The Magic of $2 Bills

This weekend I had to drive to Chicago again, this time for my cousin’s baby shower. When I got a bunch of $2 bills at the credit union and told the teller that they were for the Illinois tollway, he said, “You are my hero!” I figure they deserve the aggravation since they treat us non-I-Pass-owning types like second-class citizens. Most of the toll workers were middle-aged women, about half of them white and half black, and they were completely unfazed by the $2 bills. They gave me correct change without blinking an eye. But one old white guy made it all worth my time. Here’s how it went down:

The toll was for $1.60. I handed him my $2 bill and waited for change. And waited. And waited. Finally we had the following dialogue:

Toll Guy: This toll is $1.60.
Famous Hat: Right. I’m waiting for my change.
TG: Oh! This is a $2 bill! I haven’t seen one of those in awhile! Now I have to figure out how to get rid of it. I don’t have a place for it here. (He hands me $1.40 in change, and I start to say that’s not right.) Wait, that’s not right. (He takes it ALL back.)
FH: I should still get 40 cents back.
TG: What? Right! Here – 40 cents.

I will always remember this encounter fondly, since it was even better than what I had been expecting, which was simply a double-take: “Whoa! Is that a $2 bill?” Funny how none of the other toll workers were one bit fazed by a $2 bill, and yet it magically made this gentleman unable to do math. There are two possible conclusions to be reached, which are not mutually exclusive so they might well both be true:

1. This dude really needs to retire.
2. Women are just smarter than men.

Feel free to discuss this in the Comments section.

Famous Hat