taking things too literally

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I've had some jobs not work out because I don't get what my supervisor is asking me to do, unless he or she comes right out and says it directly (not hinted, implied, etc.). Its frustrating when I work very hard and try to please my supervisor, and then he/she tells me that is not what I was told to do, or how to do it. They accuse me of not listening, but I am listening. I end up feeling like no matter what I do, I can't do anything right.

I agree. I also try to use exact wording to convey my meaning and prevent any confusion.

I was thinking about this same subject earlier. My grandmother has been expecting a package that would have been on the front porch. I just came home and she asked me, "Did you happen to see if that package from so-and-so was on the front porch?" To which I responded, in my usual sarcastic way, "Yeah, but I figured it wasn't important so I threw it away." (To which she always laughs and realizes her error.) What really happened (and does very often with her) is that she gets anxious/obsessive and expects things to happen that she really knows did not happen yet, and then she pesters me about it. If I had seen the package I would have retrieved it and brought it straight to her. What she really meant to say, I suspect, was, "Would you go see if that package is out there", which would be redundant, since I had just walked in the door. She does stuff like this all the time. I wish I could remember more examples.

I have lots of examples of this with my work too but can't recall them atm either. (The one example I do remember would be too difficult to explain.) I like to follow my work instructions verbatim but I know that will get me in trouble. I'm always expected to divine what they really want, versus what they actually say.

This reminds me of why commas (and perspectives) are important: (@1:40)
(I can't post links yet, so, search Youtube for FREAK GAS FIGHT ACCIDENT, if you want to see. From Zoolander, when he reads the magazine cover that says, "A Model Idiot" but he reads it as, "A Model, Idiot." (The way he wants to.)

I don't think I have a problem of taking things too literally now, I can't remember whether I did when I was little or not. My thing is sarcasm and jokes. I had this convo a few weeks ago with a NT friend-

Him- Hey, did you know they found a croc out in the creek behind our houses? Size 10 foot.
Me- No way!?!? A crocodile?? We just went fishing out there a few days ago!

Note that he said
Size 10 foot from the get-go, but I didn't catch on to that. This went on for a good 5 minutes, with others looking at me like I was stupid before I realized that he was joking.

I'm always like that and my friends have figured it out.

I don't get it. Aren't there 10 foot crocodiles?

Sorry, forgot to add that to my post, and glad that I'm not the only one that didn't get it. He was joking around and talking about Crocs, the shoes.