Should Have “Checked” Before Using

(It is back before many lower-end stores started putting in credit card machines. Debit cards are sometimes referred to as “check cards.”)

Me: “That’ll be $10.60.”

(The customer hands me a debit card.)

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry. We only take cash or check.”

Customer: “Yes. It’s a check card.”

Me: “I’m sorry; I’m afraid we don’t take debit cards.”

Customer: “You said you take checks.”

Me: “Yes, we do, but we don’t take debit cards.”

Customer: “This is a check card.”

Me: “Yes, but I’m afraid we have no way of processing cards.”

Customer: “It works the same as a check.”

Me: “The bank may process it like a check, but we have no way to process it at all.”

Customer: “The bank says it works like a check. It is a check card and you take checks!”

Me: “I’m sorry, but we don’t take cards of any kind. We only take cash and paper checks.”

Customer: “YOU SAID YOU TAKE CHECKS. THIS IS A CHECK CARD. YOU WILL TAKE MY CARD.”

Me: “A card requires some type of machine for us to swipe the card in. We have no way of doing that. I’m sorry, but you need to pay with either cash or a paper check.”

Customer: *stomps away while screaming* “IT’S A CHECK CARD! IT WORKS THE SAME AS A CHECK! THE BANK SAID SO!”