generous bonus

So today I needed to make chocolate chip cookies for a potluck for my class tomorrow, but I only had $4. I wasn't sure if it would be enough, so I stopped by the bank to cash my paycheck. I was super excited because it was $114.97, which is the highest it's ever been. (Now this may seem piddly to you, but I only work 6-8 hours a week because I'm at school 4-9 hours a day.)

So, I get to the bank and the teller asked "How would you like it?"

"Twenties is fine."

Apparently that seemed like an odd request because the girl looked at me like I was crazy for a minute and then said, "Ok..." and started going through all of the check-cashing steps.

After a while she said "Oh wait! Is this supposed to be $114?"

"Yeah...why?"

She showed me the check, and in little box where you put the numbers, it said "$114. 97," but in the place where you spell the numbers out, it said "fourteen hundred and 97/100!"

I was so shocked! They had to get one of the bank managers to come over and talk to me (luckily he goes to my church and knows I'm not a crook). It just so happens that bankers are only supposed to look at the spelled out numbers, not the ones in the little box. (Now I know why the teller thought I was crazy for wanting $1400.97 in twenties!)

So I had to go back to work and thank my boss for the generous Christmas bonus, but say that I had to decline. ;) She felt really dumb and gave me $20 so I could go shopping for my cookie ingredients until she could make out another check for me.

Very very exciting!