Work Text:
I'm so fucking tired.
In today’s society you can't even enjoy leisure with an office job. Everything feels like it's just out there to exploit you.
Naturally, with said office job.. I'm not safe from that exploitation.
They're having me run gigs I'm not even supposed to do in my line of work.
Skrrrrtt—
I slammed down on my car’s faulty brakes; thankfully it worked today.
I almost hit a cyclist because they suddenly cut in front of me. How bold do you have to be to squeeze into the car lane while riding scrap metal?
“Why are you overtaking me.. Go back to your lane..?”
I couldn't help but click my tongue in irritation.
Out of unjustified spite, they looked back and gave me the middle finger. Which, as the victim here, I found offensive.
“Why the hell are you flipping me off???”
Anyway, I'm driving down the road in my shabby car that I can't get proper repairs for because of my pathetic paycheck.
All the while worked to the bone by having to endure an entire day of having my boss on my back, and editing his daughter’s kpop bias’ posters to keep my job.
‘Kim Soleum, can you edit dog ears on *****’S latest Instagram post?’
Sounds straight out of a webnovel, I know.
I clocked in at 8AM; it's currently 2AM. I was holed up in that company’s suffocating cubicle for a whole 18 hours. Worst of all, it's technically Wednesday now. Meaning, I have to clock in at work at 8AM later.
I won't even get a wink of sleep at this rate.
‘Haha, will I die alongside this shitty company?’
My only refuge at the moment was that I'm heading to McDonald's for a drive thru.
And right now I'm turning the curve to enter that drive thru.
‘Should I get chicken nuggets?..’
Now before you jump at my throat for all the seed oils I'm ingesting into my body—with my life setting, what will tidbits of unhealthiness do?
I believe my boss asking me to doodle aegyo on a grown man’s image will kill me before any of those toxic ingredients will.
Other than that McDonald's is quite literally crafted to be craved. So save me from the attacks, let me enjoy the small joys(cravings) of my miserable life.
I drove over to the intercom, right beside the glowing menu of addictive sludge that I'll be picking from.
My car window was rolled down and fresh air eventually brushed over me—the air condition was becoming unbearably stuffy so this was a small salvation.
“Hahh..”
A heavy breath left me as I leaned back into my seat. I was truly so exhausted, I wish I could go home and rest.
Crackle—
The intercom echoed out as it turned on.
.. An AI automated voice greeted me.
“Goodmorning. What can we get for you?”
“...”
“...”
Isn't this AI automation the reason why some people jump out of their car and thrash the place broken out of irritation?
.. Maybe their tolerance for annoyance is just inherently low.
It cant be that bad.
“Goodmorning.. I’ll have a 10 piece chicken nugget.. with a side of medium fries and a large coke Zero..”
“A 20 piece chicken nugget with BFF fries? Please confirm.”
“...”
“...”
Do they build these in drive thrus to have people break it and get sued?
.. It's an interesting way to make money.
“No, that's not what I ordered. I said I'll have a 10 piece with a side of medium fries and a large coke Zero.”
“A 20 piece chicken nugget with BFF fries? Please confirm.”
“...”
Did they make the AI intercom deaf?
“I told you, that's not what I ordered.”
“Please confirm.”
“I'm not confirming it, I didn't order that.”
“...”
The AI went silent for a moment, which was quite creepy when it happens at 2AM in the morning. I thought it'd become sentient and steal my skin.
Crackle—
“Order not confirmed. What can we get for you?”
Finally.
“I'll have a 10 piece chicken nugget, with medium fries, and a large coke Zero.” I pronounced each word with more careful enunciation.
“What can we get for you?”
“...”
It felt like I was talking to a child, was a newborn the inspiration for this AI?
“Can I ask for human assistance?”
“What can we get for you?”
“..Get me human assistance.”
“...”
Now I understand why some people reach their breaking point with these AI intercoms.
“I'd like human assistance.”
“That is not part of our menu.”
“I'm not asking for something on the menu I'm asking f—”
Crackle—
Just then, a human male voice suddenly came out.
“That AI is absolute shit, goodness.”
.. This is McDonald's, not the pub—right?
Either way, I was grateful for human company after I almost lost my cool from an AI.
“Ah, good morning. I'll have a 10 piece—..”
“Pull up.”
“...”
Is this any better than a fucking AI?
‘They probably just assumed that I was finished ordering..’
Its 2AM, stuff happen—I reasoned.
“Uh sorry, I wasn't done ordering.. Ill hav—”
“Pull up.”
“.. I said I wasn't done ordering.”
“And I said pull up.”
“...”
Has he never received employee training?
***
My day was already irritating as it is.
