Odd week for money. Today, what with it being the first of the month, I was running around from place to place. Because that's what I do on or around the first of the month. It's what I've been doing for 12 years or so on or around the first of the month. I must like it. Anyway, in between job sites my stomach asked me to put something in it. Of course I obliged because the request was made so politely. Yeah, like I would not have responded if it had asked rudely.
I pulled into a McDonalds drive-through. One guess as to why I was craving such healthy fare. I ordered my food and drove up to the first window as instructed. My total was $4.19, so I handed the young man at the window a $5 bill and two dimes. He thanked me and turned to his register. Then he reached out and handed me two quarters, two dimes, and three pennies as my change. Needless to say, I was confused. I thought perhaps I had misunderstood the cost, so I asked him to confirm.
He said, in a lovely lilting Jamaican accent, "$4.19."
Just as I had thought.
So as I handed him back the change he had given me, I said "I gave you a $5 bill and two dimes. My change should be a $1 bill and one penny."
This caused great consternation and mild distress. He stared at his register for a bit, pushed some coins around and then looked at me again and asked "One dollar and one penny?" I nodded and smiled encouragingly. He then held up a $1 bill and one penny and asked "Is this right?" I nodded and took the change, thanking him and I pulled forward to the next window.
This baffles me. Why would someone be working a cash register if they have no real understanding of counting and giving change? How the hell do they ever get the drawer to balance at the end of the day? What is up with that?
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