Late for 9/11, Dentist from Hell, Calls from the Fifth Floor

What happens when a broken alarm clock changes one man’s arrival at the Pentagon on September 11, a dental assistant discovers her former boss at the centre of a police standoff, and calls keep coming from a hospital floor where none of the phones are plugged in? On Episode 16 of I Used To Work There, Kelly Kennedy brings you seven true workplace stories featuring celebrity encounters, disastrous journeys, threatening clients and terrifying situations. We start with Day Shift laughs before heading into a Night Shift filled with unexplained footsteps, a frightening boss and an extraordinary account of survival. Day Shift opens with Michelle, who worked at a Los Angeles grocery store where celebrity sightings were part of the job. When Willem Dafoe notices a little boy holding a Green Goblin toy, an ordinary shopping trip becomes an unforgettable encounter with an unexpectedly funny payoff. Then Kelly’s brother DJ joins the show to revisit the summers they worked together. Long days unloading trucks helped teenage Kelly save for a beautiful Pontiac Firebird. There was just one problem: getting it home. What followed involved overheating, overnight driving, unexpected family connections and a rescue from Dad. Matthew takes us to Hawaii, where totalling his new car is only the beginning. Determined to make it to his sampling events, he faces flooded streets, a heavy folding table, a nine-mile journey and a stranger looking for a fight. Just when he thinks the day is finally over, a familiar face appears on the bus home. Dan closes Day Shift with a tow-truck owner determined to cut his insurance costs. A week after removing his coverage, the client’s truck is damaged, and Dan finds himself receiving threats from a man who competes in MMA. When Night Shift begins, Joe takes us to the fifth floor of a hospital undergoing renovations. Security keeps receiving calls from an empty room, but the phone inside isn’t connected. As Joe investigates, footsteps begin following him through the halls. Then they get faster. LaRee follows with a dental office where an exciting opportunity becomes an increasingly frightening place to work. Staff arguments, screaming and a confrontation with a patient give way to behaviour that finally pushes her to leave. Months later, a friend sends her a news report about her former boss, and she discovers just how far things have escalated. Finally, Thomas Lee Johnson shares his experience at the Pentagon on September 11. An alarm clock he had relied on for years fails to wake him, changing the timing of his arrival. He reaches the building just as the attack happens. What follows is a deeply personal account of shock, survival and the friend who stayed on the phone when he needed someone most. Episode Chapters 00:00:00 Cold Open 00:01:00 Welcome to the Day Shift 00:02:01 Michelle: Green Goblin Goes Shopping 00:08:23 DJ: The Firebird from Hell 00:16:00 Matthew: Hawaii Workday from Hell 00:26:27 Dan: Tow-Truck Insurance and a Threatening Client 00:32:03 Joe: Calls from the Fifth Floor 00:40:41 LaRee: Dentist from Hell 00:50:44 Thomas: Late for 9/11 00:57:25 Clocking Out Follow and Share the Show Listen and follow on your favourite podcast app. Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every two weeks, and over 100 true workplace stories are waiting for you in our first 15 episodes. If you’re enjoying the show, leave us a five-star rating and a written review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps us reach more listeners and find more incredible stories. Know someone who appreciates a great story? Text them this episode. Which story will stick with you the longest? Tell us in the episode comments or email [email protected]. Listen Next For more extraordinary workplace stories and unsettling encounters, listen to Episode 14: Held Hostage for 31 Months, Revenge on a Magician, Haunted Hospital. Or discover Trapped in a Car Vending Machine, Haunted Hotel, Runaway CEO. Have a Story? You Can Submit It Two Ways. I Used To Work There is your show, your stories. Wild, funny, terrifying or unexplainable, if it happened at work and it’s true, we want to hear it. Pull out your phone, open the Voice Memos app, tell us what happened, and email your recording to [email protected]. Prefer to be interviewed? Complete our guest intake form. You can share your story openly or remain completely anonymous. Employee of the Month Night Shift Story Competition What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you at work? Presented by Edmonton’s Best Hotels, the Night Shift Story Competition is open for submissions through October 31, 2026. Submit and record your true scary workplace story by October 31 for your chance to win a $1,000 USD cash prize. We’ll crown our Employee of the Month during the first episode of November. Ghosts, monsters, terrifying customers, dangerous situations or something you still cannot explain. Your story does not have to involve a ghost or happen at night. It just needs to be a frightening experience connected to work. Voice memo and interview submissions are both welcome, and you may share your story anonymously. Submit using the email address or guest intake form above. If you’re sitting on a scary workplace story, our next Employee of the Month could be you. Night Shift Story Competition Sponsor The Employee of the Month Night Shift Story Competition is proudly presented by Edmonton’s Best Hotels. Plan a fall getaway to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. From golden leaves in the river valley to live music, theatre, restaurants and Halloween attractions, there is plenty to build a weekend around. Discover things to do and book your stay through Edmonton’s Best Hotels. Support Foxx’s Fight If you have been looking for a way to support Foxx, Shelby, Kelly and their family, sharing their GoFundMe is a meaningful way to help. Every share helps their story reach someone new and means more than words can express. Support Foxx’s Fight and share their story. Title Sponsor I Used To Work There is proudly brought to you by Atlas Elite Lifts. Building car lifts so cool they would make Batman jealous, Atlas Elite Lifts delivers premium automotive lifting solutions for home garages, professional shops and serious automotive enthusiasts across North America. Whether you are restoring classics, wrenching on weekend projects, or running a professional service facility, Atlas Elite Lifts has a lift built for the job. Learn more at www.atlaselitelifts.com.