"I'll take a small chocolate cone please."
The young face looked puzzled. "We only have medium and large, mamn."
I tip my head slightly and let my lips bow into a gentle smile asking, "Which is smaller?"
"The medium is small," she said as her brow furrows, not quite understanding the question.
"Then give me the small," I said, thinking how clever I was.
Without hesitation, she repeated, "We only have medium and large, mamn."
I paused. But, my desire for a chocolate cone overcame me and I... "blinked" first. "That's fine, make mine a medium."
Not realizing she had won, she turns to the register, punches a button and pleasantly says, "That's $1.87 mamn."
I search in my purse, wanting to lighten my load a bit, I find a nickle and seven pennies. I smile, give her the change, then add two one dollar bills.
With a most sincere look, she says, "That's too much mamn," handing me back my change but clutching tightly to the dollars.
She punches the keys on the register as I respond, "I just want a quarter back, please."
"Mamn, your change is .13 cents." She squints repulsively, thinking I am trying to cheat her.
I add her dime and three pennies to my already burdensome collection of change, then wrapping my tongue around the smooth chocolate, I think...whether it's pennies or pounds... there's always a cost.
