His Obnoxiousness Goes Up To Eleven

The summer before my first year of college and between fall and spring semesters, I work at a movie theater to help pay for school. I’m a computer engineering major, one of three women in the whole school for that major. I also look much younger than my age.

A customer orders his popcorn and soda.

Me: “That’s $10.47.”

The man hands me eleven one-dollar bills. Because it’s policy, I count them out where he can see.

Customer: “Look, honey, the minimum-wage girl can count to eleven. Aren’t you proud?”

I give him his total before pressing “calculate” on the register.

Me: “Your change is fifty-three cents. Enjoy your movie.”

The money from that day likely went towards my Calculus 3 textbook. The next summer, I got an internship at a software development company and thankfully left the movies behind.