Top Stories

Police Share The Most Absurd Situations They Stumbled Upon Without Being Called

Police Share The Most Absurd Situations They Stumbled Upon Without Being Called

Police Share The Most Absurd Situations They Stumbled Upon Without Being Called

[rebelmouse-image 18358748 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

What is that age old expression we've all used? "As luck would have it!" Who hasn't been on the receiving end of that? The funny thing about that sentiment though is it's lack of definition. I'd like to know... exactly what kind of luck will one be experiencing? As luck would have it, I've stumbled upon... money, love... trouble. That leaves a broad scope. And for many of our police and first responders this saying is an unfortunate way of life.

Redditor _imsophreshie asked Police officers of Reddit: What absurd situation have you just happened upon and realized NO ONE called the cops?

FOLLOW THE BLOOD...

I was responding to a disturbance call in a trailer park that turned out to be BS. As I was leaving I noticed a giant puddle of blood on the ground near a different trailer. Upon further inspection I realized that there was blood all over one of the doors complete with smeared hand prints and blood dripping off the door knob. It looked like a massacre!

I started pounding on the door and this junkie comes out and starts yelling at me for waking her up. I asked her if she was hurt and she said she wasn't she then proceeds to go crazy about all the blood. She has no idea where it came from.

I followed the ungodly amount of blood to a trailer about a block down where there is a giant party taking place. I ask the group of guys standing outside where the injured person is and they all go G-code on me and say they don't know what I am talking about (while standing in the blood trail). I push passed and continue down the road to Oz where at the end of it I find a guy in an what used to be an all white outfit that is now dark red attempting to control his massive head bleed on his own.

I later discovered that he had been trying to break into that other trailer when he drunkenly cut his head on the window that he broke out.

NEXT TIME GO TO IHOP...

[rebelmouse-image 18358749 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Former LEO...worked a late shift and was driving home and decided to stop for some breakfast at waffle house. I noticed a few people flagging me down as I pulled into the parking lot (which was shared by an auto repair shop)...they point me to the back so I pull over and turn my spotlight on...

On the backside of the repair shop there was a dumpster, and there was a man laying down beside it behind the fence...I could see his feet. Then another homeless man walked out with a bowl and literally walked right by my car toward Waffle House (he was soaked btw).

So I walk over to the man laying down and he's unresponsive...I call in and EMT's arrive and the guy is dead (I still to this day have no idea how or why). I have the homeless guy waiting for me next to waffle house and I ask him what happened and he said "He was out cold, I was pouring water on him to keep him warm..."

Video from the auto shop shows guy walking and collapses next to dumpster (he wasn't shot or anything so who knows, heart attack, stroke, something)...and for 45min. this homeless man walked over to a water hose beside the waffle house, filled a bowl up and poured water on him because it was slightly cool outside and he didn't want him to get too cold (water was cold faucet water btw).

Literally nothing ever came close to the weirdness of that night in my entire career.

I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT A SOFA CUSHION EITHER...

[rebelmouse-image 18358750 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

This was only a few years back.

Driving along a suburban road one night and a guy wearing only his underwear ran up to our cop car and threw a very large sofa cushion at us. As we slowed down to find out why he had thrown said cushion he tried to jump into the back of the car. We got out and had a chat to the poor guy who told us he had used about an 8 ball of poor quality cocaine and wanted to get out attention to help him.

Kicker was he had been running around the suburban streets all drugged up for about 30 minutes and no one thought it was odd enough to call us. To be fair it wasn't the nicest area.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?

[rebelmouse-image 18358751 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Not a cop (I'm a paramedic) but I think this fits. My partner and I were at our post which was in the parking lot of a strip mall that had a bunch of stores and one bar which was known to be pretty sketchy. My partner was taking a little nap (it was around 1 am) and I was watching a movie on my phone, waiting for a call. Eventually I notice a few people coming out of the bar and just sort of lingering in the parking lot. A few more people come out, one lights up a cigarette and they all just stand around. I go back to my movie and 20 minutes later I notice there is now a much larger group lingering outside of the bar. Nothing strange was happening but I thought it was weird that they'd all been there for so long so I decided to check it out.

