Man Shares A Fail Story From When He Hid Under The Pharmacy Counter At Work And Then The CEO Arrived Interview With Author
No matter how confident and self-assured we might be, the vast majority of us still want to make a good impression on our bosses. Unfortunately, human beings tend to have problems with timing and not tripping on their own two feet when it comes to important moments.
Case in point, Christian A. Dumais shared a story on Twitter about how he was hiding inside a pharmacy counter when the CEO walked in. It’s a hilarious tale about embarrassment that, well, minor spoilers—has a surprising ending. Have a read below, dear Pandas, and share your thoughts about Dumais’ story in the comment section. We hope you have a good chuckle, just like I did. Oh, and before you ask, Dumais might be a comedian, but the story is 100% certified true.
Dumais told Bored Panda that while he can laugh about what happened now, he was mortified at the time. “I have a whole library of stories like this, where I start to do something ‘funny’ or ‘cool’ and it ends up turning into a ridiculous and/or humiliating experience.” Read on for more of Dumais’ insights into working as a pharmacy technician, how our bosses should be the ones impressing us, and what lies at the core of the writer’s storytelling.
More info: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | CADumais.com
Dumais shared a wholesomely hilarious story about the time he was hiding inside a pharmacy counter when the CEO walked in
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
Image credits: PuffChrissy
“I was so lucky to work with such caring and diverse people”
Dumais revealed that working in a pharmacy is tough, emotionally draining, and can cause a lot of stress. “To see people on their worst day in need of medicine, or to see people breaking down when they realize the price of the medication—these were huge life lessons for someone like me who was in university at the time. I was so lucky to work with such caring and diverse people, and moments like the ones in my story were much-needed back then,” he shared.
A few years after that, Dumais was promoted to a pharmacy auditor. It was a huge step up for him and came with a lot of responsibility. “And I remember being at the company’s headquarters and passing the CEO in the hallway. He didn’t recognize me, but I remember thinking, ‘All right, it’s over. This job was fun while it lasted.'”
Unfortunately, Dumais also had some sad news for us. His former colleague, pharmacist Rick, passed away 8 years ago. “But he brought [the story] up the last time I saw him, along with a lot of other funny moments.”
We’re incredibly happy that the story is all true
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Image credits: PuffChrissy
“He heard me out and decided to laugh about it”
Bored Panda also wanted to get Dumais’ take on what employees should do to make a good impression on their bosses. However, he flipped the script on me and pointed out that, actually, things should actually work the other way around.
“I work with different clients that represent different companies. These companies have different work cultures and attitudes, different industries—some are even in different countries, as well. And what I’ve learned, especially in the last year, is that it’s more important for the boss to make a good impression. If they work hard, show off a positive attitude, etc. then it makes the employees want to work harder,” he said. “Life’s too short to work for terrible people.”
Dumais said that the CEO in his story had “every right to be annoyed or angry” and that if the boss had yelled at him or sent him home “for being an idiot,” he wouldn’t have had much to defend himself with. “I wasted an hour of the company’s time. There was plenty of work to be done. Instead, he heard me out and decided to laugh about it. That told me a lot about the kind of boss he was,” he highlighted how small stories like this one can tell you a lot about the people in charge.
“Everyone has had moments they’re ashamed or embarrassed of”
He also opened up about the importance that writing and storytelling have in his life and heart. “Storytelling is a big part of my life, both professionally (working in marketing and public speaking) and personally (writing, standup, idiot on social media),” Dumais quipped.
He explained that people respond to authenticity and honesty, no matter how embarrassing things might sound. It’s all about creating genuine connections and having a laugh, after all. “I tell a lot of funny true stories from my life in my stand up (and on Twitter) and the ones people respond to are the embarrassing ones. Everyone has had moments they’re ashamed or embarrassed of, and the instinct is to bury it—and when you hear someone else tell a humiliating story about their life, it gives you permission to forgive yourself.
“It’s me offering you an authentic piece of myself and hoping you can use it to put yourself back together again. And if not, at the very least, I hope it made you laugh and forget about things for a while. That’s what any story can hope to achieve.”
People had a lot of fun with Dumais’ tale and gave him lots of praise
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Dumais’ story made a few people laugh on Twitter, but it went absolutely viral on Imgur. At the time of writing, a post about his story has over 9k upvotes. People were absolutely delighted.
Some suggested that Dumais should have jumped out and scared the CEO. While others confessed that they’ve been in similar situations before. See, this is the type of fun, wholesome, and hilarious content the internet was made for.
Dumais isn’t just a comedian: he’s also a writer, digital marketer, and public speaker. I take my hat off to him because he’s published over 18 books, 300 stories, 500 articles, and 1k newsletters. While I’ve got him beat in the articles department, Dumais is lightyears ahead of me in terms of everything else.
