

#67

Driving on a dual carriageway at the speed limit. Guy went past me like I was standing still. Unfortunately for him, the traffic division HQ is in that area. Lots of unmarked police cars (or there were then. A car peeled out from somewhere behind me, and about 5 miles along the road, there was the first guy in cuffs being stuff into the police car.

#68

These two chicks at a show bugged infront of us in the drink line that we had been in for over half an hour. They acted like they pulled it off, rolled their eyes way better than anyone at this event.

The place was so packed and loud the bartenders didnt notice. After they got their drinks both their ID’s got swiped into the garberator. LOL.

#69

I had a guy in a BMW behind me in the left turn lane to get onto the highway. I could tell by the way he pulled up behind me that he was in a hurry. 

Once the light turned green, we turned left and up a long onramp. Mr. BMW was weaving back and forth behind me like he was warming up his Indy car tires. As soon as the painted triangle between the highway and onramp appeared, he crossed over the paint and up to speed as fast as he could. 

He passed me at 70 and must have gotten up to 90 before passing a cop that was waiting on the inside berm just past where traffic merges onto the highway. 

Mr. BMW knew he was cooked and immediately got back over and pulled off the road. He went from 20 to 90 to zero with 10 seconds.

Karma at her finest.

#70

One Monday morning, I was stuck in moderate to slow traffic on a freeway my way to work. In my rear view about 1/4 mile back, I see a very aggressive driver weaving in and out of lanes. He (as he whipped past me I saw a young white male driver) was even using the shoulder and the median to pass and get ahead.

Shortly after he passed me, narrowly missing my right front fender, I hear the whooping of a siren. A highway patrol vehicle slipped between lanes and drivers avidly moved to the edge of their lanes to let the patrol car by. Ahead the aggressive driver was tailed and pulled over stopping on the shoulder. I could see all other drivers cheering for 1/4 mile in either direction. All of us sharing a warm glow of satisfaction I'm sure.

#71

Working as a waitress with a sleazy cook that wouldn’t stop being a sexist annoying [jerk]. After turning him down a dozen times, he told the owner some lies about me stealing from the register when I was closing up. Well, they were all from Greece and stuck together, so I got fired.

As I was grabbing my purse I pictured him getting shot. Yea, I was really young and pissed. I got another job the next day. Two days later, old coworkers stopped by to say the sleaze was shot because of gambling debts to a bookie. 3 days seemed pretty instant for me.

#72

Had a job I quit. I was a line cook, and I was one of 3 people that 1 of us needed to be in the building for it to function. I had just clocked out on my last shift and sat at the bar, and there was this toxic slacker cook. We didn’t like each other. He was celebrating the fact I was leaving, which I was fine with, he wasn’t worth my time. I guess thought the void created by me leaving made him more indispensable. I don’t remember what he did exactly, but he was fired within 10 minutes of me clocking out on my last shift. He left the building before I did.

He was never going to be more than a pair of hands, but he was [ruining] the morale of these two younger cooks they would need to step up. I think that was the big factor.

#73

On a small cross street with two lanes, one to turn left and one to go straight. Left lane is used either to turn left onto the main avenue or to dickey into an expressway that's maybe 25-30 feet in.

Bunch of us are queued in the left lane, waiting for pedestrian clear the crosswalk. Guy goes into the straight ahead lane so he can go around all of us to enter the expressway, actually cuts me off as I'm turning.. And I watch the cruiser that was parked behind us go lights and siren at him even before I complete my turn.

#74

Bit of a shorter one but when I was 13 I was in line for a rollercoaster not realizing I was accidentally standing in a group of people, one of the guys told me to [get lost] then a few minutes later ended up dropping his phone and permanently losing it.

The internet can be chaotic, but every now and then it gives us something truly delightful: older people posting things online that are unintentionally hilarious. Whether they're sharing brutally honest opinions, misunderstanding modern technology, or simply saying exactly what's on their minds, their posts are often funnier than anything a comedian could write.

In this collection, we've rounded up some of the funniest screenshots featuring older people and their unforgettable online thoughts. Some are wholesome, some are wonderfully blunt, and a few might have you laughing out loud. Keep scrolling to enjoy these wonderfully unfiltered posts that prove age only makes people funnier online.

#1 Emojis

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#2 All Caps

© Photo: ssprix

#3 Delete Tweet

© Photo: ssprix

Have you ever watched your parents or grandparents use a smartphone and found it incredibly adorable? Maybe it's the way they hold the phone a little too close to their face, carefully typing one letter at a time, or how they accidentally turn on the flashlight and have absolutely no idea how it happened. Perhaps you've laughed when they ask where the "back button" went or wonder why their photos suddenly disappeared.

Moments like these can be both funny and endearing. But when you stop and think about it, it's actually pretty remarkable that they're using these devices at all. After all, older generations have lived through one of the biggest technological revolutions in human history. They didn't grow up with apps, touchscreens, or social media—they had to learn all of it as adults.

#4 No Way Yall Actually Do Ts

© Photo: ssprix

#5 Old People

© Photo: puzzs

#6 So Excited For Season 3

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

Of course, technology has brought incredible benefits. It's easier than ever to stay connected with loved ones, pay bills, shop, book appointments, and access important information online. For many older adults, learning new technology has opened doors that simply didn't exist a few decades ago. But every new opportunity also comes with new risks. Unfortunately, as more seniors embrace the internet, cybercriminals have increasingly begun seeing them as potential targets. While global digitalisation has transformed society in many positive ways, it has also created entirely new forms of fraud and deception that can be difficult for anyone to navigate.

#7 Dry. Meat To Salty

© Photo: puzzs

#8 Its A Gay Bar

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#9 Do You Want This Bowl?

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

The numbers are genuinely concerning. Research from the older people's charity Independent Age found that older adults who have been scammed lose an average of nearly £4,000 each. And the financial loss is only part of the story. Around 31% of people over the age of 65 said their experience of fraud negatively affected their mental health, while more than one in ten reported that it had also impacted their physical health. Being scammed can leave people feeling embarrassed, anxious, and deeply shaken. For many, it's not just about losing money—it's about losing trust, confidence, and a sense of security.

#10 How Do You Upload Picture

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#11 I Used To Work At Walmart

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#12 Writing Down Everything I Say

© Photo: puzzs

The scale of the problem is enormous. Banks in the UK are being urged to do more to protect older customers after research showed that approximately 1.9 million older people have fallen victim to scams. Altogether, this adds up to an astonishing £7.4 billion lost by older adults. That's not just a number—it's retirement savings, emergency funds, and years of hard work disappearing in a matter of minutes. It's also a reminder that scams don't just happen to "other people." They can happen to anyone. As scammers become more sophisticated, even tech-savvy individuals can find themselves caught off guard.

#13 Voice Typing 😭😭

© Photo: ssprix

#14 I Don't Know You, Nor Do I Want To

© Photo: ssprix

#15 Grandpa 😭

© Photo: ssprix

So why are older adults particularly vulnerable to online scams? The answer is actually quite complex. Researchers say there isn't one single reason. In a realist review, Burton and colleagues developed a theory explaining how, why, and under what circumstances older adults may become victims of financial cybercrime. Their findings identified several risk factors, including limited cybersecurity knowledge, health vulnerabilities, and reduced familiarity with rapidly changing technology. In other words, it's often not a lack of intelligence that makes someone vulnerable—it's simply that the digital world changes incredibly quickly, and keeping up with it all can be challenging.

#16 Yes I Know I Said 1 Star

© Photo: puzzs

#17 Ponch

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#18 I Dont Have Any Chair For Sale

© Photo: puzzs

Other factors can also increase the risk. Memory issues, declining confidence with technology, and social isolation can all make it easier for scammers to take advantage of someone. Researchers also point to factors such as relative wealth, fear of losing independence, and societal attitudes that may make older people too embarrassed to ask for help. Sadly, scammers understand these vulnerabilities incredibly well. They often create schemes specifically designed to exploit trust, loneliness, and fear. Some even target older adults repeatedly once they've identified them as potential victims, making the problem even more heartbreaking.

#19 Wasnot A Laufhing Matter

© Photo: ssprix

#20 Brisket I Made Today

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#21 Unpleasant Granddaughter

© Photo: puzzs

And the effects don't end when the money is gone. In many cases, the emotional impact can be even more devastating than the financial loss itself. Crime victimisation in general can have serious psychological effects on older adults, including anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. Existing health conditions and social isolation can make these effects even worse. Many victims report feelings of shame and embarrassment, with some losing entire life savings or emergency funds. For some people, the emotional damage lasts much longer than the financial loss itself.

#22 Trump...target...all Connected

© Photo: ssprix

#23 Bodyslaming Garbage Cans Whats The Matter Cant Fight Men?

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#24 She Accidentally Included A Picture Of Her Daughter Sleeping In An Ad She Posted

© Photo: ssprix

But despite all these very real concerns, the internet isn't only a place of scams and frustrations for older generations. In fact, it also gives us some of the funniest and most wholesome moments imaginable. Like when your mom accidentally video calls you and spends ten minutes showing you the ceiling. Or when your dad uses Google as if it's a person and types, "Why is my printer angry?" into the search bar. Or when your grandparent signs every text message with their full name, just in case you somehow forget who sent it.

#25 How Are You Doing?

