‘I really think I've seen everything... But then I go to work.’: Potential Karen-level-10 situation pleasantly deescalates to a hilarious misunderstanding

Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor

Sep 23, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

When you work in customer service, you truly see all of humanity. You see the precious people who the world could use more of, and you, of course, see the Karen, the humans incapable of empathy, the "adults" whose first response is to throw an entitled tantrum. Perhaps this is how balance is kept in our world? Who knows…

Recently, a hotel employee went to the subrredit r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk to share a story that could've had a very different ending. You see, when you work the front desk of a hotel, you tend to get many Karens and Kyles throwing tantrums on a daily. So when a couple, a double whammy of both a Karen and Kyle came down to the desk fuming, they knew their training was about to come in handy. The entitled couple accused the hotel of removing an entire washing machine with their still wet clothes inside. The OP called maintenance to make sure that insane tale was incorrect, and lo and behold, no large appliances were moved that day. After much chatting between the entitled couple, OP, and the front desk assistant, they found out the real issue.

The couple had gone to the wrong laundry room. You see, there were two on that floor, and the entitled couple couldn't fathom that anything was their fault ever, so they when they walked into the wrong room and didn't see their laundry, they went straight to blaming the hotel.

Usually in a Karen or Kyle situation, a tantrum would be sure to follow still finding a way to blame anybody but themselves. But luck was on the employees' side today, and it was all chalked up to a hilarious misunderstanding and everyone was able to go on their merry way. A real pleasant twist of an ending to a Karen story, right?