I woke up my pissed off partner to have him pull our rig closer to th edd group. As we approach with our lights on, the group notices us and starts to break apart. A few people scatter and I see that in the middle of the group there is a person on the ground motionless. My partner and I jump out and ask what's going on. Somebody in the group goes "this guy is wasted, he just stumbled out here and fell asleep on the ground" I shout to the man on the ground and he doesn't respond, I check for a pulse and there is none. I start CPR. while my partner gets our jump bag and notifies dispatch. For a full 30 minutes, people had just stood around looking at this dead guy on the ground, some smoking cigarettes, none doing anything about it. There wasn't even a noticeable commotion. Nobody asked if he needed help or called anybody and they probably never would have.

The guy was cool to the touch by the time we got to him, down for at least 30 minutes, we went through the motions but there was no saving him. We transported and he was pronounced at the hospital within 15 minutes.

How hard is it to ask someone if they are Ok? Or to dial 911? How was not one single person in that group not alarmed by seeing a man "sleeping" on the ground in a parking lot?

I've had similar variations of this scene happen at least 3 times while on duty.

GARDENING CAN BE DANGEROUS!

[rebelmouse-image 18358752 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

My father was a village police man in he UK during the 80s, so this is his story. Lady bought a house and after many days/weeks getting settled, she turned her attention to the garden. She started digging some flower beds, but as she was working she came across some small bones in the dirt, baby sized bones.

This house used to belong to a doctor, so the lady puts two and two together and assumes he was a child murderer or maybe did some off-the-books abortions back in the day. This lady is shocked and terrified that her new home could be tainted by this horrible past, but she didn't call the police... Instead she just avoids the garden. Completely. The whole thing weighs heavily on her mind as the years go by.. 5, 10, 15 years (I forget how long exactly but it was at least a decade) until one day she can't take it anymore and calls the police to report the bones.

My dad goes out to investigate, in to the garden where she shows him roughly where they were. He digs around a little (this was the 80s and apparently they were less concerned with disturbing evidence) and finds not a dead baby, but a small plastic skeleton. Poor woman had been living with guilt and fear for decades because of a kids toy.

WHERE THERE IS SMOKE...

[rebelmouse-image 18346812 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I'm really late to the party here. But three weeks after I started, I was on my way to our off site property control. Just driving through a residential area to avoid the congestion and take a look at my new beat. I drive past a house with smoke pouring out from the eves and two guys watching across the street. They pointed at is as I stopped and said, "I think there's a fire." Think was an understatement. This entire house was filled with smoke, windows were black with soot, and still no call. These two guys were just chatting away and not doing anything. I couldn't see fire, but it was July 10th and a sunny morning. No mistaking a house fire in broad daylight.

So I call it in and try to gain access and yell for any survivors. Keep in mind I have zero fire training, but have half a brain enough to know that if there are any survivors in there I won't be any help to them, and will just be another body to yard out once fire does arrive. I get into the back yard by jumping over the hood of a minivan and sliding across like a Duke brother because there is so much junk everywhere. This takes a piece of the wooden fence and jambs my radio key button open, so everyone can here me breathing, yelling for survivors, etc. I have no idea I've got an open mic at this time. I lay down on the deck and look through the sliding glass door and there is only about 4 inches up from the floor I can see. I continue to yell for survivors but get no response.

As soon as fire gets there, they make a slow entry because the front door has been barricaded. This is when I knew something wasn't right. Suspicions were confirmed when fire fighters yarded out four children, a mother, and father. The father was the last one taken out and the only survivor. Everyone else, except an infant, had been murdered with a kitchen knife.

BLOOD IS ALWAYS THE GIVEAWAY...

[rebelmouse-image 18979736 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Not in LE anymore, but was for about 12 yrs in a large city. When I was a patrolman, I got a call about someone shooting off fireworks in a strip mall at 2am. These were common calls, so we would usually just go check the area and clear the call. I checked the parking lot and didn't find anything, but noticed the lights were on at one of the strip mall businesses.

I won't say what business it was, but it was owned by a pretty prominent local businessman. Anyways, I got out to check and found the front door unlocked, which was suspicious. We had a lot of burglaries in that area , so I asked dispatch to call a rep for the business. I was clearing the building and found the owner and several other people (all really prominent) in a backroom where a poker table was set up.

One of the guys was sitting down and had a pile of coats in his lap which was really weird and he was acting like he was in pain. I saw blood droplets under his chair and asked him what was wrong. He broke down and moved the coats, then revealed he had a gunshot wound in his thigh.

