Twenty-something cashier in Las Vegas hotel gift shop, ringing up my purchase of a Chapstick: That will be $3.28.
TD (reaching into wallet and handing her a $50 bill): Here you go.
Cashier (punching "$50" into cash register): OK, your change will be $46.72.
TD (realizing I have a smaller bill, taking the $50 from the counter and replacing it with a $10 bill): Wait a sec, here's a ten.
Cashier: I can't do that.
TD: Why?
Cashier (pointing to LCD display on cash register): Because it says here I have to give you $46.72 back.
TD: Well, this is easier. Take the $10 and give me $6.72.
Cashier: I can't. The numbers wouldn't add up at the end of my shift.
TD: Yes they would.
Cashier: No they wouldn't, I'd get in trouble.
TD: At the end of the day you'd have the same amount of money in the register.
Cashier (hesitantly): I don't think so.
TD (replacing the $10 bill with the original $50): OK, here's the fifty back.
Cashier: I'm out of large bills. I'm going to have to give you dollars.
TD: I don't have room for forty-six ones in my wallet. Why not take my ten? You'd only have to give me three bills back that way.
Cashier: I just explained. I'd get in trouble.
TD: Fine.
Cashier (slowly counting out bills): One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty, forty-one, forty-two, forty-three, forty-four, forty-five, forty-six, forty-six twenty-five, forty-six fifty, forty-six sixty, forty-six seventy and two pennies...forty-six seventy-two.
TD: How long have you been doing this?
Cashier: Ever since I graduated college last year.
TD: Where did you go?
Cashier: UNLV. University of Nevada Las Vegas.
TD: What did you major in?
Cashier: Business.
TD: I see.
Cashier: Have a nice day.
TD: You, too.
But she looks great. I am math challenged, too, but when I look at her photo I can count to two
ReplyDeleteThat's a stock photo. The real one was much better looking. I'm math challenged too unless there is a dollar sign in front of the number or I've hit a straight or split in roulette, in which case I'm a regular Einstein.
DeleteRemember conversations years ago with utility (i.e. AT&T) customer service reps? The circular logic that was read from a manual and always brought you back to "I'm sorry, we can't do that."? No thinking involved...that's the key to successful service.
ReplyDeleteNow, those reps are college grads. We are thinking of forgoing college and sending our kids to plumbing school--i think you could start a nice plumbing business with $250,000 don't you?
Good thinking. And your kid(s) will make a lot more money. (Or, as today's college grads spell it, "alot" more money.)
DeleteWow, Tom, If I had a nickel for every time that's happened to me, I'd have, like, $2.81 or something!
ReplyDelete$2.81 is probably the balance of your bank account after that phenomenal party you threw in Vegas. We had a wonderful time! (This is not our official "thank you.")
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