Imagine having a job where it’s ingrained in your head that if a phone rings, you answer it.

If you weren’t at work and were at another business, would you be able to turn off this phone answering reflex, or would you find yourself answering someone else’s phone call on accident?

In this story, one man accidentally answers the phone when he’s at a mechanic’s shop. The mechanic didn’t seem to mind, but the person on the phone sure did!

Let’s see how the story plays out.

“Boss, you’re fired!” or I don’t know, man I just answer phones. It’s what I do…?

This happened a few years back. I can easily admit that this was mostly my fault.

I went to a mechanic first thing in the morning for some urgent repairs on my car that had been sitting for 9 months unattended.

A little back story. Around the time this happened I had been in the navy for about 5 years and just come back from a 9 month deployment on a ship.

He explains what happens when the phone rings on a Navy ship.

Now on a ship there are probably over a hundred different spaces or rooms owned by different groups of people. Because of my job and responsibilities you could find me in any one of 30 of those places at any given time.

It’s generally the rule that if you’re in a space whether you own it or not you answer that phone like “good(time of day) (place name) (your rank and last name) how can I help you?”

Now if you’re doing that at least 30 times a day for a year it almost becomes a reflex..

Now to the story. Cast ME: me, MM: Mechanic manager, AM: auto mechanic, PC: phone caller.

He explained what was wrong with his car.

ME: hey MM do you think you’d be able to take a look at my car today?

MM: Nah man I don’t think so we’re pretty booked up today. What’s wrong with it?

ME: I just got back and when I turned it on and started driving it sounded like someone tried to put a drill bit in a pencil sharpener. Even if you can’t look at it today I can wait because honestly I don’t I think I’d feel safe driving it back home or anywhere else.

MM: lol. Ok well that does sound pretty bad. Let me check with my guy and see if we can possibly get to it today or tomorrow.

ME: awesome thanks!

Reflexes took over.

At this point he goes back to the actually mechanic area (whatever you call it) and leaves me at the counter.

A minute later the cordless phone on the counter rings.

Reflexively I pick it up and turn it on before I even know I’m doing it.

ME: Good morning…

Now it’s at this point I realized I had messed up. But in the navy we have a phrase “if you’re wrong, stay wrong” so I took it to heart and dove in with both feet.

Here’s how the conversation went.

ME:… This is MMs auto shop, uh how can I help you?

PC : Hi can I make an appointment for lunch time today?

ME: i don’t know mate, they seem pretty busy but I’ll check for you.

After another minute or two MM walks out. I hand him the phone and before I can tell him otherwise he “answers” the phone effectively hanging up on PC.

I explain what happened and what PC wanted.

It didn’t seem like a big deal…at first.

MM: yeah we wouldn’t be able to. Lunch is booked solid. But why did you answer the phone?

ME: idk mate …i just answer phones. It’s what I do.

So now me and MM are filling out paper work to check my car in when this car comes screeching into the parking lot and this dude jumps out and damn near kicks the door in until he figures out you have to pull

PC: how DARE you hang up on me?!?!

This guy is beyond upset.

MM to ME: is this the guy?

ME: Uh… Idk mate. Probably?

PC to ME: YOU! YOU’RE THE ONE WHO EFFING HUNG UP ON ME! You couldn’t just answer a simple effing question? You just hang up on me? Hang up on ME!?!

MM: Sir can get you to take it down a notch or two?

PC: dont tell me to calm down! I want to talk to talk to a manager right EFFING NOW!

PC keeps yelling.

MM: Sir that’s me. Now again if you could –

PC: DON’T EFFING TELL ME TO CALM DOWN. I WANT A MANAGER TO FIRE HIM AND I’M NOT LEAVING UNTIL I TALK TO THE MANAGER.

Now AM had walked in about 10 seconds earlier and caught the tail end of this altercation. He steps up with and speaks with some real authority.

AM decides to play along and give PC what he wants.

AM: LISTEN! I don’t know and honestly I don’t even care what’s happening out here. You’re both fired and I want you off the property in the next half hour or im calling the police!

MM stares dumbfounded while I just kinda chuckle awkwardly.

PC: thank you! That’s all I wanted. Now what time do you think you’ll be able to look at my car?

AM: well obviously I just fired two guys so I’m gonna be a little short handed for a while. I can’t honestly say but it won’t be today.

It was good for a laugh after the fact.

PC huffs dramatically and says fine and walks out.

AM shrugs, turns around and heads towards the garage.

MM: AM did you just fire me?

AM : huh? Oh ha! Yeah sorry boss.

And then we all laugh about it for a bit and then get back to work.

That was some quick thinking on AM’s part.

He let the customer think he was getting what he wanted when he really didn’t have the authority to fire either one of them considering one person didn’t work there and the other was his boss!

Let’s see how Reddit felt about this story.

This person got confused when answering the phone too.

Another person shares a forgetful moment.

That really was a great story.

It can be hard to break old habits.

This person claims to be bad at answering the phone.

Sometimes, answering the phone is a reflex.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.