Long story short, these guys had a high stakes poker game every week and someone tried to rob it and things went sideways. The dude robbing it shot this guy in the leg, which some citizen heard and called in a fireworks call. The guys involved in the game weren't going to call the cops and were arranging to have a doctor come treat him "off the books." Gambling is illegal in the state I worked in, but we honestly wouldn't have given a crap.

We actually caught the guy that did it, but the DA wouldn't prosecute because the victim / witnesses didn't want to testify or be involved. The victim recovered fine. One of the guys who I interviewed told me that they were robbed of over $30,000.

BLINK!!

[rebelmouse-image 18979737 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Started my four-to-midnight shift by heading directly to get a coffee. Beautiful summer day, people everywhere. I pull into the parking space and see a dude lying on the ground in front of a park bench.

I jumped out of my cruiser, grabbed my first aid bag, and called it in. The guy was conscious but not really responsive. It sounds like a movie but we were doing the old_"blink if you can hear me" _deal. The rescue finally arrived and took him to the hospital. I found out later on that the poor guy had suffered a severe grand mal seizure and was still in an episode when I rolled up on him.

The frustrating part was the dozens of people milling about that couldn't even bother themselves to call 911 nevermind find out of the guy was ok ????

SOMEDAYS ARE JUST TOO MUCH.

[rebelmouse-image 18979738 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I do mountain bike patrol in a smallish/medium sized city. Was just riding one morning just after rush hour and spotted a little kid probably 3-4 years old standing on the side of the road with no parents in sight. Stopped and asked him where his parents were and he just kinda shrugged. Called it in and some dude ran out of some townhomes across the street and said the little dude was standing out there for a few hours and he was watching him to "keep an eye on him." There were people around and everything, but we never got a call for it.

Long story short, he wandered out of the room him and his mom were staying in nearby and wandered out to the street. Place was a shelter for women and he was able to get out past the manager and a court police officer. Mom had died from a heroin overdose 3 days prior and when the little guy got hungry he got out of the room and wandered out to the street. No one even went to check on her either despite the smell.

EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.

[rebelmouse-image 18979740 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Current police officer.

Was driving an emphasis patrol in a hot spot area known to be a car prowl area. A house party is going on, three people are face down in the yard and people are just standing around them like.... uhhhhhhhh.... cool!

One died due to suffocation on vomit. One suffered brain damage from a drunk fall and the third one lived. Based on my investigation they were like that for 15 or more minutes. With dozens of people around.

NO HEADPHONES? DUH.

[rebelmouse-image 18346901 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Known drug dealer shot another guy. It's a smaller town. Looking for him but couldn't find for hours and hours.

He had snuck into some other random guys basement. Random guy finds him down there and is totally cool with this drug dealer guy with a gun just hiding in his basement (he didn't know him). He just carrys on with his day doesn't call the cops.

Eventually at 4am the hiding drug dealer is bored now and starts playing music on his phone. Well apparently that was what pissed the homeowner off to call the cops.

Because the dude started playing music...

DO YOU SMELL SMOKE?

[rebelmouse-image 18979741 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

My brother in law was on his way home from the night shift a few months ago, and happened to drive past a house that was on fire.

he ran up to the door, beat on it with no answer, broke the door down and ended up rescuing a woman and her child/children (I'm not sure how many kids there were). they were all fast asleep and had no idea the house was on fire.

GOD BLESS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS...

[rebelmouse-image 18979742 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Obligatory not a cop, but I am an EMT.

We were waiting at a light right as we were headed back to the station for our end of shift. We see a man running like Usain bolt across the crosswalk to beat the light and a woman chasing him. My partner and I both look at each other and he says "she's gonna get hit..." the car in the rightmost lane guns it as the light turns green and the next thing we see is flip flops flying and a pair of legs in the air. Female was plowed over and landed on her face in the street. We immediately turn on our lights and hop out of the ambulance. When we get to the girl she's unconscious, pissed herself, and is bleeding from multiple lacerations on her limbs and a nasty head wound. My partner (who is a paramedic) starts his assessment as I go to grab a backboard and c-collar and call it into dispatch.