© Photo: ssprix

#26 Really That Big

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#27 Never Asked

© Photo: ssprix

At the end of the day, technology can sometimes feel confusing and intimidating, especially for people who didn't grow up with it. But it can also be a source of connection, curiosity, and plenty of laughter. The screenshots in today's post are a perfect reminder that everyone experiences the internet a little differently, and sometimes those differences are downright hilarious. So, Pandas, which one of these posts made you laugh the most? And what's the funniest thing a parent or grandparent in your life has ever done online?

#28 We Don't Sell Hamburgers

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#29 Vintage Wood Mirror

© Photo: puzzs

#30 Grandpa Sent This To Me 😭

© Photo: ssprix

#31 Correct Group To Order A Cake?

© Photo: puzzs

#32 Buy Our Mirror

© Photo: Procedure_Dangerous

#33 Bill

© Photo: puzzs

#34 Walt Disney Teapot

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#35 Lububus. Satan Idols

© Photo: ssprix

#36 I Seen It

© Photo: ssprix

#37 Canada Fault

© Photo: ssprix

#38 Changed Profile Picture

© Photo: puzzs

#39 Mike This Is Not Your To Do List App

© Photo: ssprix

#40 Bro What 😭

© Photo: ssprix

#41 Some Context Would Be Nice

© Photo: ssprix

#42 Eh

© Photo: ssprix

#43 Low And Crazywhy?

© Photo: ssprix

#44 I Don't Think Thats A Kia

© Photo: ssprix

#45 All Caps Ofc

© Photo: ssprix

#46 Man Not Included*

© Photo: ssprix

#47 Updated Profile Picture

© Photo: Fluffy-Win-3216

#48 Admin

© Photo: ssprix

#49 Son In Law

© Photo: ssprix

#50 How To Use The Google

© Photo: ssprix

#51 They Clearly Love Olive Oil

© Photo: ssprix

Innocence is one of the rare joys children get to enjoy. Ideally, they shouldn’t experience the harsher side of life until they are old enough to understand the world around them. But of course, things aren’t always that way. 

This ninth-grade girl, for instance, got her first taste of sexism from the mother of a boy she went up against in a math competition at school. She was left so taken aback that it became a bitter memory she carried through the next few years. 

However, it was her graceful response through a well-thought-out revenge plot that turned things around for her, albeit a year later. 

Innocence is one of the rare joys a child gets to enjoy

Image credits: Green odette / Pexels (not the actual photo)

This ninth-grade girl, however, lost it early after getting her first taste of sexism during a math competition at school

Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Driven by utter shock and anger, she planned out her revenge plot a year in advance

Image credits: AI25.Studio AI GENERATIVE / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Ultimately, everything worked out in her favor

Image credits: yumi1756

Children who are exposed to biases against them at a young age may experience long-term repercussions on their confidence

The mom’s comment carries more long-term repercussions than she probably thought. According to Dr. Sal Raichbach, the child may develop a more negative view of their confidence and perceived skill level. 

“Even if the young child has the skills/ability to succeed, he/she now questions whether using those abilities will lead to negative reactions from others (e.g., dislike, judgment, etc.) or whether he/she would be ‘an outcast,’” Dr. Raichbach tells Bored Panda. 

Even in these progressive times, such stereotypes persist. Dr. Raichbach says that comments from family members, classmates’ reactions, peers’ teasing, media coverage, and praise given to certain individuals perpetuate these biases. 

“Research indicates that parents’ and teachers’ expectations regarding students’ mathematical abilities are often gender-based and influence how students perceive themselves in mathematics,” Dr. Raichbach explained, noting how it ultimately creates anxiety in students, which could alter their performance in school. 

Adults must focus on encouraging success instead of competition

To do this, Dr. Raichbach urges teachers to compliment students on the strategies they use to solve problems, the effort they put into challenging tasks, and the curiosity they show while learning. 

At home, Dr. Raichbach says parents should celebrate each child individually rather than compare them. 

“Parents must understand that a child’s success is a reflection of the child’s individual strength(s) NOT a reflection of another child’s worth,” he said. “The child should never feel forced into becoming smaller so that the family does not feel uncomfortable.”

It’s an unfortunate situation for the author, who should have never experienced such prejudice at that age. Hopefully, it does not severely affect her as she grows older, and props to her for handling the situation and “getting revenge” by doing her best to achieve success.

The author clarified parts of her story in the comments, as readers had nothing but props for her

Oh, how naive we are during our childhood, thinking that life is nothing but joy, cupcakes, and rainbows! However, once we grow up, the reality monster comes knocking at the door, and we are hit with epiphanies, some good, some amusing, and some mortifying.

The Reddit user New_Storm430 brought up one such horrifying realization when she inquired, “What’s a ‘harmless’ habit you had as a kid that turned out to be a red flag in hindsight?” Well, her question released the floodgates as people rushed forward with their answers, and some of them are quite dank and relatable. Just scroll down to check them out for yourself!

More info: Reddit

Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.

#1

Getting SUPER attached to anyone I felt any hint of a connection with, to the point of it being quite creepy & unhealthy. Lost several friends over it who were not amused, to say the least.

Every time I found someone I thought I could be friends with, I latched on with an iron grip & that person would become my “obsession” of the moment (yes, I can use that word now, even as ashamed as I am of it). I spent years trying to overcome this part of myself and deep down inside, I know the tendencies are still there, thus the reason why I now choose to remain aloof from all but a chosen few people. I never want to get that way with anyone ever again.

I look back now and cringe hard at what I put people through growing up. I realize now it was undiagnosed ASD & abandonment/attachment issues from never quite fitting in, being excluded from my peers and moving around a lot.

© Photo: 2gecko1983

#2

Making sure other people liked me, but not taking time to evaluate whether I liked them.

© Photo: examinat

#3

"Clean Plate Club".

Im fat [very] now. Definitely won't enforce that with my kids.

© Photo: winnielikethepooh15

As you scroll through the list, you might even find that the truth behind some of these "harmless habits" is actually quite sad. To better understand why we realize these red flags as adults, Bored Panda interviewed Divya Ahire, a psychotherapist who runs a private practice and offers therapy sessions under supervision. She said, "I think a lot of us only start to understand our childhood when we’re much older."

"When we’re kids, we don’t always have the words to explain what we’re feeling. So we act it out. Maybe we’re always busy, always quiet, always performing. At the time, it just feels normal. But later, when we’ve done some healing or had space to reflect, we might realize those "habits" were actually us trying to cope with something difficult," Divya elaborated.

She also believes that sometimes, it takes therapy, or becoming a parent, or even just watching a movie that hits a little too close to home, to start piecing things together. According to her, that moment of realization can be a little painful, but also really powerful, as it shows us how much we’ve been carrying, often silently.

#4

"I can do it myself"

It developed into hyper independence which has had its impact on my relationships. Hard to trust someone who keeps one foot out the door.

© Photo: User

#5

Retreating to my room and hiding in fictional worlds (video games, reading) instead of talking out my emotions (from emotional childhood neglect). Now as an adult, my first instinct is to hide and self-preserve when I have an issue, and it's been a struggle to make myself open up and communicate in a healthy manner.

I try to make it a point to go after my kids and talk to them when they're upset (after letting them cool down if needed), instead of ignoring them in their rooms and assuming everything is fine when they finally emerge later.

© Photo: TehluvEncanis

#6

Being able to read people’s emotions and adapt very quickly. There is a difference between cognizant of the emotional experience of others and being empathetic and holding space for that, and being hypervigilant due to trauma, and erasing your whole self in the process to the point where nobody actually knows who you are. And even if you have valid points of concern, it’s buried under mountains of people, pleasing behavior and indirect surfacing of your concerns. You will forever feel like your needs are getting unmet, but that’s because since you never felt yourself worthy of having needs you create confusion and ambiguity for others. Most of all you attract people who rely on you to be in that people pleasing space. You can’t have boundaries.

© Photo: OkTranslator395

When we asked Divya whether such habits during childhood actually point to deeper emotional or psychological struggles, she said yes and that it happens more often than we think.

She stressed, "Children rarely say I feel anxious or I feel lonely. Instead, they might spin in circles for hours, mimic others obsessively, or retreat into their own world. It can look like play. It can even make adults smile. But sometimes, it’s a sign that a child is trying to make sense of something confusing or overwhelming."

However, that doesn’t mean every unusual behavior is a cause for concern, as kids are wonderfully weird and imaginative, she added. Divya believes that when we start to notice patterns or when a behavior starts interfering with a child’s ability to connect or feel safe, that’s when it’s worth pausing and gently exploring what’s really going on underneath.

#7

Thinking and trusting that everyone is my friend. Turns out most people really [be bad] and are opportunistic.

© Photo: StrickenBDO

#8

Reading. I read *alot* as a kid as a form of escapism. .

© Photo: User

#9

I couldn’t sleep until I knew everyone else was asleep.

I know that in the 80s we weren’t commonly talking about hyper vigilance but d**n, no one wondered why I as a child didn’t feel safe falling asleep unless I thought the adults were asleep too?

© Photo: FeistyMuttMom

Divya also informed us that context, such as home environment or family dynamics, is everything when interpreting these so-called “harmless” behaviors displayed by children. She claimed that a child’s behavior is never just about them, as it reflects the world they’re growing up in.

She narrated that their relationships, their safety, their sense of belonging, and the way emotions are handled around them—all of that shows up in how they behave, play, and respond.

"So when a child starts withdrawing, acting out, or developing intense routines, it’s not helpful to ask What’s wrong with this child. Better questions might be: What’s happening around this child, What are they adapting to, or What are they trying to survive. When we hold that kind of compassion, we’re much more likely to respond in ways that are supportive rather than shaming," Divya narrated.

