This Design Holds No Quarter

(I have a coworker who is… not very observant.)

Coworker #1: “I don’t like the smaller eagle.”

Me: “Huh?”

(I look over and see her holding two quarters. One is an older-style quarter with a bald eagle on the back and the other is a California state quarter with an image of a man and a bird.)

Coworker #1: “This one has a smaller bird and it’s hard to see. This one has a bigger eagle. I like the bigger eagle. They must have changed the design. I don’t like the smaller eagle.”

Me: “Uh… that’s a state quarter. They’ve been around for a while.”

Coworker #1: “I like the bigger eagle. I don’t like the smaller eagle.”

(She walks over to another coworker who shares our office.)

Coworker #1: “They changed the eagle, see?”

Coworker #2: *focused on her computer* “Hmm?”

Coworker #1: “The eagle is bigger on this quarter and smaller on this one. They must have changed the design. I wonder what the date is.” *examines the older quarter* “1995. And…” *squints at the California quarter, then holds it out to me* “What does that say?”

Me: “2005.”

Coworker #1: “So, yeah, it’s a new design.”

Me: “That was thirteen years ago.”

Coworker #1: “Yeah, a new design!” *wanders out of the room*