She wakes up and immediately starts screaming about her boyfriend leaving her. She stands up and tries to run after him, face plants on the curb, and proceeds to lose a tooth. We finally calmed her down enough to get her onto the gurney, mind you she wouldn't listen and kept trying to walk around after suffering a couple head injuries. Once we get her into the back of the ambulance and out of the road into a nearby parking lot the driver that hit her rolls up. By now firefighters are on scene and asking what the hell is going on, we give them the lowdown and my partner tells them we can handle it so they leave, confused and somewhat trepidatious. We talk to this women for a while while insisting that she needs to go the hospital, but she keeps saying that she can't go and she needs to find her boyfriend. Meanwhile the driver who hit her is apologizing to me and saying she wants to help anyway she can. The woman keeps saying she can't go the hospital. After we got her cleaned up and bandage all the wounds she asks if we can take her to her boyfriends house. Well as an EMT I can do one of 2 things, either take you to the hospital or leave you where you are. She refuses transport vehemently so my partner and I tell her that we can't take her anywhere. She then proceeds to hop out of the ambulance and ask the driver who just hit her if she would take her to her boyfriends house if she didn't call the cops. Sure as shit before we can even radio in that the patient was refusing transport to the hospital she's rolling away in the car that just hit her and tossed her 8ft in the air. It's not the craziest story but one of the few that we just happened to be there for.

THAT IS WHY I MAKE COFFEE OR TEA AT HOME.

[rebelmouse-image 18979743 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Let's see... there was the dead homeless guy on the sidewalk that people thought _"oh he's drunk and passed out". _He was laying awkwardly, not like the homeless usually sleep. I got out to check on him and realized he was dead. The most absurd part was the people walking around him to go to work/get coffee/etc. as if it was business as usual. Once the commotion started and I taped off the scene, I was then accused of shooting and killing him by a passerby.

THE FUN NEVER ENDS...

[rebelmouse-image 18979744 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I'm not LEO, but I moved out of Racine, WI in the 90's because in the last three weeks I lived there there were 24 drive-by shootings, and three of those happened when there were already cops at the scene for unrelated reasons.

STAY STRONG!

[rebelmouse-image 18979745 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I was off duty playing poker with some neighbors and friends. One of the guys at the table is a Vietnam vet. In the middle of a hand he downs his glass of scotch hits himself in the chest and lights a cigarette he stands up and says "well I'm having a heart attack" he then walks out and drives to the hospital. Everyone thought he was joking. Sure enough he had and survived a heart attack

THE THINGS YOU'LL NEVER UNSEE.

[rebelmouse-image 18979746 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

I remember not long after I started (9 years ago) a woman came to the police department saying she hadn't heard from her boyfriend in 3 days. She told me where he lived and once I got there there was no answer.

I was able to gain entry and noticed the ripe smell of death. There was tweaker shit everywhere, stuff taken apart, random tools and motors and all kinds of stuff tweakers "work" on. The house was near pitch black due to all the foil and blankets covering the windows.

As I began to clear the house I walked into one of the kitchen entries and as I turned the corner I looked into a big wall mirror and saw the reflection of her boyfriend hanging from a doorway. His body was a death gray and his neck had stretched at least 8 inches. I remember having to pick him up and pull the belt from the doorway. That image has stayed with me everyday since.

I WANT A DONKEY.

[rebelmouse-image 18979747 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Not a cop but my apartment got broken into a few years ago. It was one of those off campus college apartments. We called the police who came at about 430am. Our neighbors were playing loud music which was pretty typical for them. When they arrive they are taking to the report when the officer I was talking to ask if our neighbors are always loud and I told him it was only on Saturday and Thursdays and how it didn't really bother us, but before they left they knocked and pounded until they finally answered, when they opened the door there was horse or a donkey in the living room, several studio cameras and 3 or 4 people who were apparently filming a donkey show. I know those cops were probably expecting some weed maybe a few minors drinking but not a donkey show.

LESS IS MORE Y'ALL...

[rebelmouse-image 18979748 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Ex-officer here. Got called to a noise complaint and my partner and I knock on the door as it's actually pretty rowdy and could be heard across the street. Turns out there was a Hen's night full of drunken thirty-somethings and the cop stripper was running late.

That took more explaining than it should have, but they eventually turned the music down...

THIS IS A HAPPY STORY.

[rebelmouse-image 18354561 is_animated_gif= dam=1 expand=1]

Right place right time story. We pulled into the gas station and I was standing in there and this dude runs in screaming at me to make his baby breath and I legit thought this guy was messing with me. But I run outside with him and his 8 week old baby girl that he had adopted THAT day was sitting in her car seat as blue as could be. My partner and I did CPR on her, got her breathing, put her on the chopper and the flight nurse called us later that day and said she made it and was doing fine.