#10

Turning off all my emotions when my parent was screaming/raging .

© Photo: jesteryte

#11

Stealing.
It was small things like stickers and shiny objects and stuff. I realised it was bad when I decided to steal my roommates heels. I felt really bad and I kept it back in it's place.
I got therapy and worked on it and thankfully, I've stopped now.

© Photo: User

#12

Discussed on Reddit before but I would count the number of letters in each word in a sentence when people spoke. Started as fun, ended with me obsessively needing to do it to the point of not taking in the conversation aside from the words to store to count. I would also stack sentences in my brain if I couldn’t count quick enough.

Luckily I was oddly smart and self aware as a teen and saw it was getting out of hand so I made myself stop. As an adult I had to stop reading g a book series as one of the characters did the same and I started to slip back into it.

I have done other compulsive behaviours as well. I am currently going through autism diagnosis process.

© Photo: User

We also conversed with Divya about whether awareness around childhood mental health has improved in recent years to help catch these early red flags more effectively. She mentioned that yes, it has, and that gives her hope.

"I see more parents open to learning, more teachers tuned in to emotions, and more social media accounts talking about nervous systems, boundaries, and inner child work. These conversations would’ve been unheard of not too long ago. But at the same time, not everyone has the same access to this awareness," she added.

She noted that some families are dealing with daily survival, some are silenced by stigma, and many don’t have mental health resources nearby. "Awareness is growing, which is amazing, but the real change will come when support becomes more inclusive and easier to reach. Because every child deserves to feel seen, safe, and supported. No matter where they’re growing up," Divya concluded.

#13

Forgetting to eat/not liking eating. I thought it was just quirky. My whole family did it.

My parents forgot to feed us kids a few times when I was 9-11 (we were always at least middle class, they just neglected us because of a side business). When I was 10, my mom put the entire family on an extremely restrictive diet because she definitely has an undiagnosed ED, and kept telling us that anyone who doesn’t eat like us will die.
Turns out, she forced me to have an ED. I got a diagnosis and am recovering now, in my late 20s. She’s still in denial about hers.

© Photo: novamontag

#14

Despite knowing the answer to a question or if I'm being asked about something, my immediate response is to remain quiet because of the fear of being made fun of (I had a stutter growing up) and I was usually yelled at for getting anything wrong.

© Photo: User

#15

I was a pathological liar :-( got therapy, learned to recognize WHY I lied and how to stop. Sometimes I still feel that urge to lie, but now that I’ve got techniques to stop it and reconcile when I do lie, life is much better.

It’s nice to have friends now. The stress of my lies being found out was a huge burden on every part of my life, it’s really good to be free from it.

© Photo: creakydoorhinge

Well, that was definitely eye-opening insight from our expert, wasn't it? I bet the next time you catch some kid involved in such a "harmless" habit, it might do good to reflect on what's really happening with the child. That's it from our end for now, dear readers, but do tell us if you were able to relate to any of these. Also, don't hesitate to share your habits with us in the comments!

#16

Attention seeking and approval needing.

I didn't realize how much I was running off of the validation of other people. when I saw it, I embarked on the famous self-love journey and now I feel so much better about myself.

edit: spelling.

© Photo: unnofi

#17

Signing up for every extracurricular - I’m still great at starting things! Sticking with them and seeing them through is another story….

© Photo: cacti-pie

#18

I used to like getting an ice cube to keep in my mouth (I ate it like a hard candy rather than chewing it)

Years later, I found out that ice cravings can be a sign of iron deficiency anemia

(At that point I was already getting more iron in my diet because my doctor found that I had low iron in a blood test while I was getting a cardiac catheter).

© Photo: Al-and-Al

#19

Fantasizing and daydreaming. It’s all nice until I dissociate in the middle of driving and almost crash.

© Photo: Expensive-Mine-1172

#20

Procrastinating on everything and then rushing to get it done at the last minute, stressing myself out everytime and beating myself up for not doing the work when I had more time. Guess what I turned out to have.

© Photo: Dr_Identity

#21

Playing “the passout game”. Me and my friends and siblings would press on each other’s carotid arteries to reach unconscious. So dangerous. Also, a pre courser to high-seeking behavior.

© Photo: BravesMaedchen

#22

Stimming, specifically compulsively rubbing my feet together like a cricket. Turns out I have ADHD & autism lol .

© Photo: Softbombsalad

#23

I was very flexible as a kid and would constantly contort myself into strange positions because it was comfortable for me and to show off. Well, it turns out I have Ehlers Danlos, and I was just doing permanent damage to my body that I'm paying for now as an adult.

© Photo: User

#24

Dermatillomania. I shredded my cuticles and lips. I think I subconsciously believed things would be better if I could make myself flawless. Unfortunately I'm almost 50 and still do it. It's soothing and stressing at the same time. It's like, everything will be ok once my lips are smooth. Lip balm stops me for a while but makes it worse long-term because it makes my lip skin easier to remove.

© Photo: User

#25

Not stopping at just one snack.

#26

Avoiding simple tasks.

© Photo: User

#27

Pulling out my eyelashes because I thought I would get wishes. It's called trichotilomania (spelling?) Apparently and now I barely have any eyelashes, eyebrows, or hair on my head.

© Photo: catlovingbookworm

#28

Long story short, now my face is stuck like this.

© Photo: Some_Stoic_Man

#29

Drinkimg sugary beverages instead of water.

#30

Playing with whatever weird animal I could find while wandering around in the woods.

© Photo: stavago

#31

Going on Omegle.

© Photo: bubblegum-rose

You might also like: Parents share 38 mortifying things kids have done in front of strangers

You can’t know everything. But you can definitely know more than you did yesterday.

And if you’re looking to pick up something genuinely useful, we’ve got just the thing. These Redditors shared smart life hacks that might not be on everyone’s radar—but honestly, they should be.

Scroll through and don’t forget to upvote the ones you’d love to try!

Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.

#1

When in public, you can watch videos and listen to music easily by using a simple device called "headphones".

© Photo: Creativered4

#2

Minding your own business really does reduce stress.

© Photo: kastleofkaos

#3

My wife and I like to get takeout once a week or so and if the food is good I like to call the restaurant and say, “Hi, my name is [intimacy] and we just picked up an order of [intimacy] for takeout.” (Insert short pause - you can hear the tension build on the restaurant end expecting a complaint). “I just wanted you to know that was one of the best meals we’ve eaten in a long time. Please thank the chef and everyone working back of house for us.”

I don’t know if restaurants have a secret code or some way of identifying customers but we always seem to have better interactions with them on future orders, but most importantly it lets the BOH know that we really do appreciate their hard work.

© Photo: Aeolus_14_Umbra

#4

When ordering something online I will add it to my cart and then let it sit for a couple days. Many times ive been sent the "You forgot something" email and a promo code for a % off.

© Photo: ThaddeusOfWhiterun

#5

When purchasing citrus fruit, select the heavy ones. They are more likely to be fresh and juicy than the lighter ones (assuming the same variety and similar size).

© Photo: gt0163c

#6

On BMWs, there is this lever on the left side of the steering wheel that gives an indication if you want to turn left or right.

© Photo: bishopredline

#7

When buying bagged salad, buy the bags that aren't puffed up. Look for the flattest bags. They are the freshest ones. When the salad starts to go bad, it makes the bag inflate.

© Photo: mondrianbox

#8

Dental tablets - like the ones that dissolve to clean dentures - clean out water bottles incredibly well. Can be super lightweight to carry while camping/hiking/traveling too. Put all my friends onto this hack!

© Photo: User

#9

"Do you want to vent or do you want advice?"

Varrrow:

My wife and I use the phrase "Do you want a sword or a blanket?" quite often.

© Photo: kelcamer

#10

Judging by the number of people who pull up on my bumper at every light, apparently a lot of people don’t know this:

You should pull up to the point where you can still see the bottom of the tires of the car in front of you. That gives you enough space to pull into another lane and get out of there. You never know when traffic in front of you is going to stop. There might be an accident, a stopped train, or some other issue. Make sure you can leave without problems.

© Photo: User

#11

When you buy a house or rent a new apartment, get a new gmail account for its address. Then send anything house- or apartment-related to that one email so when it is time to leave or sell, you have a history of everything done or spent on.

© Photo: CarrieNoir

#12

HR is not your friend. They are hired to protect the company not you. Anonymous surveys at work are also not Anonymous. The creator of the survey has access to who wrote what. You’re welcome.

© Photo: Baaptigyaan

#13

Hydrogen peroxide to clean blood off all fabrics. No, it doesn’t bleach the fabric. Yes, it’s near instant and 1000% total - no scrubbing. Just saturate, wait a few, and rinse. Do it a few times if the blood is old. 

It ALWAYS works.

© Photo: No_Performance8733

#14

Hair conditioner works better than most shaving creams for shaving and it's a lot cheaper too.

Individual-Crazy3752:

That is 100% true. Went through hundreds of razor burns in sensitive areas and one day discovered that hair conditioner softens thick short hairs perfectly- smooth skin, much better than any overpriced shaving product.

© Photo: Deno_Stuff

#15

When showing people pictures on your phone, zoom in slightly so they can't swipe to another picture on your camera roll.

© Photo: Acceptable_Split_915

#16

As a dental hygienist: anything is always better than nothing.

You do not have to brush and floss at the same time. Just at some point during the day preferred.

