Every Five Minutes

(I am working in the drive-thru. It is a very busy Friday night during dinner rush, and it also happens to be a payday. This is before the proliferation of debit cards, so we only accept cash, and four out of five customers are paying with twenty dollar bills from their fresh paychecks. My drawer is running low of small bills to make change with.)

Me: “Hey, when you get a chance I need fives; they keep paying with twenties and I am running low on bills for change.”

Manager: “Okay, give me a minute.”

(The drive-thru line is wrapped around the building, and there is a steady stream of customers at the counter as well, but she manages to deliver some fives to me relatively quickly. However…)

Me: “Only 4 fives?”

Manager: “You don’t need any more than that.”

(The next two cars in line both order a single value meal, costing around six dollars each, and each pays with a twenty. After taking both payments, I make a new request for fives.)

Manager: “But I just gave you some a minute ago!”

Me: “And I used them to make change for two cars, and now I’m out of them again.”

(She returned another minute later with another 4 five dollar bills, and the cycle repeated where I needed more fives after a handful of cars. After yet another request for fives came in that five-minute period, she got the hint and came back with a hundred dollars worth of fives, ensuring that I would have enough change in reserve for the remainder of the dinner rush.)