That will be $4.22 from $20.
So… 3 pennies to 4.25 then 50, 75 and another quarter to get us to 5.00. A blue fiver to $10 and a purple $10 bill for $20. Thank you for your business.
That’s old school change giving. Counted out one coin and bill at a time.
Now no pennies in Canada. So we round DOWN, or up to the nearest five. Anyway, the computerized register tells us exactly what to give back to the customer who is probably juggling a phone and not paying attention as they accept the mess of money handed them. All in one clammy fist-full by the clerk.
A bunch of silver coloured change and some coloured paper – as we are in Canada for this transaction. And we are in a Persian owned nut shop – being served by a young black immigrant employee who is an actor who works here and also as a host at a restaurant. And as an acting instructor part time, even.
Clerks everywhere usually hand over your cash into your hand, which you must make at least one available, despite already holding your stuff. In Vancouver might include a beverage in a to go cup from another establishment, and still needing to be prepared to catch the sliding stack of coins and paper and separate into different wallet or pocket compartments.
Your paper receipt is centred over this bunch like a sandwich topper. It has endocrine disruptors on it that will mess with the clerk and the customers ova or sperm production quality. It is slippery and of a size and density that does not match the thicker, worn paper or polymer money, so not easy to stuff away for later sorting.
You don’t know how much you got back.
You apologized for not using an easier option – like credit cards – and that you had to use that minimum $20 denomination that came out of the ATM on the corner.
Canadians apologize a lot.
Why, I don’t know because in this instance I bought 2x as much of the over salted (for my taste and health) but addictive dehydrated snack to make up for the potential inconvenience of the ‘big bill’ I was going to hand over. I got the bulk food to satisfy the crunch craving I know I will have as I work to build the brilliance I have committed to produce for a client, on deadline, this afternoon.
It’s like the good ol’ days in uni when the vending machines stood by to cater to our late night and long cramming sessions in the study carrels for papers or exams.
My work, you see is only the start. There are committees, graphic designers, clients who must cost out programs or deliver workshops with my words centred on their PowerPoint deck.
They are waiting on me. Me might need some reinforcement!
For my work I’ll get a mess o’ money.
I’ll need to collect it. Sort to cover expenses. Put some in the tax compartment. Some in the snack pocket for spending on snacks to fuel more production.
It’s nuts.
Dried nuts.
Addictively, nutty.