Don't like string floss? Try the picks. Keep them in the shower, in the car, on your nightstand, on the couch.

Don't like floss period? Try a waterpik (the brand is waterpik, they make water flossers. I always recommend waterpik because they are the brand with the research to back them).

Hand held models are good for travel or if they are rechargeable, take into the shower (just fill the tank twice). I prefer models that sit on the counter because they have better pressure control and a larger tank (just fill once).

Other options are toothpicks, proxy brushes/soft picks, rubber tip stimulators. Anything to disrupt plaque and stimulate the gums.

Anything is ALWAYS better than nothing. A s****y brush is better than no brush. Flossing once a week is better than none a week. 👍🏼 And always always just do the best you can.

© Photo: SamPamTYM

#17

People who work on windows computers. Hit the windows key and V at the same time.

Instead of pasting, it opens up your entire clipboard. Once you enable it it will save a history of what you copy and you can pick and choose.


Enjoy.

© Photo: User

#18

Admitting when you're wrong goes a lot farther than denying.

© Photo: BPKofficial

#19

Not really a hack, but library branches often have digital libraries where you can view pretty recent movies and tv shows for free from the comfort of your home or wherever.

Accessing will vary one one branch to another. It's either via a specific website/app unique to the branch. But some branches work with the Hoopla app offering the same access.

Though note you may need an active library card to access the digital library.

© Photo: theonlybuster

#20

Politely asking for things. People just seem to assume or default to terrible service or the inability for things to happen for them. If you approach it nicely with respect and ask for what you want etc many times it's not that big of a deal to get it done.

I've gotten VIP upgrades for concerts, free food, complimentary airport lounge passes, reservations at hard to get places, bill concessions.

It's amazing how rudely most people in a forward facing role are treated. If you approach them and treat them with dignity and respect, often times they will happily extend a courtesy to you. They are people and if they're the right person, they can often bend the rules in a way that you wouldn't have ever gotten had you not asked in the first place.

This also works with friends, family, partners, etc.

© Photo: imbasicallycoffee

#21

Bacon in the oven. Cooks it perfectly and it doesn’t curl.

© Photo: PercentageNonGrata

#22

If your brown sugar gets hard and unusable, seal it in a ziploc bag overnight with a slice of apple or bread. The sugar will absorb the moisture from the slice and be as good as new.

© Photo: ZDarFan

#23

I have really sensitive ears. Most earrings irritate them other than ones made from titanium.
So I got 14g implant grade titanium tunnels and just put the cheap earrings through them like a sleeve. It works great and now I can wear whatever earrings I want without having any reaction.

Highly recommend for folks with sensitive ears!

© Photo: muttermayi

#24

Doing the laundry/dishes and playing with your kids is one of the most reliably effective ways to arouse your wife.

© Photo: ExternalSelf1337

#25

Airline neck pillows.

The opening goes...in...the...BACK! You know, where the BACKREST is and you don't need any more support. The whole point of these things is to allow you to sleep sitting upright, without your head tilting forward and waking you.

© Photo: stiina22

#26

Concert Earplugs on your keychain. The industrial circus peanut style muffles sound and are horrible.

Spend $40 on ones that dampen db's by 20 or so and let sound pass through a tiny hole. My old a*s has had mine almost a decade now. (Don't be a dumb kid like me and start now.)

Not only does the music still sound right, but the 15-20 db they cut off does a remarkable job of selectively blocking out the voices of those drunk a******s talking a few seats over.

© Photo: User

#27

Baby powder removes sand. I continue to blow people's minds with this every single summer at the beach, and my mind is equally blown at how no one seems to know this.

© Photo: crindy-

#28

If you're depressed, don't feel good, maybe had a bender or anything else, get out from underneath the blanket and take a walk around the block. You will feel 10x better after about 10 minutes of moving.

If you're actually bed-ridden or sick sick. Don't. But if you're hungover or beating yourself up or you don't feel good, go for a stroll. You'll feel better when you get back :)

Edit: Yes, OP doesn't mean walking cures depression. We've all had our own lives to go through, just saying I felt better after going for a walk with my dogs after going through a week straight refusing to get out of bed to pee, I built off that start. Doing better now.

It's a positive post my dudes and take care of yourselves.

© Photo: lokoinov2

#29

A wet latex glove in circling motions extracts all the pet hair embedded in your couch's upholstery into neat little balls that you can easily collect and discard.

© Photo: User

#30

Paper towel in your mixed greens box. Increases shelf life by weeks.

© Photo: itwasluck_71

#31

Wrapping lettuce in aluminum foil makes it last for a month.

atomicbaby11:

Works for celery too.

© Photo: IndividualReason3448

#32

If you clean as you go, it's amazing how clean your house stays for longer periods if you make cleaning more opportune and not a separate task you wait until Sundays to do or whatever.

1. Waiting 3 minutes for something to cook in the microwave? Clean some of the kitchen in those 3 minutes.
2. Going from one area of the house to another? Carry things in that area to the area they are supposed to be at your destination. Dishes in the rec room? Carry them on the way to the kitchen. Bedroom trash full? Carry the bags on the way to the garage. Think about where you are, where you're going, and what is at where you are that needs to be taken to where you're going. Never make a trip from point A to point B without returning something to point B.
3. Keep cleaning supplies close to what you use them for. Don't store your kitchen cleaners hidden in the laundry room. Don't store the upstairs bathroom cleaners in a downstairs hall closet. Keep rolls of paper towels near anywhere a spill MIGHT occur: dining room, rec room, even bathroom, or in a bedside table.
4. Have more than one broom and dustpan, and keep one set in the kitchen, garage, etc. They are cheap.

© Photo: punkwalrus

#33

If you want to use a store's discounted price, but don't want to be bothered with creating an account or giving your phone number/email, just use the phone number from the 80's song "Jenny" and your local area code.


(***) 867-5309.

I've been using this number for years at places like CVS, grocery stores, even department stores and it works pretty much every time.

I'm clearly not the only one doing it, either. The receipts always have crazy numbers of $ saved. Last time I used it at CVS I had "saved" something like $6k this year.

#34

Feelings aren't facts.

Acknowledge your feelings but relate them to the present circumstances.

Don't allow your self-critic to use that difficult feeling to weave or buy into pre-existing self narrative that convinces you you're broken, less-than or a failure.

Life is hard and experiencing difficult emotions is not fun. But those emotions are a part of you trying to tell you that something is amiss. Some part of you needs compassion, understanding, patience and self-soothing not criticism.

#35

Chemical hot packs (like Hot Hands hand warmers or Thermacare heat patches) are rated for a specific number of hours of heat. I believe the hand warmers are 10 hours and the larger Thermacare patches are 16.

The way these packs work is by a chemical reaction with oxygen. Which means you get 10 hours of heat for 10 hours of oxygen exposure but they don't have to be 10 *consecutive* hours.

If you only need them for a few hours, stick them in a zip-lock bag when you're done. They will cool off almost instantly and you still get several more hours of heat. You don't have to throw them away just because you don't need them right now.

Similarly, if your hot packs stop working early, it's almost certainly because they don't have enough oxygen. Take them out of your gloves/pockets/shoes for a moment, and they will warm back up!

© Photo: ceebeefour

#36

You can car wax your sink and shower walls. Keeps mildew from building up for much longer.

Thick_Caterpillar379:

Rain-X now makes a product specifically for showers.

© Photo: Srirachaballet

#37

Open jars with your left hand.

The direction of turn to open and thumb position are the trick.

When you open a jar with your right hand, you use your fingers, which fold over and you're missing out on the rigidity of your thumb bones.

© Photo: Ludwig_Vista2

#38

If you wear a KN95/N95 mask in public/ crowded spaces, you are much less likely to get sick.

© Photo: marksmak

#39

When reheating food in the microwave, don’t put it in the center of the plate—place it on the edge. Microwaves heat more evenly around the outer edges, so your food will warm up faster and more uniformly.

#40

Using a slightly damp paper towel to cover food when you microwave it. Prevents it from getting dry and retains more flavor.

#41

You don't have to get expensive reading glasses from your optometrist, you can get cheap reading glasses from the pharmacy.

nalycat:

Yay! Something I know about! I work in ophthalmology.
If you just need reading glasses, this is a good tip. The best bet is to go to the dollar tree if you have one, and pick a few that feel right. Then try them for a while and see which works best. You are only out a few dollars and now you can buy nicer ones after you know which ones feel best.
I don't recommend getting progressive lenses online. There is a lot of science that goes into progressives, and it's not something I would leave up to a website.
If you do buy glasses online and they don't seem quite right. You can go to your local optical store and usually pay them around $8 and they will double check the prescription accuracy and adjust them for you. Sometimes the glasses don't need to be replaced, they just need to be adjusted with bending or heat.

#42

Squeegee the water off your body with your hands before getting out of the shower and your towel will dry a lot quicker. 

If it's dark and you need to turn on a light for a short while like in the bathroom at night, keep one eye closed and it'll stay adjusted to the darkness so you can see when you turn the light back off. Apparently this was a WW2 fighter pilot trick for explosions at night. 

#43

You can watch YouTube without ads on mobile very easily, through a browser with ad blocking properties.


I’m sure there are several, I’m using one called ‘Brave’ which is a goofy name for a browser but it does the trick.
It’s taken YouTube from drowning in ads and completely rage inducing, to being fine again.

#44

Stop allowing things you can't control to live rent free in your head.

© Photo: User

#45

You can just get up and leave. You don't have to react to everything out of a misguided sense of "self-respect."

