Ten Out Of Ten For Effort

I’m the customer in this story.

Worker: “Your total is $6.50.”

I hand over a $20 bill.

Worker: “Here is your change of $3.50.”

Me: “What? No, I gave you $20. My change should be $13.50.”

Worker: “Are you sure? I thought you gave me $10.”

Me: “I’m absolutely sure. All I have in my wallet is a $10 and a $20.”

Worker: “Okay. Here is your extra $10.”

Me: “Thank you.”

As I pull away, I open my wallet to put my change away. I realize I have made a terrible mistake. I really did give the worker only $10! I feel so horrible that I pull around and go inside the fast food place.

Me: “Excuse me, I’m really sorry, but I told the drive-thru guy that he owed me $10 when he really didn’t.”

[Worker #2] stares blankly at me.

Me: “I don’t want his register to be short.”

[Worker #2] continues to stare blankly at me.

Me: “Can you give him this $10 back to make sure his register is correct at the end of the night?”

I hand over the $10 bill. [Worker #2] looks blankly at it.

Worker #2: “Which register was it?”

Me: “The drive-thru one…”

I felt terrible about unintentionally scamming the poor drive-thru guy out of $10. I hope they got it figured out. I think [Worker #2] was speechless because she couldn’t actually believe I’d return the money.