She Is Total-ly Wrong

(I’m a grocery cashier who has just put through a transaction for $159. The customer gives me $200 cash and is trying to claim that the $159 is her change, not her total.)

Customer: “No, you owe me $159 dollars. I gave you two hundred, and what’s two hundred minus my total?”

Me: “Your total is $159, ma’am, and your change is $41 dollars.”

(This goes back and forth for a while with me increasingly trying to find ways to explain without offending her.)

Customer: *patronizing smile, condescending tone* “You’re confused, dear. Now, get out your little calculator, and I’ll show you.”

Me: “I might get confused but the computer doesn’t.” *points to the clearly defined “TOTAL,” “AMOUNT,” and “CHANGE” lines displayed on my screen*

Customer: *speechless, takes her proper change and leaves*

(How she thought I would let her pay $41 for her full cart of groceries, I’ve no idea. I still don’t know if it was a genuine scam attempt or if she somehow reversed the numbers in her head and refused to believe she could be wrong.)