#46

Use a seam ripper to clean your vacuum brush roll! Makes a heinous chore take less than a minute. Also, clean your d**n cleaning tools. It makes such a huge difference.

#47

Newspaper is excellent for cleaning glass.

#48

You can loosen zip ties by pinching the side of the block with pliers.

#49

Having two checking accounts. One for bills, one for spending. Total up all of your monthly bills and divide by how many paychecks you get in a month. That amount (plus a little more for fluff) should go into the bills account. The rest is for saving or spending and goes to the other account. Never keep the debit card for the bills account with you. That money is NOT for fun times!

Now you'll always have the money for your bills and can pay them right away! :).

#50

With fitted sheets, the tag in the sheet is always in the right corner.

© Photo: AwakeGroundhog

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Growing up, my family definitely wasn’t rich. We weren’t jetting off to Europe during the summer or visiting a ski lodge over Christmas break. We might have had one domestic vacation a year, often a road trip, and we’d spend most of our summers at the neighborhood pool doing cannonballs until the sun went down.

But we did have a cluttered garage with an extra refrigerator for drinks, a lawnmower that my dad was proud to use and a grill that cooked more burgers, salmon and veggies than I can count. We were the quintessential middle class family. And, of course, my upbringing wasn't unique; there are millions of other families around the globe who had nearly the exact same experiences.

Redditors have been discussing the tell-tale signs that someone is middle class, so we’ve gathered their most spot-on replies below. Enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the ones that make you want to have a picnic with your neighbors!

Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.

#1

Being able to afford everything you need but not everything you want.

ChuushaHime:
This is where I am now for the first time in my life and I love it. I'm very comfortable, have solid emergency funds, can afford everything that I need as well as small luxuries like the occasional nice restaurant or weekend getaway, but still need to put some effort into saving for trips or similar largescale purchases that make me feel like I earned them. Next financial goal is to move apartments to a more expensive but prettier and more convenient part of town. Looking forward to it :)

© Photo: MatrixMan100

#2

Adopted a little boy earlier this year... 6 years old. His background is, erm, rough, shall we say.

Last week we were sat in a Cafè and he described his scone as "delightful". A little later he asked where we were going for dinner.

I suddenly realised we'd ruined him already. 🤦‍♂️.

© Photo: Major-Bookkeeper8974

#3

Student loans

Too wealthy for need-based scholarships; not wealthy enough to pay for college.

© Photo: theygotthemustardout

#4

Family vacations. I remember coming back from summer break and my classmates talking about the trips their families went on and being extremely jealous.

© Photo: User

#5

Buying a Subaru because its practical and safe.

© Photo: flipadelphia119

#6

Spending an entire day from your weekend cleaning your own house and doing your own yard work and going to Costco.

© Photo: -nowseehere-

#7

Single family home in the suburbs, 30 year mortgage.

© Photo: dottmatrix

#8

When your passenger side door handle breaks, you take it to the dealership for repair since it's under warranty, when they send you to the rental company for a loaner car and the only thing they have is a ~~Camero~~ Camaro. When you pull in to the driveway of your suburban home and tell your pregnant wife you're going out to dinner at a nearby sit down restaurant because you need a reason to drive the ~~Camero~~ Camaro around.

Ladies and gentlemen, my husband last week.

© Photo: RedditsInBed2

#9

*opens fridge full of tons of diverse fresh food*

There's nothing ~~already cooked and prepared to mindlessly shove in my gullet~~ to eat.

© Photo: ld43233

#10

I'm going to paint my fence China white instead of 1/4 piano white.

My suburb passed a ruling no green fencing...so I'm getting white that has a green hue in it.

I'm just one man fighting against the oppression.

© Photo: anon

#11

Those vases that middle class mothers put in the corner of the room with twigs in it.

© Photo: anon

#12

I don't want to spend more than $20 on a case for my $600 phone.

© Photo: AbuBee

#13

Lawnmowing.

© Photo: Stockholm-Syndrom

#14

Helping your children do their homework.

Poor people don't have time for that. Rich people have tutors for that.

© Photo: Languid_Solidarity

#15

Sneaking snacks into the movie theatre.

© Photo: User

#16

Thinking that you're not well off, when you actually are.

© Photo: SOCOM218

#17

A mortgage, a car loan or two, and having to save the entire year (or two) to take a vacation with the spouse and kids.

© Photo: slider728

#18

Too rich for the FAFSA, too poor to afford college.

© Photo: WorldsWithin

#19

A messy garage with a refrigerator in it.

© Photo: mistaken4bacon

#20

Gotta go to work everyday so I can come home and spend all my free time taking care of bills, food, and my children. Just so I can wake up tomorrow and do it all over again.

© Photo: Empole

#21

Planning for retirement. The rich don't have to worry about it, and the poor know they wont ever reach it.

© Photo: anon

#22

A Toyota Highlander with "Frozen" playing in the backseat pulling up to a block party at a master-planned starter home community's pool where the dads are grilling and the kids are running around everywhere eating freeze pops.

© Photo: pvr97aus05dc15

#23

Getting into debt so people don't think you're poor.

© Photo: xxCyberpunk2077xx

#24

I take _forever_ to grocery shop now that I'm making a decent living.

When we were poorer it was just buy whatever we could afford that would keep us alive. Now, when arriving at the spot in the aisle for EVERY item on my list, a chain reaction of decision making fires off that passes through statistics, guilt, and the meaning of life.

> There are 6 choices of jarred olives

> That one is $18 so its an outlier

> The remaining 5 prices are between $0.89 and $3.99, biased to the right

> My income is in the 65th percentile nationally

> http://i.imgur.com/itMcsy5.gif

> Really these are just going in my martinis, I won't even notice the difference from the cheaper ones

> But I do like to eat them in salads sometimes...

> *Looks back at $18 olives*

> I MAKE GOOD MONEY DAMNIT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUY NICE OLIVES.

> They're just going to waste in the fridge because I pass out after 2 drinks

> The expensive ones probably taste funny anyway

> Honestly I don't even remember how much Gin I have left

> *Looks back at list*

> I'll go look at the yogurt and come back to the olives before I leave.

© Photo: must-be-aliens

#25

A grade school aged child having tempered expectations for Christmas gifts, and getting pretty much everything they wanted except for the most expensive thing. "Maybe next year, bud.".

© Photo: CTMalum

#26

Having a nice double car garage but no room for your mid size SUV or Toyota sedan because its full of kids toys, unopened boxes of random s**t that you haven't looked at since you moved in and golf clubs you don't use often.

© Photo: anon

#27

Golden Retrievers.

© Photo: TheGamedawg

#28

One Prozac a day. Husband's a CPA

and her yellow SUV.

© Photo: User

#29

A basketball hoop in every driveway.

EDIT: or on the garage. but i mean really that's still in the driveway isn't it?

© Photo: cubs_070816

#30

As a Hispanic that grew up middle class.
Using butter containers to store leftover beans. My Tupperware came from re-purposed lands.

*typos are inevitable.

© Photo: thedraindeimo

#31

Having those silly little stick figure family stickers on the back of your minivan.

© Photo: anon

#32

Street hockey.

Car!

#33

- Sent from my iphone.

#34

An above ground pool, alone, in the middle of the back yard, with those s****y plastic ladders that flail all over the place when you climb them.

© Photo: Omnipotent_Goose

#35

Company picnics.

#36

This thread has me reminiscing on the sweet summer times of my middle-class childhood:

-drawing with chalk in the driveway.

-Going to a neighbor's to swim in their above-ground pool, while swatting away occasional wasps, and if this wasn't an option, putting a sprinkler under the trampoline.

-A tire swing and/or one of those assembly-required jungle gyms in the backyard.


-Various soccer/music/overnight camps (not fancy ones, usually run by the local university)


-Being a tomboy by necessity because all your bikes/sporting goods/some clothes were passed through the neighborhood boys before they got to you


-Bringing your dad a glass of freshly mixed red koolaid while he takes a break from mowing the lawn with giant noise-cancelling headphones on. Not the ones that play music. They just cancel noise. Blanking on what to call these.

#37

Neighborhood yard sales.

#38

Buying a 3 bedroom house in a nice neighborhood on mortgage.

#39

"I'm so glad I bought that Chevy Tahoe. Now I can listen to NPR while driving Bella from her Montessori school to soccer practice.".

#40

Bringing a lunch to the office.

#41

My wife told me about growing up, regularly having smoked salmon over eggs for breakfast, took regular family holidays to other countries/continents and had horse riding lessons.

Meanwhile there's me not allowed to have milk in my porridge/off brand Weetabix.

#42

Getting nice and loaded prior to a sporting event to save money; getting drunk enough for long-term-financial-goal apathy to set in and buying tons of food and beer in the stadium because you *can* afford it but *shouldn't* waste the cash.

#43

Buy a house with a 2 or 3 car garage and pack them full of c**p and park the cars in the driveway.

#44

My father having his neighborhood friends over to play horseshoes and drink Yuenglings out back.

#45

Having a moderate sedan that you try to keep clean. Theres bird s**t all over it but youre waiting for the next rain instead of doing a car wash.

#46

Camping as a family vacation. We went to Disney World when I was 9, but other than that our vacations were usually camping trips. My dad made enough money to be able to take almost a month off of work each summer (not consecutively, but a week or weekend here and there), but not enough to take us anywhere expensive.

#47

Owning a car, but still ride a bike for fun/exercise.

