Sweet Gummi Mary! The Pony is going to be the death of my fine upstanding reputation! At least in the convenience stores.
Monday, I went in Orb K to cash in one of The Pony's winning tickets. He'd asked me to buy him some on the way to Pony House last Thursday. He scratched them in the car, and declared a $20 ticket to be a $40 winner. I looked at the prize. It said $40. I'm pretty sure I scanned it, too. But I might have only scanned The Pony's losers to make sure something wasn't missed.
Anyhoo... I had in my head what tickets I was going to buy when I went into Orb K. I was getting another new $20 ticket for The Pony, and some smaller ones for myself, while setting aside some of my money for his $20 left in winnings.
I was the only customer at the counter.
"I'm cashing this in, and spending it back on tickets."
"This is a $20 winner."
"WHAT? That's a $40 winner!"
"I'm sorry. We can only pay back what the machine tells us when we scan it."
I understand how the Missouri Lottery system works. I never have any trouble. I tell the clerk what my ticket is worth, they scan it, and repeat it back to me. This time, I didn't say what the winner was worth. She's not one of the regular clerks I do business with. So it was more formal. I wasn't helping her out to anticipate what if any change she might give back. I don't have a rapport with her. So I didn't want to act like a pompous know-it-all.
"I understand that. Can I have that ticket back to look at it?"
She handed it over the counter, and I glanced at the prize.
"That is $40. Not $20."
"I'm sorry. We can only pay what the terminal tells us when we scan it."
"Okay. Maybe my son scratched off the wrong number. Oh. Here. You'll need this back."
I barely had time to glance at the numbers, because a line was forming behind me. I'm not sure if The Pony scratched off the right winner. Only one prize was scratched. Under number 21 or 23 or 28. I didn't have my glasses on. But with my quick perusal, I thought that maybe the prize he'd scratched off was not under an actual winning number.
Surely that young clerk was not crafty enough to have saved a $20 winner printout, anticipating tricking a $40 winner out of half their money. They have to scan those printouts to ring up purchases or give back money out of the register. So I accept that it was probably The Pony's error, and mine for not scanning that ticket before taking it inside.
"I'm sorry. I guess my son scratched off the wrong prize. I didn't mean to question you. I always scan my own tickets, and know what they've won. Again. Sorry. I didn't mean to criticize you."
"Oh. That's okay."
What else could she say? I will be embarrassed if she's the one who waits on me the next time I go in Orb K. As for The Pony... no more trusting his proclamations of winners. He's been wrong before, in the other direction. Like having a $25 winner instead of the $20 he told me and wrote on the back of the ticket.
That scenario is not nearly as embarrassing...
5 comments:
Do you seriously think that cashier will remember you the next time you come in? Seriously. A lot of those employees are not the brightest bulbs...
Sioux,
Oh, yes! She will remember ME if she remembers no other customer in her lifetime, because I raised a stink and questioned her job performance. Just like a teacher will remember a complaining parent...
I usually chastise The Pony for his careless scratcher-scratching skills, saying he makes me look like an amateur when a ticket is worth more than he's told me. He's really going to get it over this one!
I hope The Pony isn't too disappointed with his mistake. I'd be a bit embarrassed at the store too.
You are right, she will remember you. She will also remember you apologized, so there is that.
River,
The Pony will at first deny, then say he COULD have made a mistake. He won't be upset about the money difference. I plan to split the difference, and get him a couple $5 tickets to go along with the rest. I used to buy him a ticket every day when he was living here, so I'm still getting off cheap!
I like knowing what I'm buying when I walk in, and have the correct money ready. I don't like looking like a scratcher amateur, as in the times when The Pony forgot to scratch off the bar code, thus necessitating that the clerk pick up a pen from the counter that has a plastic spoon taped to it, to do the scratching.
***
Kathy,
Oh, she'll remember me all right! Hopefully I can make it a neutral experience at least, since I DID apologize. Twice.
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