my ten cents worth

A long time ago, I wrote a post about the misery 25 cents can bring, but I recently found out that 10 cents can cause a lot of headaches, too.

Shortly before the holidays, my son brought home a note that said the school cafeteria would be hosting a special Thanksgiving lunch. Parents were encouraged to come and eat with their child. My son seemed very excited about it so I planned to be there. When the day came for the special event, I met him at the cafeteria, where it was a mad house of excited children and tense looking parents. We proceeded to the lunchroom where I offered up my $20 but was told they did not accept cash that day. Instead, they would write my name down and I would have to come back the next day to pay.

So I showed up bright and early the next morning. I had broken my $20 since then and brought $8 to pay with. I had no idea how much school lunches cost since my son usually takes a sack lunch. Based on the taste and texture they should have paid us to eat it, but oh well. I tracked down a lunch lady and handed her my money. She looked up our bill and said I owed $8.10. I had no change on me and smiled sheepishly, expecting her to say no problem, they'd let it go. After all, it was 10 cents we're talking about. Instead, she said I should just pay when I got a chance...no hurry.

I hate having things like that hanging over my head, no matter how minute. Past experience has taught me that the very smallest things will get you eventually, and this case was no different. The next morning the phone rang while I was getting the boys ready for school. It was a collection call from the cafeteria telling me our account was overdrawn. Seriously. Turns out they didn't just call my home, they called my husband at his work and on his cell phone. I tried to no be irritated and made sure I had a dime in my pocket to pay the rat bastards later that day.

After picking up my kindergartner at noon, we headed back to the lunchroom. There was a long line for food and then a line to pay. I obviously didn't want their food so I got in the paying line and waited. And waited and waited. The lunch lady completely ignored me and just kept dealing with the kids. I finally said, "Excuse me?" and she shot me a look, actually waved me off with her hand dismissively and said, "I can't help you until all these kids are done."

"Well is there anyone else I can pay so you people will stop calling my house and harassing me?" I asked ever so sweetly. "No," she very rudely replied.

I was livid but since I had my son with me and was in a school, I had to bite my tongue and exit swiftly before I blew up. I stormed home where my husband opened the door and innocently asked if I'd taken care of our 10 cent debt. I burst into tears and blubbered out the whole story. It had been a long week of taking care of sick kids and preparing for Thanksgiving and the cafeteria lady had caused me to snap. He grabbed his coat, took the dime and marched out the door. That's the cool thing about being married to a Marine, they run toward confrontation, not away from it.

He returned shortly, successful in his mission. He had marched into the school, held up the dime and said, "I want somebody to take this dime from my hand, put it on my son's account, and give me a receipt." The flustered office ladies then directed him to the cafeteria where he repeated his request, rather forcefully, and was taken care of.

It's this kind of thing that drives me slowly insane. You can live your life doing everything possible to avoid disputes and inconveniences. You can pay your bills, follow the rules and be a friendly person. Still, inevitably, things are going to get you. Especially the cafeteria ladies. They are the worst.