#48

Going to a fast food place and not looking at the prices.

#49

Mac and cheese go mighty fine with a big a*s box of
Costco wine.

#50

A white teenager driving his dad's subaru and blasting XXXtentacion.

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By now, Bored Panda readers like you should be well acquainted with the nostalgic photo archives of Portuguese journalist Paula Leite Moreira. Over the years, her vintage collections have captured everything from everyday family life to moments with animals, with cats often taking the spotlight. This time, we’re focusing on a theme that feels especially touching: the connection between children and their feline companions.

We looked through Paula’s carefully curated Instagram feed and found a beautiful collection of photos showing kids and cats from decades past. Some are funny, others are full of quiet emotion, yet all of them show how special the bond between a child and their pet can be.

More info: Instagram | Facebook

Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.

#1

© Photo: allvintagecats

“These images were frequently made for postcards,” Paula explains to Bored Panda, referring to some of the earliest photos in her collection. “But aside from that period, it's remarkable how photos from decades ago are similar to those we see today. Owners also enjoyed capturing casual moments with their cats at home, with their families, in an unpretentious way.”

#2

© Photo: allvintagecats

#3

© Photo: allvintagecats

That raw, unfiltered joy still shines through in these images—even if our relationship with cat content has evolved dramatically in the digital age.

“I believe that in the previous century, they were also loved by their owners,” Paula says. “But they didn't have the same viral popularity filled with memes and cute videos that win over even those who aren't big cat fans. I'm very happy about this, and I hope my work contributes to it.”

#4

© Photo: allvintagecats

#5

© Photo: allvintagecats

When asked about the most surprising photo she’s come across in her vintage cat hunt, Paula immediately recalls one that stands out. “Definitely a photo of a kitten 'hidden' in the so-called 'longest beard in the world' of a Frenchman named Louis Coulo.”

Beyond the charm of these old photographs, Paula’s research has uncovered fascinating historical tidbits—like how cats played key roles aboard ships during wartime.

“They were highly sought after and pampered on large vessels, especially during periods of war,” she shares. “The main function was to fight rats, but they ended up being an escape valve for the sailors, a little bit of love in the midst of so much tension.”

#6

© Photo: allvintagecats

#7

© Photo: allvintagecats

As for the future of All Vintage Cats, Paula says she’s been toying with the idea of a book or a retro-inspired fashion production. “But for now,” she adds, “the page is just a hobby.” Hobby or not, her work continues to remind us of something essential: whether it’s today or 100 years ago, the connection between humans and animals, especially between a child and their cat, is a bond that transcends time.

#8

© Photo: allvintagecats

#9

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#10

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#11

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#12

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#13

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#14

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#15

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#16

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#17

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#18

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#19

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#20

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#21

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#22

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#23

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#24

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#25

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#26

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#27

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#28

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#29

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#30

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#31

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#32

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#33

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#34

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#35

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#36

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#37

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#38

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#39

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#40

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#41

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#42

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#43

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#44

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#45

© Photo: allvintagecats

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Serving people drinks isn't as easy as it might seem. You need to memorize dozens of recipes, stay on your feet for long hours, multitask under pressure... and avoid melting into the floor from the cringe around you!

Recently, Reddit user Nojunkpeter asked bartenders on the platform to share the most awkward conversation they've overheard at work, and hundreds delivered. From painfully bad blind dates to impromptu financial interventions for spoiled kids, these unforgettable situations stuck with them for all the wrong reasons.

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#1

Happened a long time ago but saw a man and a woman on what I assumed was a first date. About an hour after arrival she finished a drink and was shortly after completely unconscious.

When asked if she was ok, The man said she “must be tired” and said he was going to take her home. Realising she wasn’t waking, an ambulance was called followed by the police. He tried to make a prompt escape through the fire exit and was blocked by a member of staff.

She got taken away by the ambulance, him in the police car. Horrible to think what could have happened.

© Photo: SyntheticRox

#2

Not a bartender, but overheard a couple on a blind date realizing about 20 minutes in that they shared the same dad. He apparently had a secret second family two towns over. The absolute silence that followed was the loudest thing I've ever heard.

© Photo: User

#3

In the late 90’s or early 00’s two lesbians came to the bar and ordered 2 shots each. They told me they needed the courage to come out to their families.

Later they sat at a large table and ordered a pitcher of margaritas for the table of 8 or 10 people. The conversation was flowing and filled with plenty of laughter until suddenly there was none.

I hope those women found peace with themselves without the need of approval from their family.

© Photo: Raytec1

#4

Bartending at this corporate afternoon network function. Lady signals she wants another glass of wine…

Woman A: I really shouldn’t be drinking wine.

Woman B: (pointing to her tummy) because of the baby?

Woman A: I’M NOT PREGNANT! How dare you…

© Photo: YVRkeeper

#5

Not a bartender, but it’s a drinking story … heard while waiting at the DMV.

It’s the DMV, where social norms don’t seem to apply.

Disheveled guy in the waiting room picks up his mobile phone, calls a buddy in a loud voice and says “yeah, I got busted for a dui, so now I can’t use my CFL (commercial driver license) to drive trucks and lost my job doing that. But I’m at the DMV to apply for a school bus driving permit, so I’m gunna do that until my CDL is off suspension”.

All the folks of child rearing age froze, looked up, and exchanged incredulous glances with each other.

© Photo: Jayches

#6

The ex-wife and (adult) son of one of our regulars came in one time. They got pretty sloshed, and started slow dancing. Bear in mind nobody dances at this pub, it’s not that kind of vibe.

The vibe they gave off was unsettling, too romantic for mother and son. Everybody was uncomfortable. Then they started kissing. Not a polite little smooch of an adoring and tipsy mom on her beloved son, KISSING.

That’s when I busted it up, told them they needed to leave and zeroed their tab just to get them the h**l out of there.

Everybody knew the guy whose ex and son they were. We all felt extra extra uncomfortable because we knew him. It was, hands down, the ickiest thing I’ve ever witnessed.

I don’t know if anyone told our regular (and friend) but I didn’t. Jesus how do you even broach that topic. I kind of assumed he knew at least something was amiss there, and it might have been a cause of their divorce. Anyway frick that, I’m not touching that with a ten foot pole.

EWWW.

Info: Some commenters were assuming step-mom. No, it was mother-son, biological.

© Photo: rapiertwit

#7

I was a waiter but I was working behind a diner counter a lot of the time. Close enough to a bar? I have two awkward stories I'll never forget:

-Guy who brought a script along to a first date and made his reluctant date run lines with him (he was not very good), then talked for far too long about the nuances of his great performance while the date sat there silently nodding. Sir do you think this is a flex

-Pair of teens, one of them was sobbing over being dumped. Her friend said "don't cry you're too hot to be sad!" and tried to kiss her while she leaned away in horror and disgust. My skin crawls with secondhand embarrassment whenever I think about it. Sir....

© Photo: Silly_Accident3137

#8

A old Scottish guy asked me for 2 x Pina Coladas. So I went away, made them and brought them back and set them in front of him. He looked confused and angry when I was putting the little umbrellas and sparkly stick in the drink and asked him for the money.

Turns out he actually asked for 2 “pints of lager” in his thick Glaswegian accent! He was not impressed!

© Photo: wallpaper_01

#9

A couple both admitted to cheating. Turns out both cheated with the same dude.

It was all I could do to make up busy - work near them to be able to hear it all play out.

© Photo: daydreamersunion

#10

I'm a bartender, but would help serve tables during slow periods when there weren't many servers on.

Man comes into the dining room waiting on another person.

She arrives shortly after, sets her purse and a manila envelope down and goes to the washroom. I drop off an little amuse bouche which was pureed watermelon juice while she was gone and explained what it was to the man.

Lady comes back, and maybe 30 seconds later I hear raised voices, I return just in time to see her bolt back to the bathroom while digging in her purse. She returns minutes later, looking very upset and unwell. More angry talking, papers being handed over a couple times, then she grabs her stuff and moves to the bar, still flipping through papers and signing things.

I ask if I can help, and she barks "no, you're great, not your fault at all. But we're here to sign divorce papers and he didn't tell me the juice you dropped off was watermelon. I'm allergic to watermelon".

I understood her on a cellular level at that moment.

© Photo: sometimes_i_work

#11

These kids (probably around 12 years old) on their first date. The boys mom brought them to the restaurant and planned on sitting at the bar to give them alone time.

The boy wouldn't let her leave the table. The girl and the mom kept hinting at how fun it would for them to be alone and how the mom probably didn't want to sit there during the date. The mom tried to leave and the boy literally grabbed her by the hand and wouldn't let go.

Having your mom be the 3rd wheel on your date was just as awkward as it sounds. The mom came back and became kind of a regular because she liked the food. She told me the girl dumped him after that and it wasn't pretty.

© Photo: esoteric_enigma

#12

Not too long ago, I had to stay a few nights at a local hotel for a work event. It just so happens my wife is a bartender at one of bars at that hotel. I was psyched to have a few drinks at my wife's bar without the pressure of having showed up specifically to hang with her.

After work, me, a colleague, and HIS wife went down to have a few drinks. Within an hour or two, we're all relatively drunk and jovial. A well put together lady in her early sixties was sitting on the far end of the group, next to my colleague's wife.

My buddy and I are sharing some fun industry stories with his wife which were all 100% innocuous and completely tame. Suddenly, the lady leans over to my friend's wife and says "I'm so sorry, but did I hear you say you're a hotwife?"

