Gray Matters by Stuart Carlson and Jerry Resler for September 27, 2012

She doesn’t know how to make change.

So, tell her how much you expect to get back. Stay there until you agree on the amount. If necessary, slowly say, “I’ll need a five, four ones, a dime and a penny. Thank you.”

Had the same thing happen at a pizza place. Computer went down and they had to get a manager. Sadly, he had to use paper and pencil to figure it out.

I gave the drive-thru person $5.89 for a $4.89 order. She didn’t know how to handle it.

Happened to me at Target about 3 years ago. Sad, sad, sad.

Yep…..they can’t count out change…..

In my family, everyone changes, me included.

Hope and Change? Now one can only Hope he gets some Change!

I pay cash for everything. Some cashiers need a course in basic math.

When I do that I tell the cashier what my change will be before she keys it in. when I’m right she looks at me like I’m a freakin’ genius. (I used to work a cash register. It’s not that hard.)

When we lived in Maryland, the stores and fast foods had to go to cash registers into which the clerk would type the amount you gave HIM or her and it would tell them how much change to give back to you . . . however, the clerk could never count it out . . . backwards or forwards. Public education is at an all time low! And they allow these kids into community colleges!?!

An inability to do simple math is not new. Almost 30 years ago I worked for retailer who gave a simple math test as part of the interview process. The questions were along the lines of “if one item costs $1.50, two items cost $3.00 yet if a customer buys three items then the cost is $4.00 then how much did the customer save on the third item?” Another one that totally threw applicants: “If 1.00 equals 1 pound, and .50 equals a half pound then what does .25 equal?” I thought it was sad then, and nothing seems to have gotten better.

@reese828Question 1) .50 cents (wish these keyboards had the cent sign. miss my typewriter) Question 2) Quarter of a pound

I hate math in general, but at least I can add and subtract. I can’t do it fast, but I would think if the cash registers were down, the management would provide calculators so things would move along to provide decent customer service.

¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢ On my laptop it’s 155. I also have these: £ ¥ ½ ¼☺ ☼