Why Would You Assume You Were Getting Free Money?!

I work part-time at a thrift store, and we have volunteers who come in and work for a few hours. One of the volunteers comes up to the counter where I’m working to purchase something that is $10. I ring it up and give her the total, which is $10.74. She gives me a twenty.

When I go to get her change, I notice there are no fives.

Me: “I’m all out of fives, so I’m going to give you a twenty, and if you could, run next door and get four fives?”

There’s a bar right next to the thrift store, so I want her to go and ask for a change from $20 and have her bring the four fives back so I can give her the correct amount of change. The reason I don’t do it myself is that I am the only person there who knows how to work the till, and my boss doesn’t like it when I leave the till unattended.

Volunteer: “Wait, what did you just give me?”

Me: “I gave you a twenty because I’m out of fives, so if you could, go next door and get four fives.”

Instead, she stuck the twenties in her wallet and left. I never got my four fives, so the till was off by $20 when I counted it. My simple instructions went in one ear and straight out the other.