People Describe The Creepiest Things They Ever Witnessed As A Kid

"Reddit user -2sweetcaramel- asked: 'What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?'"

Four mistreated baby dolls are hung by barb wire
Photo by J Lopez

For many childhood memories are overrun by living nightmares.

Yes, children are resilient, but that doesn't mean that the things we see as babes don't follow us forever.

The horrors of the world are no stranger to the young.

Redditor -2sweetcaramel- wanted to see who was willing to share about the worst things we've seen as kids, so they asked:

"What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?"

Serious Danger

"Me and my best friend would explore the drainage tunnels under the Vegas area where we grew up. These were miles long and it was always really cool down there so it was a good way to escape the heat of our scorching hot summers. We went into this one that goes under the Fiesta casino and found a camp with a bunch of homeless people."

"Mind you we are like 11 years old lol. And we just kept going like it was nothing. It wasn’t scary then but when I look back at it we could have been in some serious danger. Our parents had no idea we did this or where we were and we had no cellphones. We could have been kidnapped and never have been found."

oofboof2020

Waiting for Food

"I was at a portillos once when I was 12 and I was waiting with my little brother at a booth while my parents got our food. This guy was standing with his tray kind of watching me then after a couple of minutes he started to walk over really fast not breaking eye contact with me."

"He was 2 feet from the table and my dad came out of nowhere and scared the s**t out of him. He looked so surprised and just said he wanted to see if I’d get scared or not. He left his tray full of food near the door and left. My folks reported him but we never went to that location again since we found a better one closer to home."

nowhereboy1964

Captain Hobo to the Rescue

"When I was a pretty young teen, my friends and I were horsing around in San Francisco and started hanging out to smoke with some homeless guys. Another homeless dude came up and began aggressively trying to shake us down for anything (money, smokes, a ride, drugs- all of it) and wouldn’t take no for an answer."

"We got in over our heads and could tell this guy was now riling the other 2 guys up and they were acting like they wanted to jump us. Some grandfather-looking old homeless man appeared out of nowhere and yelled at us to get the f**k out of here- nice kids like us don’t belong down here at this hour!!"

"Captain Hobo saved our lives that night. My parents sincerely thought we were at a mall all day lol."

FartAttack911

Survival

tsunami GIF Giphy

"I was 7 and survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Witnessed the wave rise way above the already massive palm trees (approx. 40ft?) and my family and I watched/heard the wave crash into the ground from a rooftop."

faithfulpoo

These Tsunami stories are just tragic.

On the Sand

Scared The Launch GIF by CTV Giphy

"We were a group of kids who went to swim in a local lake. And there was a dead body on the beach with their hands raised and their legs bent unnaturally that local police just took out of the same lake. I've never put my foot in these waters again."

oyloff

Be Clever

"I was walking to school and I was about 5 or 6 years old and some guy pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I would get in. He also offered me sweets to do so. I said no. The creepy bit was when he calmly said ‘clever boy’ to me, then drove off. I’ve never even told my parents or anyone else about this as it would most likely freak them out."

OstneyPiz

Bad Jokes

"Dad's side of the family pranked me by burying a fake body on our back property and had me dig it up to find valuables. Was only allowed to use a lantern for light. They stuffed old clothes with chicken bones. Sheetrock mud where the head was... Random fake jewelry as the treasures... I was like maybe 10 or 11.. I remember digging up the boot first and started gagging because it became real at that point."

Alegan239

YOU

Who Are You Reaction GIF by MOODMAN Giphy

"Woke up to find my little brother staring at me in the dark, asking, Are you really you?"

PrettyLola2004

Siblings can really be a bunch of creepers.

No one should talk to others in the dark though.

Woman stressed at work
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

When we hear about other people's jobs, we've surely all done that thing where we make assumptions about the work they do and maybe even judge them for having such an easy or unimportant job.

But some jobs are much harder than they look.

Redditor CeleryLover4U asked:

"What's a job or profession that seems easy but is incredibly challenging?"

Customer Service

"Anything customer-facing. The public is dumb and horrendous."

- gwarrior5

"My go-to explanation is, 'Anyone can do it, but few can do it for long.'"

- Conscious_Camel4830

"The further I get in my corporate career, the less I believe I will ever again be capable of working a public-facing job. I don’t know how I did it in the past. I couldn’t handle it in the present."

