Server: “A $2 bill. This guy just gave it to me.”
Manager: “Ask for something else, THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A $2 BILL.”
Server: “Yeah, thought so.”
He comes back to me and says:
Server: “We don’t take these. Do you have anything else?”
Me: “Just this fifty. You don’t take $2 bills? Why?”
Server: “I don’t know.”
Me: “See here where it says legal tender?”
Server: “Yeah.”
Me: “So, shouldn’t you take it?”
Server: “Well, hang on a sec.”
He goes back to his manager who is watching me like I’m going to shoplift.
Server: “He says I have to take it.”
Manager: “Doesn’t he have anything else?”
Server: “Yeah, a fifty. I’ll get it and you can open the safe and get change.”
Manager: “I’M NOT OPENING THE SAFE WITH HIM IN HERE.” [My emphasis]
Server: “What should I do?”
Manager: “Tell him to come back later when he has REAL money.”
Server: “I can’t tell him that, you tell him.”
Manager: “Just tell him.”
Server: “No way, this is weird, I’m going in back.”
The manager approaches me and says:
Manager: “Sorry, we don’t take big bills this time of night.” [It was 7-p.m. and this particular Taco Bell in Sacramento is in a well lighted indoor mall with 100 other stores all open.]
Me: “Well, here’s a two.”
Manager: “We don’t take those either.”
Me: “Why the hell not?”
Manager: “I think you know why.”
Me: “No really, tell me, why?”
Manager: “Please leave before I call mall security.”
Me: “Excuse me?”
Manager: “Please leave before I call mall security.”
Me: “What the hell for?”
Manager: “Please, sir.”
Me: “Uh, go ahead, call them.”
Manager: “Would you please just leave?”
Me: “No.”
Manager: “Fine, have it your way then.”
Me: “No, that’s Burger King’s catch-phrase, isn’t it?”
At this point he BACKS away from me and calls mall security on the phone around the corner. I have two people STARING at me from the dining area, and I begin laughing out loud, just for effect. A few minutes later this 45 year old-ish guy comes in and says [at the other end of counter, in a whisper]:
Security: “Yeah, Mike, what’s up?”
Manager: “This guy is trying to give me some [pause] funny money.”
Security: “Really? What?”
Manager: “Get this, a two dollar bill.”
Security: “Why would a guy fake a $2 bill?” [Incredulous]
Manager: “I don’t know? He’s kinda weird. Says the only other thing he has is a fifty.”
Security: “So, the fifty’s fake?”
Manager: “NO, the $2 is.”
Security: “Why would he fake a $2 bill?”
Manager: “I don’t know. Can you talk to him, and get him out of here?”
Security: “Yeah…”
Security guard walks over to me and says:
Security: “Mike here tells me you have some fake bills you’re trying to use.”