Mismanaged Expectations, Part 7

(I’m an associate at a retail store and often work with the same manager. She’s very sweet but not all that bright. We’d just closed the store and she is counting the money in the register.)

Manager: “[My name], can you come verify the deposit, please?”

(I come over and count it all.)

Me: “I have $286.83, but you’ve written $226.83 on the deposit slip.”

Manager: “I counted wrong? I used the calculator.”

Me: “Yeah. It looks like you missed three of the twenties?”

(Note: There are six twenties in tonight’s deposit.)

Manager: “No, I counted six. There’s six, right?”

Me: “Yep, six. So that’s $120, and then the 50—”

Manager: “Wait, what?”

Me: “Six twenties. That’s $120 dollars. Right? Six times two times ten…”

Manager: “That’s not $60?”

Me: “No. Six tens would be $60. But these are twenties… so, $120.”

Manager: “Oh! …Oh.”

(She looks pensive for a moment and then smiles brightly.)

Manager: *cheerfully* “I’m so glad you’re good at math!”