Episode 11

He Lied About Why He Needed the Shift Off

Published on: 5th March, 2026

He thought he was helping for something important...

Aaron agreed to cover a coworker’s shift.

He was told it was important.

The swap went through without issue.

Later, photos appeared online — drinks, a day out, and captions about finally having time off.

There had been no interview.

No emergency.

New stories released daily.

Explore all shows: https://www.simplestoriesproject.com

Support and get exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/cw/SimpleStoriesproject

Transcript
Speaker A:

This one started with a shift swap.

Speaker A:

Aaron was asked by a coworker to cover a day at work.

Speaker A:

Just one shift.

Speaker A:

They said they had something important on.

Speaker A:

Aaron agreed.

Speaker A:

The swap went through without issue.

Speaker A:

On the day itself, another coworker mentioned it casually.

Speaker A:

They asked how the interview went.

Speaker A:

That's when Aaron realized there was no interview.

Speaker A:

Later, photos appeared online.

Speaker A:

Drinks a day out, A caption about finally having time off.

Speaker A:

When Aaron asked about it, the coworker didn't deny it.

Speaker A:

They said plans had changed, said it wasn't a big deal.

Speaker A:

Said they'd have done the same.

Speaker A:

They hadn't said anything beforehand.

Speaker A:

They hadn't mentioned it after.

Speaker A:

The following week, the same coworker asked for another swap.

Speaker A:

Aaron said no.

Speaker A:

The reaction was immediate.

Speaker A:

Short replies, cold looks at work, comments about people not being team players.

Speaker A:

That night, Aaron posted the story online.

Speaker A:

People focused on one thing, not the day off.

Speaker A:

The fact the favor was agreed under false pretenses.

Speaker A:

The final update was short.

Speaker A:

Aaron stopped swapping shifts altogether.

Speaker A:

The coworker stopped asking, and work stayed awkward after that.

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About the Podcast

stories of reddit.
Bite-sized stories of trust, betrayal and everyday decisions.
Stories of Reddit is a short-form storytelling podcast drawn from real, anonymous posts shared online. Each episode adapts a single story; personal moments, relationship tensions, moral dilemmas, or quiet confessions; told plainly and without commentary.

These are not reactions, debates, or judgement pieces.

They are first-person accounts of ordinary people trying to make sense of what happened to them.

The focus is not on spectacle, but on experience. On how people explain their lives when no one knows who they are.

Episodes are brief and self-contained. One story. One perspective. Left for the listener to consider.

New stories released daily.

Explore all shows: https://www.simplestoriesproject.com
Support and get exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/cw/SimpleStoriesproject