So I just had probably the most fucked up experience with a 7-11 employee ever in nearly a decade and a half in Taiwan. Mind you this was at 2 in the morning, and I was on a weeknight beer run… lol… but anyway, it was at a 7-11 in a “nice” neighborhood in Taipei. I call this 7 the “unmanned” 7, because late at night, it’s like there’s hardly anyone working there, usually it takes a while for someone in the back to emerge and check you out. This time felt the same initially until the young lady emerged from the back, barely able to walk. She approached the counter absolutely legless, staggering about in the most random pattern possible. Then she sort of fell forward and pushed one of the containers filled with plastic cutlery forward and onto the floor… I picked it up and put them all back for her. She attempted to scan my beer but I had to turn it just the right way to get the barcode because I didn’t want to be there all night. She rang me up for two Kirin’s for $99… she seemed to randomly mash buttons on the register and somehow I ended up with a $20 NT discount… she handed me $21 NT and my receipt and I handed her back the $20 NT, she seemed surprised, I told her it was only $99 and that I had paid her $100. I could see her teeth were extremely brown, nearly rotten, and this woman is not that old, possibly still in her 20s, and for sure under 35. Now 7-11 doesn’t attract the best and brightest but even at 2 in the morning, you’ll get someone who is conscious… this woman was beyond fucked up, and I have never seen someone so fucked up working… anywhere really in Taiwan before. I honestly feel bad for her and hope she can get help. I am not going to write a bad review for the store or report anything, because in the end she did her job, lol… and I could have taken advantage of the extra change but decided not to. It’s not like I am any better, buying beer at 2am on a Tuesday morning… My guess is that she was way fucked up on ketamine… definitely not drunk, and I don’t know what other drug is commonly available in Taiwan that would make someone fucked up in that way. Anyway, just a little anecdote, what about you? What’s the most fucked up you’ve ever seen a convenience store clerk?
Hmm, I duno, staffing a convenience store whilst off my tits at 2am sounds like a pretty good time. Think of us decades-long career zombie office workers in multi-hour meetings with no conclusion wishing we could do the same.
I dunno man… maybe, until customers show up, and customers suck… huh huh huh huh huh huh huh…
Sounds like Dante was off and they got Jay to cover.
I’ve seen something similar in the morning at a newly opened Family Mart, also in a “good neighbourhood,” on a national holiday—it may have been during the lunar new year break. A very young woman, dishevelled, working alone, clutching a screaming infant, while trying to take care of customer requests including making coffees and handling money at the till. It was painful to see. 
And for those who think a laughter emoji is cool for the first post in this thread: it’s possible you are an a&&hole. It’s surprising you would be proud of that.
Guy
Or maybe recent meds not interacting well
Why?
Just because you think its sad doesn’t mean others do, there are relatable parts in the post that people may find amusing, like the poster reflecting on their own situation getting beer at 2am on a Tuesday.
You’re assuming the clerk is in a bad situation, for all we know she may be having the time of her life being shitfaced at work.
It may remind some of the posters here of the crazy shit they did when they were young.
She may be in a bad situation and need help,
she may have been out partying but there was an emergency and the boss asked her to come in anyway,
or as above she may just be having fun being crazy and young.
Calling people assholes just because they read a situation differently, well that speaks for itself.
Getting shitfaced on the job? If anyone can dig up a working link to the classic The Drunken Misadventures of a Redneck, I’ll buy you a case of beer the next time I’m in the 'Wan. But, alas, both the thread and original blog seem to have vanished off the face of the earth. RIP, dude - I mean, I’m sure he’s either resting in peace or prison after all these years.
relative of ex wife opend a Seven in Taiwan. Man what a lot of work 24/7 / 365. no rest wicked or not. And it was hard to find employees who didnt steal and actually reported to work on time and did a good job. Often had to beg family members to help. Its hard work running a Seven.
And people there work hard, expecially during zombie hours. Maybe Sevens should close at 2am until 6am (so owners can pass out for a few hours in the back?)
That beats my worst experience by quite a bit.
Worst I saw was some youngster serving me while wearing earphones, and having the type of manner you would expect from someone wearing earphones..
He wore them every time I really dont get how he gets away with it.
What brand’s your drink, Cranky?
I’ve been seeing this more at some convenience stores. I wouldn’t say it’s common by any means, but I do seem to have run into this situation more over the past few years.
Some of them even get nightmare employees who just throw shit all over place…like people’s mail.
As an insomniac, I have been to many sevens during late nights. I get to see plenty of unique characters
One guy was so slow he would take forever to count the money I gave him. Even if I gave him two hundred dollar notes, he would just stare at them for a few seconds before proceeding. I always found it amusing
I also noticed a clerk exactly like OP one time he was indeed shitfaced and got fired after someone complained about him
But some make the best of it. One of the sevens I used to go to for late night ramen had a teenager working there. When there were no customers he would often be reading books or doing his homework. Whenever he is now I hope he made it.
I mean … I’m pretty sure no one would notice if I was on ketamine in meetings.
A couple of times over the years I’ve had university students who were pretty obviously drunk. I could tell because they got more participation points for asking and answering questions that day than they did for the rest of the year combined.
“Wait, you can actually use English?! Not that I’m going to encourage you to drink, but, well, you did great today!”
I don’t think any young person (or any person, for that matter) going through what is a clearly rough stretch deserves derision—full stop.
Why one would add a “laughter” emoji to such a story is something you would need to ask forumosans who appear to think this situation is quite the hoot.
Guy
Are you on the Tesla board?
Guy
Well you didn’t read my post, or the room.