My girlfriend dumped me earlier because I couldn't attend her college graduation. I had work and I'm 1 absent away from losing it, what does she expect me to do?
And then my sister came along talking about some ‘Baek Saheon.. She told me everything, about how abusive you were! Why the hell would you treat your girlfriend like that!?’
I explained to my sister that it was all groundless bullshit. My ex-girlfriend never once even received a reprimand for me—but I think my sister doubts me.
Just because I couldn't attend an important event she frames me as an abuser? What the fuck even is the correlation?
What a bigoted piece of shit. I can't believe I ever courted her.
And now I'm at work—the root reason of all my misfortune, working the night shift at fucking McDonald's.
“Pull up.”
“.. I said I wasn't done ordering.”
“And I said pull up.”
“...”
Right now, I'm speaking into the intercom and serving a customer. I already heard his order earlier when he was talking to that shitty AI—honestly why the fuck did they even install that? but he doesn't get it.
Its annoying, really.
“Look, just pull up.” I spoke into the intercom with a groan.
“...”
“...”
The car started to roll.
Thankfully he finally moved to the payment phase.
Usually there would be different workers for each task but right now it's 2AM and aside from me—there's only 5 workers present.
3 of them are assigned to the front counter. The remaining are..
Me,
Crying in the bathroom because of a problem customer,
And
On break talking to her girlfriend.
Since the other two are practically unavailable, i carried on to serve this guy full course.
Hm, courses huh.
‘Fuck if I ever get fired I should work at a restaurant that serves those fancy courses..’
But with a resume where I got fired from McDonald's.. It feels too far fetched to think I'll get accepted.
..Vrr—
The customer's car rolled up to the window, and a black haired office worker was visible through their open car window.
“Total is $13.44, cash, card, or credits?”
“Excuse me, but we're you the worker earlier at the intercom?”
“...”
“What about it?” I replied after a moment of silence.
“Ah it's nothing serious.. It's just that you didn't hear my full order..”
I already know your fucking order, god.
“My full order was a—”
“Yeah yeah, 10 piece chicken nuggets with medium fries and a large coke zero, fatass.”
“...”
“Anyways your total is $13.44. What mo—”
“..Excuse me, what did you just call me?”
Now I think they're hallucinating, I didn't call them anything.
Working at McDonald's has really got to be the bane of the job listings because you encounter customers that are wrong in the head daily.
Putting it like this, I feel really bad for myself. I deserve better.
“I didn't call you anything?”
“...”
“???”
“You called me a fatass earlier. You do understand that's very unprofessional language, right?”
Ah shit, I did?
Well I mean if your ordering McDonald's at 2AM it's a good telltale that you *are* a fatass.
So it wasn't my fault, it was just natural instinct. Can‘t blame me for being human.
It's best we move on..
“Eh, it's 2AM no need to make a big deal out of it.”
“...”
“So what mode of payment will you use?”
“Where's your manager?”
“...”
A male Karen at 2AM. Just how worse can my day get? My mood was reaching all time lows.
I found myself rolling my eyes in irritation, which unfortunately the guy also saw.
“Seriously?”
“My manager’s probably in bed with his girlfriend.”
“...”
***
What the fuck is wrong with this worker?
I understand that it might be annoying to have a customer at 2AM in the morning, but isn't that your job? Giving me the attitude because I'm trying to order is plain rude.
And I've had a long day, I can't deal with rudeness calmly every time.
““What's wrong with your attitude? I'm just trying to order.”
“What attitude are you even talking about? Hello?”
“That attitude right there. Do you not know how to treat customers?”
I sound like a total Karen right now, but this worker seriously has no manners!
Not letting me finish my order..
Calling me a fatass..
Out of hand jokes..
And the list will probably go on.
My hand reached up to rub the bridge of my nose, I could feel a headache forming in real-time.
“Just call your manager. I won't put up with the attitude you've been giving me.”
“Ah seriously, I told you he's probably fucking with his girlfriend right now.” The worker practically sneered.
“He's not fucking here. He's fucking in the bedroom.”
“...”
This is the worst McDonald's experience I've ever had. How does such an asshole of a worker even get hired!
“I've worked in the same industry before. Managers go on shifts, there's always one pre—”
Ptooey!—
The worker spat.
“Fuck, I told you he's not here, right?”
Something wet splashed on my cheek.
…
Did he just fucking spit on me?
A nerve popped on my face and my fist instinctively balled.
…
I can take a lot of disrespect, but this truly is the breaking point for me.
So before I even had time to think twice.. I shuffled in the driver seat, stuck half my body out the car window, and—
Thwack—!
I hit that asshole square in the face.