Monday, October 28, 2013

Four Quarters Or a One Dollar Bill

I had to pause and take time to try and think something through yesterday.  I had gone to the local Staples store, to make a copy of a three-page document.  I had two $5s, a $10, and a $20 bill in my pocket, plus a bunch of change.  I had decided I'd use the self-service station, so I read all the instructions, and sighed. Very few places now have a coin-operated copy machine - I had to purchase a "print card" from a machine that accepted only bills - no change.  I always lose the "print card" after using it, and since it would cost me 30 cents, I only wanted to get a $1 card.  I double-checked my bills; not one single.  So I pulled four quarters out of my pocket, and approached the register.  The young man behind the counter said that he didn't think it "was allowed" to make change for a customer.  I told him I didn't want to make change, I wanted to make a bill, so I could use one of his machines.  He gave this huge sigh, and said, if I insisted, he'd call the manager.  I insisted.  A very nice young lady appeared and said she was the "Team Manager" and could she help me.  I told her my problem, she gave the young man a funny look, and opened a register, handing me a one dollar bill for my four quarters.  I then went, purchased my "print card" and made the copies I needed.  No big deal.
  The reason I paused was: if one can only purchase a "print card" with a bill, and one has lots of change, but no bills, how is one supposed to get the bill(s), if the cashier cannot give them to you?  Wouldn't that drive customers away?  You've gone there for a specific service, and because you have change, but not a bill, you can't go through with the transaction?  Isn't money money?  Or isn't coin money?   - I really can understand a business not wanting to make change for a non-paying customer - there are way too many incidents of "change artists" who come in with a $100 bill, and keep asking for this or that, and they finally completely confuse the cashier, and have walked away with the $100 plus another $100 in "change."  But to refuse to change four quarters into a one dollar bill, so one can use the customer facilities?  That's a bit overboard....

   The Broncos had a wild-seeming game yesterday afternoon - they were held to 7 points in the first half, and, a few seconds into the second half, the score was the Washington Redskins 21, the Broncos 7.  Then the Denver offense began to work smoothly, and, with the defense's help, the Redskins scored no more. The final score belied the real story of the game - Denver 45 and Washington 21.

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