Weird Place To Keep A Copi— Uh… Printer

Assisted Living, Coworkers, Extra Stupid, Michigan, USA |
Working | June 5, 2020

I work at the front desk of an assisted living facility. Among my equipment is a printer. It’s not a fancy three-in-one. It does not do copies or faxes, just printing. A printer is not a copier. I’m sure 99% of you understand that, but not my coworker here.

Coworker: “[Other Coworker] said to come up here and get a copy. Can I get a copy of this?”

The coworker holds up paper.

Me: “I don’t have a copy machine, just a printer.”

Coworker: *Looks at my printer* “What’s that, then?”

Me: “It’s a printer. It just does printing.”

Coworker: “Well, that’s what I need — a printout.”

Me: “But… it’s just a printer. It literally can’t see anything to copy it.”

Coworker: *Blank look* “What?”

Me: “It doesn’t make copies. It… prints from this computer only.”

Coworker: “Ugh, I just need a copy of it. Can’t you do that?”

Me: “I’m not allowed to leave the desk right now. The copy machine is all the way in the back of the building.”

Coworker: “Are you sure you can’t just print it out from there?”

She points to my printer.

Me: “It doesn’t have any way to see the paper and I don’t have that document on my computer. It’s… a printer, not a copier.”

Coworker: “Ugh, fine, I’ll find someone else.”

She honestly didn’t understand the difference between a printer and a copier. It’s not like she’s way older or way younger, either. She’s in her thirties, same as me. Oh, and she couldn’t have done it herself, because only those in supervisory roles have the code to get into the copy room. I think she wanted me to pull a copier out of my a** or something.