Writing seems to be in his blood and we can clearly see that from the way he presents the humorous tale of how he got to meet the company’s CEO. Dumais shared some of his writing tips on his website.
For him, finishing a story is the important thing, not just starting it. He also recommends doing lots of reading, taking a walk whenever you get stuck, writing down all of the ideas that pop into your head (“you won’t remember the idea later), and getting off social media if you actually want to get any quality writing done.
What’s more, he says that it’s all right not to know where the story is going. Which is probably the exact thing he was worried about while stuck in the pharmacy counter, sweating with panic.
Back in the day, I was able to fall asleep everywhere. I woke up under a desk one day to four pairs of legs around me. I debated whether I should just make it my new home or make a quick exit. Yeah. Not so easy with my heavy books and short stature. One person yelled “woah!” but slid his chair back. Another gentleman held my hand and pulled me up. I scrammed out of there fast, never got to look at my Prince Charming. I got locked in the university library once, and had to call for someone to open the door. Fell asleep another time in a different university library. I was making a bed for myself another time (finals week, library open 24/7), the security guard looked at me and just told me to put the cushions back the next day and good luck.
Now I have insomnia and am so jealous of old me falling asleep everywhere and whenever. So epic fails can make for hilarious stories, but I was very lucky. Don’t fall asleep in strange places!
I have a story sorta like this. Last year, I was practicing a piece in one of my college's practice rooms. I had been in there for over 12 hours and was so tired. I sorta leaned on my cello, and the next thing I saw was my friend Finn shaking me awake and telling me that we're gonna be late to orchestra rehearsal. I don't sleep well anymore.
I regret all those naps I should have taken as a child.
LOL I'm jealous :D
Oh, the ability to sleep anywhere, or going without sleep for stretches of time? I’ve fallen asleep on top of a drying machine. I’m the family idiot.
I had a moment a bit like this. I have anxiety which very occasionally becomes quite bad, and usually I can just close my cubical door and sit under my desk for a while and that helps. But in this particular instance I'd been working closely with some clients for several weeks and was stationed in an office at the client's location. It was a shared office with a desk & wall in the middle, and the person on the side opposite the door was not in that day. So I sat under her desk. Nobody would see me unless they came all the way in and looked down. Well, it seemed like a good plan until the other office occupant came back in with the manager. I could hear them talking. No big deal. Then after about 10 or 15 minutes they got quieter and closed the door. I could still hear what they were saying - enough to know it ought to be confidential. At this point my anxiety was better but I wasn't keen on admitting I'd been under a desk the whole time. (1/2)
Well, I decided far far better to say something. "Uh, hey, so I'm in here," I called out as I tried to get out from under the desk. I did manage to get un-hidden before they peeked around the corner. For a moment I thought I might get away with it, but then the manager said, "We looked back here, where were you?" at which point I had to admit I'd been hiding under the desk. I had to explain about my anxiety. Scary as that was, in the end it ended up being good because it was nice to know they understood about my anxiety and wouldn't bother me if they found me hiding somewhere. Still... embarassing! (2/2)
Hey, K. I'm not sure if I would classify my anxiety issues as being panic attacks, as I have never had the classical breathing difficulties. However there is a distinct and immediate need to be alone, (and *definitely* not to be touched, not even to be hugged by my husband); to be "guarded", like under a desk, under a pile of blankets, or at minimum a corner; and an inability to tackle even small tasks - something like sending an email suddenly seems impossible. For the most part, people in my life have been accepting and understanding when I talk about it, but I spent a decade not giving them that chance, terrified that anyone might find out. I guess my advice would just be to be patient with people. What they are struggling with might not seem hard to you but it is insurmountable to them at the moment and they just need time. Thanks for listening. :)
What helps you with your panic attacks? What would you like people to know about it?
It’s not easy to admit you need help and/or battling a psychological disorder. Unfortunately, my story wasn’t a meet cute, just got overwhelmed and gave in to sleep. I could laugh now, but hiding under the table was no picnic. Glad to meet someone who’s gone through that awkwardness too.
I don't have the panic attacks as often anymore, and it's been awhile since the last one. I already maxed out my anxiety from the last 1.5 years; I'm sure it's still there but the new default makes it hard to figure out what's normal. Note to others: panic attacks (and/or panic disorder) and having anxiety are not the same thing, although you can experience/have both.
I'm on BoredPanda during long stretches of insomnia, so I've come across of lot of views. Some of them reminded me to stay away from a career in psychology, but I enjoyed reading and learning from your comments. Quite a bit of them are progressive, I find myself screaming "yass!!" often. I'm glad that you were able to give me a thoughtful reply. It helps me become more aware of others and myself. As if panic attacks weren't bad enough, I've thrown up and other bathroom issues. Growing up in a family of ableists, I am the hardest on myself but I'm working on it. The last part is so relevant that I've taken a screenshot to remind myself and others to be more patient and aware. The last year taught even more of us how important mental health is; there are quite a bit of people dealing with their mental illnesses and inner demons for the first time (or in awhile). It's hard to work through things when you don't have the language or compassion for yourself and others. Thank you.