"I know people are only getting worse about how they treat workers. It is disturbing, embarrassing, and draining for everyone."

- First-Combination-12

High Stakes

"A pharmacist."

"You face the public. Your mistake can literally kill someone."

- VaeSapiens

"Yes, Pharmacist. So many people think their job is essentially the same as any other kind of retail worker and they just prepare prescriptions written by a doctor without having to know anything about them."

"They are very highly trained in, well, pharmacology; and it's not uncommon for a pharmacist to notice things like potentially dangerous drug interactions that the doctor hadn't."

- Worth_University_884

Teaching Woes

"Two nuggets of wisdom from my mentor teacher when I was younger:"

"'Teaching is the easiest job to do poorly and the hardest job to do well,' and 'You get to choose two of the following three: Friends, family, or being a good teacher. You don't have enough time to do all three.'"

"We all know colleagues or remember teachers who were lazy and chose the easy route, but any teacher who is trying to be a good teacher has probably sacrificed their friends and their sleep for little pay and a stressful work environment. There's a reason something like half quit the profession within the first five years."

- bq87

Creativity Is "Easy"

"Some creative professions, such as designers, are often perceived as 'easy' due to their creative nature. However, they may face the constant need to find inspiration, deal with criticism, and meet deadlines."

- rubberduckyis

"EVERYBODY thinks they are a designer, up until the point of having to do the work. But come critique time, mysteriously, EVERYBODY IS A F**KING DESIGNER AGAIN."

"The most important skill to have as a designer is THICK SKIN."

- whitepepper

Care Fatigue Is Real

"Care work."

"I wish it could be taken for granted that no one thinks it's easy. But unfortunately, many people still see it as an unskilled job and have no idea of the many emotional complexities, or of how much empathy, all the time, is needed to form the sorts of relationships with service users that they really need."

- MangoMatiLemonMelon

Physical Labor Generally Wins

"I’m going to say most types of unskilled labor and that’s because there’s such little (visible) reward and such a huge amount of bulls**t. I’ve done customer service, barista, sales, serving, etc; and it was all much harder than my cushy desk job that actually can be considered life or death."

- anachronistika

Their Memory Banks Must Be Wild

"I don't know if I'd call it incredibly challenging, but being one of those old school taxi drivers who know the city like the back of his hand and can literally just drive wherever being told nothing but an address is pretty impressively skilled."

"Not sure if it's still like this, but British cabbies used to be legendary for this. I'm 40 and I don't think most young people appreciate how much the quality of cab service has gone down since the advent of things like Uber."

"Nowadays it's just kind of expected that a rideshare/cab driver doesn't know exactly where you're trying to get and has to rely on GPS directions that they often f up. Back when I was in college, cabbies were complete experts on their city."

"More even than knowing how to get somewhere, they could also give you advice. You could just generally describe a type of bar/club/business you're looking for, and they'll take you right to one that was spot on. Especially in really big cities like NYC."

- Yak-Mak-5000

Professional Cooking

"Being a chef."

- Canadian_bro7

"I would love to meet the person who thinks being a chef is easy! I cook my own food and it’s not only OK to eat but I make a batch of it so I have some for later. So, to make food that is above good and portion it correctly many times a day and do it consistently with minimal wastage (so they make a profit), strikes me as extremely difficult."

- ChuckDeBongo

Team Leading, Oof

"Anything that involves a lot of people skills and socializing. I thought these positions were just the bulls**t of sitting in meetings all day and not a lot of work happening but having to be the one leading those meetings and doing public speaking is taxing in a way I didn’t realize."

- Counterboudd

Not a Pet Sitter At All

"Veterinary Technician."

"Do the job of an RN, anesthesiology tech, dental hygienist, radiology tech, phlebotomist, lab tech, and CNA, but probably don’t make a living wage and have people undervalue your career because you 'play with puppies and kittens all day.'"

- forthegoddessathena

Harder Than It Looks!

"Sometimes, when my brain is fried from thinking and my ego is shot from not fixing the problem, I want to be a garbage man... not a ton of thinking, just put the trash in the truck, and a lot of them have trucks that do it for you!"

"But if the robot either doesn't work or you don't have one on your truck, it smells really bad, the pay isn't what it used to be, you might find a dead body and certainly find dead animal carcasses... and people are id**ts, overfilling their bags, just to have them fall apart before you get to the truck, not putting their trash out and then blaming you, making you come back out."

