AITJ for Telling the Postal Worker I Dread Coming In Because of Her?
A young woman finally snapped at a postal clerk whose constant attitude made every visit feel like a chore—and now she’s wondering if speaking up made her the jerk.
For years, she’d been polite to a postal worker who always seemed irritated. What began as a teenage misunderstanding turned into a pattern of tense exchanges every time she stepped through the door. But one afternoon, during what should’ve been a simple errand for a passport photo, things finally boiled over.
I didn’t plan to lose my patience that day—but after years of forced smiles and snide remarks, I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
At 20, she’d already endured years of curt exchanges with the same postal employee. The woman—likely in her late 50s or early 60s—had made her feel small once before, when she was a shy 16-year-old learning how to return an item. Despite that, she always greeted her kindly on each visit, hoping the tension would ease. It never did.
"Every time I come in, she has an attitude and acts like I’m inconveniencing her. She makes me dread coming here."
On this visit, she simply wanted a passport photo. She had done her makeup, felt confident, and was excited to finally start the process. But when she asked, the clerk’s tone and look of disdain made her stomach twist. After overhearing the woman mutter, “I don’t understand these people,” something in her snapped.
"No, it seems like it’s an inconvenience to you. Every time I come in here, you have a nasty attitude and I don’t look forward to having to come in here."
She left before the woman could reply, driving to a Walgreens for her photo instead. Later, she applied for her passport at another post office—one without the emotional baggage. Now, though, she’s left wondering whether speaking up was justified or too harsh.
🏠 The Aftermath
She hasn’t returned to that post office since. Walgreens handled her photo smoothly, and a different postal branch took her application without incident.
Now she plans to drive to another city whenever she needs to mail or return items—just to avoid one employee’s attitude.
It’s inconvenient but worth the peace of mind. The rude clerk likely went on with her day unaffected, while the young woman left feeling both relieved and a little guilty.
“Maybe it wasn’t polite, but at least I finally said what I felt.”
She didn’t want to start drama—she just wanted basic courtesy. Still, she couldn’t shake the question: had she gone too far by saying it out loud?
💭 Emotional Reflection
This story highlights how years of bottled frustration can surface in one blunt moment. The young woman wasn’t cruel—she was simply exhausted from being treated poorly despite her constant politeness.
The clerk’s behavior might stem from burnout or bitterness, but that doesn’t excuse rudeness to customers. Still, calling someone out publicly can sting, even when it’s true.
It’s a clash between self-respect and social restraint—reasonable people might differ on whether silence or honesty was the better choice.
Reddit commenters quickly weighed in on who was in the wrong:
“NTA. You were polite for years—sometimes people need to hear how their attitude affects others.”
“ESH. She was rude, but calling her out in front of others might not change anything.”
“Honestly, I’d have done the same. You didn’t yell or swear; you just told the truth.”
Most readers sympathized with the poster, noting the balance between standing up for oneself and maintaining composure. The consensus leaned toward justified honesty.
🌱 Final Thoughts
It’s draining to face hostility in everyday errands, and it’s human to reach a breaking point. Speaking up isn’t always pretty—but sometimes it’s necessary.
Whether or not it changed the clerk’s behavior, it freed her from silent frustration—and that might be the smallest, truest victory.
What do you think?
Would you have left, or stayed and kept trying to make it work? Share your thoughts below 👇
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