Parmeisan yes
This made me laugh.
Back in the day, I was able to fall asleep everywhere. I woke up under a desk one day to four pairs of legs around me. I debated whether I should just make it my new home or make a quick exit. Yeah. Not so easy with my heavy books and short stature. One person yelled “woah!” but slid his chair back. Another gentleman held my hand and pulled me up. I scrammed out of there fast, never got to look at my Prince Charming. I got locked in the university library once, and had to call for someone to open the door. Fell asleep another time in a different university library. I was making a bed for myself another time (finals week, library open 24/7), the security guard looked at me and just told me to put the cushions back the next day and good luck.
Now I have insomnia and am so jealous of old me falling asleep everywhere and whenever. So epic fails can make for hilarious stories, but I was very lucky. Don’t fall asleep in strange places!
I have a story sorta like this. Last year, I was practicing a piece in one of my college's practice rooms. I had been in there for over 12 hours and was so tired. I sorta leaned on my cello, and the next thing I saw was my friend Finn shaking me awake and telling me that we're gonna be late to orchestra rehearsal. I don't sleep well anymore.
I regret all those naps I should have taken as a child.
LOL I'm jealous :D
Oh, the ability to sleep anywhere, or going without sleep for stretches of time? I’ve fallen asleep on top of a drying machine. I’m the family idiot.
I had a moment a bit like this. I have anxiety which very occasionally becomes quite bad, and usually I can just close my cubical door and sit under my desk for a while and that helps. But in this particular instance I'd been working closely with some clients for several weeks and was stationed in an office at the client's location. It was a shared office with a desk & wall in the middle, and the person on the side opposite the door was not in that day. So I sat under her desk. Nobody would see me unless they came all the way in and looked down. Well, it seemed like a good plan until the other office occupant came back in with the manager. I could hear them talking. No big deal. Then after about 10 or 15 minutes they got quieter and closed the door. I could still hear what they were saying - enough to know it ought to be confidential. At this point my anxiety was better but I wasn't keen on admitting I'd been under a desk the whole time. (1/2)
Well, I decided far far better to say something. "Uh, hey, so I'm in here," I called out as I tried to get out from under the desk. I did manage to get un-hidden before they peeked around the corner. For a moment I thought I might get away with it, but then the manager said, "We looked back here, where were you?" at which point I had to admit I'd been hiding under the desk. I had to explain about my anxiety. Scary as that was, in the end it ended up being good because it was nice to know they understood about my anxiety and wouldn't bother me if they found me hiding somewhere. Still... embarassing! (2/2)
Hey, K. I'm not sure if I would classify my anxiety issues as being panic attacks, as I have never had the classical breathing difficulties. However there is a distinct and immediate need to be alone, (and *definitely* not to be touched, not even to be hugged by my husband); to be "guarded", like under a desk, under a pile of blankets, or at minimum a corner; and an inability to tackle even small tasks - something like sending an email suddenly seems impossible. For the most part, people in my life have been accepting and understanding when I talk about it, but I spent a decade not giving them that chance, terrified that anyone might find out. I guess my advice would just be to be patient with people. What they are struggling with might not seem hard to you but it is insurmountable to them at the moment and they just need time. Thanks for listening. :)
What helps you with your panic attacks? What would you like people to know about it?
It’s not easy to admit you need help and/or battling a psychological disorder. Unfortunately, my story wasn’t a meet cute, just got overwhelmed and gave in to sleep. I could laugh now, but hiding under the table was no picnic. Glad to meet someone who’s gone through that awkwardness too.
I don't have the panic attacks as often anymore, and it's been awhile since the last one. I already maxed out my anxiety from the last 1.5 years; I'm sure it's still there but the new default makes it hard to figure out what's normal. Note to others: panic attacks (and/or panic disorder) and having anxiety are not the same thing, although you can experience/have both.
I'm on BoredPanda during long stretches of insomnia, so I've come across of lot of views. Some of them reminded me to stay away from a career in psychology, but I enjoyed reading and learning from your comments. Quite a bit of them are progressive, I find myself screaming "yass!!" often. I'm glad that you were able to give me a thoughtful reply. It helps me become more aware of others and myself. As if panic attacks weren't bad enough, I've thrown up and other bathroom issues. Growing up in a family of ableists, I am the hardest on myself but I'm working on it. The last part is so relevant that I've taken a screenshot to remind myself and others to be more patient and aware. The last year taught even more of us how important mental health is; there are quite a bit of people dealing with their mental illnesses and inner demons for the first time (or in awhile). It's hard to work through things when you don't have the language or compassion for yourself and others. Thank you.
Parmeisan yes
This made me laugh.