Few common experiences (aside from like, parenthood) change a person like a difficult job. Spending five days a week in an uncomfortable or combative environment is enough to make anybody see the world differently, and usually gives them a few tales to tell as well. I shudder to think of the very worst experiences that I had in previous positions, but I’d like to think they made me stronger in some way. That’s one of the delusions I like to live with, anyway.

I can’t deny that no matter what negative things I’ve dealt with in my working history, they aren’t as bad as some people’s. There are employees out there who have lived through full-blown TV episodes with the wild shenanigans that have happened while they’re on the job. Some of the examples below are enough to make any bored corporate drone grateful that their average day is nothing to write home about. It could always be worse.