Advanced Math & The Peter Principle

Cashier: "That'll be three-oh-five."

Me: *pay with five dollar bill*

Cashier: *punch, punch, punch on register*

Me: "Oh, wait, I've got a nickel." *hand her nickel*

Cashier: *confused look*

Me: "It was three-oh-five, so I gave you five-oh-five."

Cashier: *looks at me with suspicion – looks at register, with $1.95 showing*

Me: "Without the nickel, you owe me $1.95, so with the extra nickel, it's two bucks even."

Cashier: *confused look – calls manager*

Manager: "What's up."

Cashier: "He gave me a nickel."

Me: "I gave her a five, then remembered I had a nickel."

Manager: *confused look*

Me: "I gave here a five for the three-oh-five, then remembered I had a nickel and gave her the nickel to go with the five dollar bill."

Manager: *looks at me with suspicion – looks at register, with $1.95 showing*

Me: "With the extra nickel, it means you owe me two bucks."

Manager & Cashier: *look at me suspiciously*

Manager: "Let me cancel the transaction and start over."

Me: *Look at manager impressively, wondering where she learned three-syllable word*

Manager: *Hands me back the five and the nickel, punch, punch, punch, punch, punch, punch on register, inserts and turns a key, punch, punch, punch some more, removes key, punch, punch, punch even more* "That'll be three-oh-five."

Me: *Hand her five-oh-five*

Manager: *punch, punch, punch on register* "And two dollars change."

Me: "Thank you."

Manager and Cashier: *look at me in triumph that I didn't get one over on them*