July 8, 2026 at 8:35 am

A Stranger Called Him “Rafiki” at a Resort Pool and Started Ordering Him Around — He Put Him in His Place Immediately

by Heide Lazaro

Asian guy smiling and having fun in the swimming pool

Pexels/Reddit

Assumptions can lead to awkward and offensive moments.

In this story, a man was relaxing by the pool at a resort when a stranger assumed he worked there.

The stranger called him over with a nickname and started ordering him to fetch towels and food.

He calmly corrected him, leading to an embarrassing realization for the man.

Read the full story below to find out more.

I need more towels.

I am Black and from East Africa. This is important to the story.

I am currently on vacation at a resort. I am at the pool, and the sun is doing me no favors.

A white guy in his mid-fifties has been on a sunbed for a while.

He starts calling me over. When I hear it, he says, “Hey, hey, hey, you, Rafiki.”

I mean, come on. I am not the monkey from The Lion King.

This man was ordered to fetch more towels and follow up a fruit platter order.

After a while, I turned around to see whom he was addressing.

I found him looking peach red. I am guessing it was from being ignored.

He immediately started ordering me to fetch him more towels.

And told me to follow up on his fruit plate order.

He didn’t like the other guest’s tone and audacity to order him around.

I am guessing my shorts and shirt made him think I worked there.

However, the tone he used was not one a client seeking service would use.

I mean the audacity and sheer hubris of him.

He did not even wait for my response. He turned away.

He told the guest he didn’t work there.

After composing myself, I told him I did not work there.

He looked at me as if I had spoken in a foreign language.

He asked me what I was doing there. I told him I was a guest, same as he was.

The look of embarrassment on his face was hilarious.

The woman beside him, who I am guessing was his wife, suddenly found her book interesting.

He was frustrated with how the guest treated him.

The guy said that because of my shirt, he thought I worked there.

He returned to his seat and suddenly found the clouds more interesting.

The one thing that annoyed me was the way he called and ordered me around.

He did not even ensure if I was a worker there or not.

Some people can be too rude and assuming. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with honestly mistaking someone for a staff member.

But treating them with judgment and disrespect is another story! What the other guest did was rude from the start.

The assumptions and tone made it even worse. That embarrassment probably hit him hard.

Trending and Popular

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a kid who refuses to listen to a water park employee about slide height requirements.
Read The Drama

Let’s read the responses of other people to this story.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Screenshot 2026 07 07 at 2.33.46 PM A Stranger Called Him Rafiki at a Resort Pool and Started Ordering Him Around — He Put Him in His Place Immediately

Here’s an honest opinion from this one.

Screenshot 2026 07 07 at 2.34.11 PM A Stranger Called Him Rafiki at a Resort Pool and Started Ordering Him Around — He Put Him in His Place Immediately

This person offers some advice.

Screenshot 2026 07 07 at 2.34.44 PM A Stranger Called Him Rafiki at a Resort Pool and Started Ordering Him Around — He Put Him in His Place Immediately

Short and straightforward.

Screenshot 2026 07 07 at 2.35.00 PM A Stranger Called Him Rafiki at a Resort Pool and Started Ordering Him Around — He Put Him in His Place Immediately

Finally, people are saying the same thing.

Screenshot 2026 07 07 at 2.35.23 PM A Stranger Called Him Rafiki at a Resort Pool and Started Ordering Him Around — He Put Him in His Place Immediately

Maybe confirm first that you’re talking to the right person before you start giving orders.

Trending and Popular

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an IT employee who refuses to change his “perfect” software install because the hardware was mistakenly installed upside-down.
Read The Drama

Heide Lazaro is a veteran human-interest writer and digital culture expert with over a decade of experience in editorial strategy. Specializing in lifestyle, social dynamics, and the internet's most compelling stories, Heide has authored and published more than 10 books online. Beyond her daily reporting, she is a dedicated motivational speaker who helps audiences connect through the power of storytelling. When she isn't sifting through the web's wildest real-life drama, Heide is an avid runner, painter, and novel-enthusiast fueled by a truly excellent cup of coffee.