Important to note that my friend and his wife are classic strait laced, slightly innocent southerners, and the word "hotwife" was definitely never mentioned. She looks at the older lady and says "I'm sorry, but I don't know what that means." I DO know what that means, and I'm now laser focused on this conversation.

To my surprise, the older lady straight up says "Oh. It means I'm a married woman, and me and my husband like to have [intimacy] with other people. Do you three like to do that?"

At this point, my buddy's wife is beat red and just stammers out "Oh...no. I'm sorry, I don't think so." Without missing a beat, the older lady is like "well I heard you mention you two are married." Then she gestures to me and my colleague, and says "and those two are clearly together, so I figured all three of you were fair game." Me and my colleague are NOT romantically involved, but I couldn't help but feel like that was meant as a compliment.

At this point, my friend's wife is completely frazzled and is like "oh no....he's (me) married to the bartender". This old fox lights up like, "oh darn, I'm getting the bartender too!"

She stammers out a few more apologies to the older lady, who polishes off her beer and cheerily says "oh no worries. Sometimes in this lifestyle ya gotta take risks! Have a good night!" Then she closes her tab and disappears.

The next morning I woke up with a note in my phone that says "that older lady tried to do all three of us" (as if I could ever forget). Later, my wife told me her and the other bartender heard every word and were laughing their bums off the entire time.

© Photo: Forte_nss

#13

Not a bartender but just wanted to give a shout out to a bartender that asked me if I was OK because I was by myself, surrounded by people. Just told her I was here for work and I liked the noise but didnt feel like talking to anybody. I liked talking to her though, at least she was nice.

Anyways, bartenders are good people.

#14

Blind date. Guy arrives first and lets me know about the situation. They were paired together on some paid matchmaking dating app. He’s dressed nice, probably in his late 30s and is friendly enough, but clearly focused on prepping for the date.

It’s 5:45pm and she’s supposed to get there by 6:00pm. Well, 6:15 pm rolls around and he flags me down.

“Um I guess can I order a glass of wine? And maybe a cheese board?”

I kind of gloss over the fact that his date is still not there and just take his order, trying to keep things light and not stress him out. Before I leave he goes, “You know what. I’ll just take the whole bottle.”

So I come back with the bottle of wine, and the cheese board comes out pretty quickly. It’s now around 6:25 PM and there’s still no sign of her.

“Man. I’ve tried texting and calling the dating service since I don’t have her direct number. But they’re not answering. Looks like I’m being stood up.”

Sure enough, in walks a very attractive woman in her late 30s, and she looks [angry]. She comes up right to the bar, “Um yeah hi I’m supposed to meet a date here? Is there a Mike here?”

“Oh! Whitney? Hi I’m Mike! It’s nice to meet you,” has he stands up out of his chair, ready to greet her with seemed to be the beginning of a hug.

Leaning on one tapping foot with folded arms the woman says, “How was I supposed to know you were inside the restaurant?! I’ve been waiting outside for you for thirty minutes. Oh and it looks like you’ve already helped yourself to dinner. Good start.”

I could hear a pin drop. I heel turned away and pretended to clean some glassware while this guy just kind of stood in shock.

“Um. I’m sorry about that. Well, would you still like to join me?”

“Ugh I GUESS, I’m starving.” And she plops down at the bar and starts picking at the cheese board.

“Well, I got a bottle of Pinot Noir, would you like a glass?”

“Why would you think I like wine? You ordered for me without asking? That’s rude.”

“…..you don’t have to have a glass. I was just offering since there’s a bottle on the table. You can order whatever you’d like”

This woman, rolls her eyes and without bothering to look in my direction says, “Grey goose dirty martini with stuffed blue olives.”

This was my moment to shine. In the plainest, flattest affect with the enthusiasm of a piece of cardboard I snapped back, “No stuffed olives. No Grey Goose.”

Me and her had a bit of a stare down, she’s not saying anything as I see the gears turning in her evil stupid little head, until the guy finally says, “You know what. She can pay for her drink, and I’m going to move down there,” as he gestures to the end of the bar, “This doesn’t seem to be going well. I hope you have a nice night. Best of luck.”

And he picks up his glass of wine and moves to the end of the bar.

CAN I TELL YOU the satisfaction I had to pick up this guys cheese board and bottle of wine, with the best little grin on my face while I moved the order away from her, ugh. I still think about it to this day.

The woman goes, “WOW really? You make me wait outside and THEN bail? What a man. I wasn’t interested in you from the beginning. HAH!”

I can tell she’s waiting for a response or some engagement, but the guy gives he nothing.

She stands there again, looking stupid as h**l, and goes “Really? REALLY?” So I go over to her and ask, “We do have Tito’s. Would you like a Tito’s Martini?” And she scoffed and walks out.

© Photo: DopeYeti

#15

Christmas Eve, couple sat at the bar just slowly realizing over about 90 minutes that they should just get a divorce. Sad, not angry. Absolute nightmare to navigate and work around.

© Photo: felix_cohen

#16

Two ladies with Northern U.S. or Canadian accents. I heard "Yeah sure, you can get rid of a body in a woodchipper. You just gotta Freeze it real good first".

© Photo: BoneDaddy77

#17

Not a bartender anymore but I will never forget overhearing a pretty attractive woman explaining to her friend that she stopped dating and just has [intimacy] with her brother. She said this with a straight face and kept explaining how much less stressful it is than dating. The other girl mentioned that she wished she had a brother so she didn’t have to worry about dating.

I have two sisters and could barely hold it together. The other bartender and I thought she was trolling. The tone of normalcy and relief in the conversation was almost as unsettling as the topic of discussion itself.

#18

My most awkward was sad.

One of the men only had a couple months left to live. Had aggressive cancer. Super awkward as a bartender. Wanted the dude to have a good time, would have given him free drinks, but I assume that wouldn't have been good for him either. You want to be friendly and fun but the vibe was just sad and humble. You don't want seem like your being a pity party either. They are out trying to enjoy the last of their time, but it was a sad last bro hurrah. But as your out celebrating your passing friends life, the interactions all seemed awkward. I forgot to ring up a bunch of their drinks. I really didn't know how to interact with a group. So I was just friendly.

Hope the dude had a good run. Seemed like a super nice guy.

#19

Guy lamenting how hes the Boss in the house, when she honked outside to pick him up and he nearly jumped of the chair, tipped way to high bc couldn't wait for change and stormed out of my pub.

© Photo: No_Path1287

#20

Two of our regulars were a couple that were generally known to be swingers. They were harmless and a lot of fun.

One evening, as a couple, they started hitting on our new barback. He was young and naive so everything kept going over his head. Eventually, the couple got so flabbergasted that the husband just kinda shouted, “Do you want to do my wife?”

The barback thought he was being accused of something so he mumbled a quick, “No, no, no. Sorry. I’m just friendly. Sorry.”.

© Photo: anannanne

#21

I remember this one guy came to the bar, he ordered a beer and then asked "what ladies drinks do you have?" Unfortunately, I'm used to that question, so I answered it with my usual response of "anything we sell is can be a ladie's drink, do you know what they're after?" He didn't really seem to like that answer, but he asked if we had any prosecco, which we did, so he ordered one of those and sat down at a table.

About 10 minutes later, a woman came in and sat down with him, and after being sat for a minute or two, she came up to the bar and asked what single malt whiskies we had and ordered a Balvenie. At that point I realised it was probably their first date, and he didn't even attempt to find out what she liked to drink, and just assumed she wanted a prosecco because it's "a ladies drink".

He later came up to the bar and asked if we had a deck of cards because he wanted to do a magic trick. We didn't, so he went back to the table.

They only had the one drink each, and left separately, her first. She even left the full glass of prosecco on the table. It was all so awkward.

© Photo: Jumpy_Abbreviations3

#22

One day one of my regulars came in with a couple. Sat down at the bar and everything seamed normal. Boyfriend goes to the bathroom and the regular immediately starts making out with the girlfriend.

I immediately go on defense expecting to have to break up a fight when the boyfriend comes back. They stop making out just before the boyfriend comes back. Crisis averted as far as I'm concerned.

Girlfriend goes to the bathroom and its just the 2 guys talking but I'm now paying close attention just incase. Suddenly regular and boyfriend start making out while GF is in the bathroom.

I went from tense thinking I might have to break up a fight to confused because of how sudden it happened to relieved because ain't none of my business now. GF come out of the bathroom and they quickly finished the round and all left together. Never mentioned it again.

#23

I had a couple leave an extensive S&M contract behind on the table. It was 20+ pages.

© Photo: metsjets86

#24

Slow night. A man is sitting at my bar looking quite sad, staring into his beer. Next to him is a woman who can’t stop riling him up. “You can’t let this happen to you, you gotta go home and take control, be a man, what are you doing here, go and show her what you’re made of, be a man, show up and do something about it…”

Turns out his wife wanted to live out her sapphic fantasies with the neighbor. Tonight was the night, and he was not invited.

After about an hour of this he finally gets up, looks at me and says “I’m gonna go home and show them what I’m worth” with the least conviction I have ever seen anyone say anything. The woman stays for another five minutes tapping her fingers on the bar until she finally says “I think I drove him here” and leaves too.

I never saw them again.

© Photo: User

#25

I work in a very busy family restaurant. On Friday nights, there is usually a long wait at dinner time, and the bar area gets super crowded.