"Your body probably is sore every day, and you have to take two baths before you can kiss your wife..."

"Ehh, maybe things are not so bad where I am."

- Joebroni1414

Twiddling Thumbs and Listening

"Therapist here. I’ve always said that it’s pretty easy to be an okay therapist—as in, it’s not that hard to listen to people’s problems and say, 'Oh wow, that’s so hard, poor you.'"

"But to be a good therapist? To know when your client is getting stuck in the same patterns, or to notice what your client isn’t saying? To realize that they’re only ever saying how amazing their spouse is, and to think, 'Hmm, nobody’s marriage is perfect, something’s going on there'?"

"To be able to ask questions like, 'Hey, we’ve been talking a lot about your job, but what’s going on with your family?' And then to be able to call them on their s**t, but with kindness and empathy? Balancing that s**t is hard."

"Anybody can have empathy, but knowing when to use empathy and when and how to challenge someone is so much harder. And that’s only one dimension of what makes being a therapist challenging."

- mylovelanguageiswine

Constant Updates

​"For the most part, my job is really easy (marketing tech). But having to constantly stay on top of new platforms, new tech, updates, etc etc is exhausting and overwhelming and I really hate it."

"Also, the constant responsibility to locate and execute opportunities to optimize things and increase value for higher-ups. Nobody in corporate roles can ever just reach a point of being 'good enough.' More and better is always required."

"Just some of the big reasons I’m considering a career change."

- GlizzyMcGuire_

Performing Is Not Easy

"Performing arts and other types of art. People think it’s a cakewalk or 'not a real job,' not realizing the literal lifetime of training, rejection, and perseverance that it takes to reach a professional level and how insanely competitive those spaces are."

- ThrowRA1r3a5

All About Perception

"I suspect everything fits this. Consider that someone whose job is stacking boxes in a warehouse has to know how to lift boxes, how many can be stacked, know if certain ones must be easily accessible, know how to use any equipment that is used to move boxes around."

"Not to mention if some have hazardous or fragile materials inside, if some HAVE to be stacked on the bottom, if a mistake is made and all the boxes have to be restacked, etc."

"But everyone else is like, 'They're just stacking boxes.'"

- DrHugh

It's easy to make assumptions about someone else's work and responsibilities when we haven't lived with performing those tasks ourselves.

This gave us some things to think about, and it certainly reminded us that nothing good comes of making assumptions, especially when it minimizes someone else's experiences.

Left-handed person holding a Sharpie
Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash

Many of us who are right-handed never even think about how the world is designed to cater to us.

It probably doesn't even cross your mind that 10% of the world's population is left-handed.

Because of this, there tends to be a stigma for being left-handed since society tends to associate the left with negative things.

For example, the phrase "two left feet" applies to those who are clumsy and therefore, incapable of dancing.

Curious to hear more about the challenges facing those with the other dominant hand, Redditor johnnyportillo95 asked:

"What’s something left-handed people have to deal with that right-handed people wouldn’t even think about?"

If only manufacturers appealed to an ambidextrous world.

Furniture Obstacle

"Those desks or couch chairs that have a small desk attached. They do make left handed/sided ones but they are few and far between."

– Prussian__Princess

"And they’re only on one side of the lecture hall, and it’s never a good seat. There is ONE front row, lefty desk in the entire room and it’s in the far corner, obscured by an ancient overhead projector."

– earwighoney

Everyday Objects For Everyday People

"as a left-handed person myself, one thing we often deal with is finding left-handed tools or equipment. many everyday objects, like scissors or can openers, are designed with right-handed people in mind, which can make certain tasks a bit more challenging for us lefties. we also have to adapt to a right-handed world when it comes to writing on whiteboards or using certain computer mice."

– J0rdan_24

Dangerous Tools

"The biggest risk is power tools. I taught myself to use all power tools right handed because of risks using them left handed."

"Trivial, I love dry boards but they are super hard to write on."

– diegojones4

It's hard to play when you're born with a physical disadvantage.

Sports Disadvantage

"Allright, Sports when you are young. Every demonstration from PE teachers are right handed. You cant just copy the movements they teach you you need to flip them and your tiny brain struggoes to process it. As well, 98% of the cheap sports equipment the school uses is right handed."

