Change

Change is an interesting word. The list of definitions is long and tedious. It can be the process of "change", you can "change" clothes, you "change" your mind, and as even as an idea it helped get our current president elected. And then there is one of my favorite subjects, "change". I am eternally fascinated by the ways in which the modern employee produces or fails to produce change. You can tell so much about about a person by the way in which they keep a register. Organization, awareness, and most importantly, basic arithmetic. I've had minimum wage give me back everything from 12$ over to 98$ under. I've also had bank teller's be off by way too many zeroes. And I've even had a young girl mess up 4 times even after being alerted each time by me, while I withheld the correct amount for amusement. This brings me to my daily observation.

I always go to the gas station by my workplace, even if I have to delay whatever self gratification I desire at the moment, because the teller is so awesome. He is a middle eastern immigrant. I am a quarter Syrian and a gambler and I wouldn't bet lunch I could guess which country he's from. I love immigrant business owner's, they are almost always the most dedicated to their customers. I've been to this gas station at all hours of the day and night and I've never met another teller. This guy always has my flavor of chew on the counter and rung up before I get through the door. I consciously patronize his establishment because he does this, but even if he didn't the way he treats change gets me every time. I moved here six months ago, so I don't know how long he has been at this, I should ask him, but he refuses to transact in pennies. If it ain't silver he ain't buying. I've had other tellers disregard pennies before, but this guys does it both directions no matter the rounding. He behaves as if pennies don't exist, no matter the register, and he does it without explaining himself to the customer. As if everyone in the society is on this program because in his mind they should be. I love it.