So we’re three deep at the bar on a Friday night when these middle aged parents decide to stage a financial intervention with their early 20s daughter. She gets very upset at the news that she is being cut off and is essentially bawling her eyes out. At the bar. The very crowded bar.

I mean, Jesus people. At least do that at a table. Why they felt the need to tell her something so upsetting in the middle of a huge crowd is beyond me.

© Photo: FlorenceCattleya

#26

I once heard a guy trying to impress a girl by explaining how he was “almost arrested for stealing a slice of pizza” but then he got really serious about the “pizza justice system.” I couldn't tell if it was a pickup line or a confession. 🍕.

© Photo: Own-Hat-7491

#27

I remember visiting a seaside town called Whitby in the UK with a friend years ago, its almost mandatory that when you visit you walk up the 199 steps to the abbey at the top of the hill.

As we were on our way up there were 2 stereotypical grannies on their way down, they checked every box for being a grandma in the early 2000's, beige raincoat, tweed skirt, beige tights and shoes to match their grey perm, everything about them screamed they were your everyday nan who'd drown you in tea and biscuits when you visit.

That is where the stereotyping ended, I'd love to know where there conversation started and how it ended but the part I overheard was that she loves it when "Frank fits his whole hand inside of her, its sends her to heaven every time".

#28

Was taking the order of 2 people, he received a phone call from “friends” accidentally sitting near them. He showed his ringing phone to his wife, she nodded no. Those 2 friends saw it, i saw it, awkward.

© Photo: sILAZS

#29

A couple was on a second or third date and the guy said he had something he’d like to share with her and like some feedback on. He said feedback like he was going to ask her a question about some big life choice. He told her he had a kink for Harry Potter role play and that he’s looking for someone that was into that too. I couldn’t hear her response but she looked happy and didn’t leave.

#30

Won’t say who the celebrity was, since she was a young kid at the time. Serving and get a note I have a VIP and need to roll out all the red carpet things. I worked at a really nice hotel in Santa Barbara, ca. during college.

When I went to greet them, the little celebrity is bawling her eyes out. Her parents brought her there to tell her they were divorcing. She was begging them not to.

Awkward, and just sad.

Happy to tell stories about other celebrities for those interested…but thank you for not asking who this was.

#31

I felt bad at the time. A couple decades on…not so much. Dude bet a house on a baseball game. He left in tears. Idiot. Complete idiot. Don’t gamble folks.

#32

A married couple came in when I was working the bar. As a bartender tends to do, we got to chatting and I learned that she was also Brazilian so we began speaking in Portuguese and getting to know each other…very quickly the conversation turned into complaining about her husband (she’s lonely, he didn’t take her anywhere, she wanted to go on a vacation etc.) and she starts full out CRYING in the middle of dinner. I tried to calm her, but they cashed out shortly after and I never saw them again even though they said they lived across the street. I hope she got her vacation.

© Photo: User

#33

Not a bar tender, but I was in a bar and overheard some girl talking about her boyfriend in front of her friend. I just overheard, "He says it ain't cheatin because he got is balls clipped"

I guess the guy had tried to convince his girlfriend that he wasn't actually cheating on her because he's had a vasectomy and it "doesn't count" if he does some other girl.

#34

I was reading at my local pub and overheard a guy on a first date earnestly trying to explain the entire lore of *Dune* to a woman who was clearly just trying to finish her fries and escape.

#35

I live in an area of fairly wealthy people...

"Thats your 6th glass of wine? Your not gonna drive home are you?

Ohf courshe I am.

What if the cops pull you over?

I'll just buy it off like I did last time.".

#36

Co-worker was sleeping around on her new husband. Two of the guys she was seeing came in at the same time and both started making plans with her. She didn’t know what to do and it was awkward [very]. They were sitting across from each other (we have a horseshoe bar) and talking softly. I was backing that night so got to hear most of it from both of them. One of the guys was her husband’s fishing and hunting buddy.

© Photo: Wolfshad0

#37

I work at a board game bar and we have this game that’s designed for people on first dates. It’s all about questions and answers and getting to know each other.

Idk if the question was from the game they were playing, but lady was holding a card when she asked it.

She asks “what’s the worst thing you’ve ever tasted?”

And he pauses to think for a moment before answering:

“I don’t know, probably p*o when I was a kid?”.

#38

I was taking tables when we were busy and it was a group of 4, They came from a what seemed to be a nursing home. The one woman was dressed differently than the rest and was obviously the aid/caretaker. I came up from behind and saw 3 other people were dressed the same down the the hair. Pink polos and all three of them had pixie cuts and light gray hair. I greeted the table by saying “well hello ladies what can I get started for you?” And one of the 2 people facing me started yelling at me and saying he wasn’t a lady he was a man! The gentleman in question was really upset about it. I was so stunned I didn’t know what to say and I just ran and gave the table away but I will never forget his face when he whipped off his glasses and turned around 😭.

#39

Once watched a first date where a gentleman was quite animated. At one point, he wanted to show his date a dance he and his friend had made up when they were kids to “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me”by Culture Club. He’d show his part then when his friend would come in and he do that part.

He was eccentric to say the least, but the dance routine was the most memorable. His date went from visibly embarrassed to actively asking him to sit down, lower his voice, and please stay seated.

His date’s friend was at a table in the restaurant watching and was apparently posting on Twitter, what was going on as well as texting to a friend group. She was also quite loudly laughing at some parts.

© Photo: Junior-Gorg

#40

I heard a woman get dumped over starters in the restaurant I worked in, which was awkward. Suppose the bill was cheaper.

#41

“And that’s how the horse got me through college.”.

#42

In the last 5 years, just so many breakups. I have witnessed more breakups at the bar than people actually getting together.

#43

I was tending bar when a normal looking business guy came in looking distressed. He was working for a national (USA) company and had been stealing tens of thousands of dollars from his father in law's company where he worked. He was deleting invoices that he was paid for. His credit cards were canceled. His company car was taken and his wife was [angry]. He was waiting for a friend in another state to come pick him up. He drank a lot of Crown Royal. The reason he had been stealing? A bad gambling habit.

#44

I was bartending at a wedding and overheard the groom's mom arguing with his new mother-in-law about who gets to control the family recipes, it was super awkward.

#45

Couple sat down to order food. Guy is talking to his date who clearly doesn’t speak a word of English. Tells me she just arrived to America and they just got engaged. No idea if it was true but tried my hardest to stay away from that out of fear he’d see how hard I was cringeing.

#46

I wasn't a bartender, but I was a taxi driver at end 1990s, before Uber. There were two businessmen together sharing the ride, and they were casually discussing women around the USA. One of them said that when you see a woman in Philadelphia, you really know she's a woman, but in Seattle, you're not so sure.

#47

Witnessed a famous actress in her home country have a glass of red wine throw in her face by her partner. He stormed off and it was uncomfortable [very] for everyone in the entire restaurant. I tried to help her with a towel and offered to [working woman] her to the restroom but she refused, sitting there with red wine all over her for about 15 minutes before she asked for the bill.

Edit: Also offered to call someone or the police. She declined.

#48

I was a bouncer. One Friday night, two young women walked past and one said to the other, “Mayonnaise tastes like dirty boy.”

That sentence lodged itself deep in my brain. I still sometimes think about it out of nowhere.

#49

How a republican politician was paying for votes. He thought he was so clever.

#50

My first table at 10am the lady handed her (ex) husband divorce papers.

#51

Not a bartender. Or even food service. But I worked at Barnes & Noble for years and at like 9pm one night I was standing at a register by myself, bored, and this woman comes up and she goes “can I ask you a question?” Of course I mistakenly assumed it would be a book question and said yes. She then pulls out a pregnancy test and says “I just took this in the bathroom. Does it look like a line to you? My husband is in the cafe and I want to tell him but our mother in law is staying at our house and he said he didn’t want us to have more babies. So I want to be sure before I tell him. Do you think there’s a line?”

I was in complete shock. I was only 20 at the time and had never even taken a pregnancy test myself before so I didn’t even know anything about them besides what I had seen on tv. I told her vaguely that I wasn’t sure if there was a line or not and she just left after that.

One of the weirdest interactions in all my time in customer service. Learned way too much about that woman very quickly lol. I wonder if she actually was pregnant or just wanted to be? Or if they still married? Didn’t sound like they were very happy lol.

#52

I was a Waffle House waitress, so I got everyone after the bars closed, so it counts, I hope. (For non US folk, this is a 24 hour establishment, so we got lots of drunk people and bartenders alike well after 2am)

In 2014, my manager had the golden idea to make red, white, and blue waffles for July 4th. They were not all three colors in one. Nope. Red, white, OR blue. For one day, at one Texas Waffle House, you could legit order a [intimacy]. (If you don’t know, this is your waning to not google [intimacy] on a whim). So, this lesbian couple comes in, and one parter leaves for the restroom and tells the other lady she just wants a waffle.

I give the seated lady the holiday special speech about the waffles, and she gets this diabolical grin. We both know what’s gonna go down, and it will be hilarious. The order comes out, and me and the one lady are holding in all the giggles. The other lady slams her fists on the table and just freaks out. Yelling at her partner something like “what kind of sick joke is this?!” And just storms out. I look at the seated lady and feel kinda awful, and she goes “well, we got it taken care of. I thought we could laugh about it.” Girl, WHAT?!

#53

Server here but I had a table that was spending a ton on good liquor and yelling about how much they hate Joe Biden. Turns out the dad was a Jan 6ther and was supposed to voluntary surrender to prison after his conviction so they were getting hammered the night before.

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