I have a policy that I don’t lose my patience with people that serve me. Whether at the grocery store, a fast food joint, or even my dear La Fiesta, I understand that most jobs in the world suck. This afternoon, however, my patience was tested.
I phoned in a “to go” order to the Chili’s on Howe Avenue (’bout Arden, in the news by the way) this afternoon on my home from work. I arrived a bit early so I stood and people watched for the better part of 10 minutes. A nice, young girl came up to me and asked if I was waiting for my order. I nodded my head and she informed me it would be about 5 more minutes. No big. So then proceeded to ring up my order. “$21.83, please” she said.
Always the one to use loose change as often as possible, I found 3 pennies in my pocket and handed her $22.03. Apparently, the cash register only dispenses cash and nothing more as she grabbed a hand held calculator to determine my change. I let this go thinking it was company policy…hoping, I should say. She punched a few numbers on the tiny machine. She punched a few more. She then stared at the machine in disbelief and shook her head. Sheepishly, she opened the drawer and handed me two pennies. Ugh.
I calmly set the two pennies back down. “Uh, I think you have this wrong, I gave you $22.03 and the bill is $21.83…” “Yeah, and I gave you 2 pennies back,” she half heartedly replied. Quickly she picked the calculator back up and pressed the numbers on it as if she were trying to find the square root of bazillion. I let her go, not trying to be rude or presumptuous. Finally after 30 seconds with no luck she opens the cash drawer and hands me $0.20. Her partying shot?
“It’s ok, I trust you.”
The Sac Rag 
Ahh I’m a college grad and I can’t do math in my head to save my life. Especially if a customer were staring at me.
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I actually still have my Mathlete baseball cap from 6th grade when I was the first alternate on the math olympics team.
That is all.
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Sorry to 1-up you, but my Math Olympics silver medal is still hanging in a place of glory right next to my “Moot Court” outstanding performance plaque. That place of glory is a box in my closet.
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I still wear my AcaDeca T-Shirt.
If you are cool like me you won’t have to ask what AcaDeca is.
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You’ve always been desperate for validation, haven’t you?
I guess I understand a little better now.
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you are all dorks!
signed,
CoolDMZ
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This coming from a man that wore a giant oven mitt as a costume for a Shakespeare play in high school? Maybe it’s time to look into the mirror DMZ!
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In an attempt to out-dork you (not saying that AcaDeca is dorky, mind you): I still have an album that has all my “Super Bee-Havior” certificates that I received every week in 2nd grade. These are in the same album as my certificate for memorizing sets of multiplication tables. The album is in a box with my Placer County Spelling Bee champ certificates and Auburn Journal “Carrier of the Year” and “Carrier of the Month” plaques.
(OK, time to go home and fire up the DVR to catch up on this past week’s episodes of Jeopardy!)
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The only validation I need is on my parking ticket for the downtown garage.
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“No one is really going to be free until nerd persecution ends!” Thus spake Gilbert Lowell, as played by Anthony Edwards in 1984’s “Revenge of the Nerds.”
(Now clap your hands everybody, everybody clap your hands! We’re Lambda Lambda Lambda AND Omega Mu!)
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Please keep the exit exam and give every high school graduate their first calculator as a gift for passing the test.
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I agree mormor. No calculators until they pass. Today at the LaBou on Howe I witnessed another painful reminder of how far our students are failing. The total $6.66 – the amount given $10.01 and the change = $3.33 with a smile. Not even a clue. I sighed and will save my “counting up” with money for my own students.
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