– AjCheeze

No Future In Softball

"I tried to bat right handed for so long in gym class growing up because the gym teacher never asked me what my dominant side was and the thought never occurred to me as a child to mention it! Needless to say I never became a softball star."

– Leftover-Cheese

Find A Glove That Fits

"In softball and baseball we need a specific glove for our right hand that's often impossible to find unless you own one, and we have to bat on the other side of the plate."

– BowlerSea1569

"I was one of two left-handers in a 4-team Little League in the 1980s. Nobody could pitch to me. I got a lot of "hit by pitch" walks out of it."

– Jef_Wheaton

These examples are understandably annoying.

Shocking Observation

"Having right handed people make comments whenever they see us write, like we’re some kind of alien."

– UsefulIdiot85

"'Woah! You're left-handed????'"

"I find myself noticing when someone is a lefty, and sometimes I comment on it, but I try not to. I'm primarily left-handed (im a right handed wroter but do everything else left), and every single time I go to eat with my family, someone says, "Oh hey, give SilverGladiolus22 the left hand spot, they're left-handed," and inevitably someone says, 'Wait, really?' Lol."

– SilverGladiolus22

Can't Admire The Mug

"We never get to look at the cute graphics on coffee mugs while we’re drinking from them."

– vanetti

"I just realized…I always thought the graphics were made so someone else could read them while you drink. Hmmm."

– Bubbly-Anteater7345

"I'm right-handed and I often wondered why the graphics were turned towards the drinker instead of out for others to see."

– Material-Imagination

The Writing On The Wall

"Writing on whiteboards is a nightmare. I have to float my hand, which tires out my arm quickly, and I can't see what I've already written to keep the line straight."

– darkjedi39

"Also as a teacher, it means I'm standing to the left of where I'm writing, so I'm blocking everything I write. I have to frequently finish writing, then step out of the way so people can see, instead of just being able to stand on the right side the whole time."

– dancingbanana123

Immeasurable

"Rulers."

"How the f'k is no one talking about rulers? It's from 30cm to 0 cm to me, or I have to twist my arms to know the measure I want to trace over it."

– fourangers

Just Can't Win

"EVERYTHING. The world has always been based around people being right handed. As a Chef, my knife skills SUCKED until I worked with a Left Handed Chef. Then it all made sense."

"Literally, everything we do must be observed, then flipped around in our heads, then executed. This is why Lefties die sooner, on average, than Righties."

"I had to learn how to be ambidextrous, just to complete basic tasks (sports, driving a manual, using scissors, etc). I am used to it now, and do many things right handed out of necessity, as wall as parents and teachers 'forcing' it upon me."

"But, at least we are not put to death anymore, simply for using the wrong hand (look it up, it happened)."

"Ole Righty, always keeping us down."

– igenus44

The world doesn't need another demographic to feel "othered" for being different.

But if you're right-handed and tend to make assumptions about left-handed people, you may want to observe the following.

Ronald Yeo, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Texas-Austin told CNN:

"We shouldn’t assume much about people’s personalities or health just because of the hand they write with."
"And we certainly shouldn’t worry about lefties’ chances of success: After all (as of 2015), five of our last seven U.S. presidents have been either left- or mixed-handed."

Word.

Dog lying down on a bed
Photo by Conner Baker on Unsplash

Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.

While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.

Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.

Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.

For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.

Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:

"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"

The Tiny Issue Of Water...

"Absolutely not."

"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649

Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...

"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."

"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."

"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."

"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep

The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...

"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."

"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3

Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen Giphy

What Do You Mean Allow?

"I have no choice."

"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412

"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle

Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way

"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show

Hug GIF by The BarkPost Giphy

Who Needs An Alarm Clock?

"I let my two cats sleep with me."

"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."

"And so do I."

"We've all developed a lil routine."

"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_

Whose Bed Is It Anyway?

"Yes."

"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."

"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor

"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."

"Would not come out."

"Got some food and some water in dishes."

"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."

"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."

"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."

"She was too busy eating."

"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."

"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."

"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."

"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."

"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."

"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."

"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."

"She would not go."

"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."

"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588

sleepy kitten GIF Giphy

Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...

"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."

"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."

"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle

Saying No Just Isn't An Option...

"'Let'."

"Lol."

"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren

Felines Only!

"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz

Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official Giphy

Is That My Hair On That Pillow?

"My dog is perfect."

"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."

"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."

"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester

It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.

Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...