A Cents-less Complaint, Part 2

Two visitors, a married couple on vacation from Europe, are browsing in the shop where I work. The wife finds two small items she likes and asks her husband to pay for them.

This is all totally normal until I ring them up. I give the husband his change and he is suddenly angry.

Husband: “Why are you giving me all these coins? Shouldn’t it cost [slightly lower total]?”

Me: “We add sales tax to purchases.”

I know this is sometimes a surprise to international visitors and I actually agree. Why don’t we just list the sales tax as part of the total on the price sticker? It’s nothing I have control over, though.

Husband: “I shouldn’t have to pay American taxes because I’m not American!”

Me: “But we are an American business, so we do have to charge sales tax.”

Husband: “I want a refund for the sales tax!”

Me: “I’m afraid I cannot offer that.”

Then, he gets mad at me about the handful of coins he now has to carry around.

Husband: *Barking* “What am I supposed to do with these?!”

Me: “They come in handy when you pay other stores’ sales tax.”

That’s when he decided he wasn’t getting anywhere and joined his wife outside.

He bought two small items at 75 cents each. He was arguing with me over a sales tax of nine cents.

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A Cents-less Complaint