Ch-Ch-Change

Change is difficult. I have read that loosing weight, quitting smoking, starting an exercise program, events in your life that involve change can be very, very difficult. How many times have you lost five or ten pounds and then lost focus – change is hard.

Well, I contend that making change can be as difficult as changing. My making change, I am talking about those in the "service industry" that make change when getting snacks at the convenience store, at the fast food restaurant, and so forth. I, my dear readers, am their worse nightmare.

Clerk: That will be two dollars and eighty-four cents.

Leesa: Here you go. [Leesa hands the clerk three one dollar bills, one nickel and four pennies ($3.14).]

Clerk: Ma'am¹, you gave me too much money.

Leesa: That was intentional. I wanted the change.

Clerk: [handing me back my nine cents] Here you go. I only need the three bucks.

Leesa: [handing the clerk back my nine cents] No, please take this change. Then you will give me a quarter in change.

This goes on for a few minutes, and eventually I take back my nine cents because the clerk just does not get it. He has already punched the three dollars in the cash machine, and he just cannot make change in his head. And then I get back my fourteen cents, and I point out that the two dimes and five cents are equivalent to the quarter.

The clerk just does not know how to make change, and really, if I am a clerk, I would think one of the skills I would have would be the ability to make change. Otherwise, how likely would you be able to enjoy your job?

This happens so often.

This morning I gave the clerk $21 (a twenty and a one spot) because the bill came to almost six dollars. I just did not want all of those ones as change, and I figured, the clerk would not want to give out all of the ones for the transaction. When I gave the clerk $21, she immediately gave me back $1 because she did not need it. I could not convince her to take it before making change. Really gets to me.

So making change seems to be nearly as hard as changing one's habits. At least for the clerks I have met. And, "no bag please" means no freakin' bag. Can I get want I want, please?

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¹I absolute hate being called Ma'am. I would much rather have been called hot chick with a soda and a Twix bar, but you know, I am seldom called hot chick anymore. When I was younger, "hot chick" would have offended me, and you know, it was probably more accurate than now. Part of my vision of myself dies when I am called Ma'am. I think it is code for "nice looking woman that I don't want to fuck." This would be a great blog topic ladies. I think I will post on this in the future, not the being unfuckable part, but the being categorized in the category of a ma'am. This footnote is entirely too long. Get back to reading the blog entry.