writes tim: “i work at one of the better specialty coffee shops in portland, oregon. some people come in knowing that we can prepare a fantastic drink, but don’t actually know what they like or how to order it. and sometimes these people decide to write a note expressing their displeasure instead of simply asking us to remake their drink.”

adds tim: “for the record, these two women ordered a 16 oz. caramel latte and a 16 oz. mocha, which are certainly going to be sweeter and less espresso-forward drinks than our more traditional, non-flavored drinks. and if these two actually visited regularly, they would also know that we don’t have 16 oz. ceramic mugs, which means all 16 oz. drinks are served in paper cups.”

so there.

related: an extra bold request

1. spotted by trevor in richmond, virginia

2. from karen in chicago

3. spotted by eli in kauai

4. from miller peterson in japan

and lastly, a beloved classic from the world-class run barbara (and of course, thx sandra)

related: with a chainsaw?

katie in scotland says she found this note “stuck to a wall at about knee-height, right above a very sad-looking deflated palm tree and a bunch of deflated inflatable bananas.” unfortunately, katie says, “i have no idea what the back story is…but i would love to, especially as the note writer seems to be a fair bit older than 8 or 11.”

possible scenarios, folks? whaddya got?

related: desperately seeking closure

jen in tallahassee, florida found this posted on the fridge in her synagogue’s kitchen. “we’ve tried many things to prevent missing food from this refrigerator,” jen says. “we’ve even installed a lock so that only certain people with keys can get into the refrigerator…and yet, the problem continues.”

related: the PANtheistic approach

before you embark on this visual road trip through from rural north america, remember: guns don’t kill possums. CELL PHONES KILL POSSUMS. (and potentially one-thumbed former sea captains.)

related: the right to bear fruit
extra credit: playing possum [awkwardfamilyphotos.com]

when dealing with anonymous strangers, there’s no point in playing coy about your hopes and dreams. tell us, kids, what do you REALLY want?

related: i hope your cat chokes

spotted by kirk at “a very high-end consulting firm” in washington, d.c.

classy, right?

related: suck on this

dee dee in virginia says her five-year-old daughter, lilly, presented her with this card after kindergarten last week. “at first it seems like the usual ‘i love mommy’ card,” dee dee says, “but the back clearly addresses her irritation with the neighboring copycat whose use of hearts, stars, and flowers were infringing on my daughter’s copyrighted design. (coming soon to a overpriced handbag near you!)

related: startin’ young

danielle in tampa, florida found this note in the hallway of her apartment building. writes danielle: “i don’t know what the official story is, but I can assume that it is the same as every other ‘my roommate is a slob’ story. (oh college!) i’m a little confused about why this girl thought that leaving her garbage in our hallway would make people feel sorry for her, though.”

related: why the “seething and waiting” strategy will never work