Pennies for a Movie 18 September 2006
So this last weekend my roommates invited me to go to a movie with them. It was going to cost $5, and I didn’t want to use my debit card, if I could help it. I searched through the purse but only found $4 in bills. $4. So close! Where could I get another $1? Raid the small change box—I could trade a 100 pennies for a movie, what else would I use them on?
My roommates thought the whole idea was hilarious, but they didn’t want to wait for the guy to count all the coins—they bought their tickets and went to wait inside the lobby.
The Movie Guy starts counting out the pennies (he was required to), and I mentally count with him. Halfway through I notice that he’s getting through the pennies pretty quickly, and then, mortified, I realize that I left the other half of the dollar at home on my desk—it wasn’t 100 pennies on the counter, it was only 50.
Me: “Oh no! I left the other half at home, it’s only 50!”
The Movie Guy: “Um, really it’s only 49.”
Me: “oh. Well here’s my card instead.” (Handing over my debit card.)
The Movie Guy: (handing back my $4) “Do you want your pennies back?”
Me: “Um, no thanks, you can keep them” (because I’m completely embarrassed)
The Movie Guy: “Hey that’s like an office box tip! Cool.”
Me: “Yeah, like, keep the change.” (grabbing my ticket and debit card)
I walk over to my roommates fighting to control the rising red to my face thinking of the mess I just made and the whopping $0.49 “tip” I just gave The Movie Guy. And, wouldn’t you know, this is what my roommates had to say:
Roommates: “So did he count all the pennies?”
Me: “yep.”
Roommates: (laughing to themselves) “Good thing you had enough. Just think if you were short—that would be embarrassing!”
Yes. Yes it would be.