Old Fashioned - or just different? (part 2)

So - Cash - the old adage that "Cash is King" is slowly sucumbing to modern technology. For years it seemed like Fast Food (and strip clubs) were the last bastion of Cash only. But no more. Every single fast food restaurant will take ATM/Credit now. Not only because every one else does - but this also allows the 'convenience' to the customer who might be short on cash.

Here's where the old fashioned question comes in - since I deal in cash - nothing ever turns out to be a round dollar amount. So there is loose change. I have a small change purse - where I keep maybe $2 worth of coins - so that when the total of my purchase is X.23 - I have the 23 cents to give the cashier.

Well - I was at the window at Chick-Fil-A on Monday - and the total of my breakfast - w/ a Diet Coke (no ice - it is cold enough coming out of the fountain w/o it - and since they use foam insulated cups - it stays cold long enough for me to finish it on the drive to the office) is $5.15. So I have my cash ready - and usually some coin to try to speed the process along. It was the beginning of the week - so I didn't have small bills - just a $20 - but I did have 20 cents. So I figured I would give her the twenty and the 20 cents, and I would get back 3 fives and a nickel (have you seen the new nickel yet?) - to give me some small bills for the rest of the week.

Now - this is where I swear Math (being able to add or subtract in your head) is a lost art.

She starts counting out change - and I see two fives come out - then she starts counting out ones - four of them. And then she starts puling coins. Finally hands me the change - and says "$14.95" - and I look her like she is smoking something - because she had entered the number on the register - and was just counting out what it had told her. Unfortunately - this seemed to be her first day - actually handling the whole transaction - and I think the fact that I questioned what she was doing - nearly put her over the edge. All I wanted was the correct change - the measly little dime more. I got it - but it got me thinking - has Math finally become a lost art?

Look at society now - cell phones - you don't have a number to call - you have a name (or even a face) to select and push dial. How many of these people would be lost without having to just push a button?

TTYL - when we discuss what a hypocrite I am about that last statement.