inauguration why must u bring the crazies 2 meeeee?

[HotelMinion]

It must've been the night of the crazies because I got one after the other last night. It's inauguration weekend so we got the nuts from all parts of the country.

Me: Hopefully quitting soon...
DOHG: Drunk or High Guy

This guy wandered in after I started my shift looking like he was about to collapse.

Me: Hello can I help you?
DOHG: Yeah just *trails off mumbling to himself*

I wait but he says nothing, just pulls out an Ipad and some wadded up paper which he spreads all over my desk, and starts playing some game on his Ipad.

Me: Hello?
DOHG: *looks up* Yeah?

Sigh.

Me: Can I help you?
DOHG: Yeah just....*zones out again, playing his game*
Me: Do you have a reservation, are you staying here?
DOHG: I was at the uh..... mumble mumble at the mumblemumblemumble *sways very badly*
Me: What?
DOHG: *jerks awake* Huh?
Me: Do you need an ambulance, you don't look well.
DOHG: No. *continues playing game for a good 15 min*
Me: Ok you have to leave.
DOHG: Huh, why?
Me: Because you're not making any sense.
DOHG: Sorry. *packs things and leaves*

He tries to wander in again twice, I locked the doors. And people wonder why we lock the doors.

Then I get the weirdo guest.

Me: Am I in the twilight zone?
OM: Old man

Me: hello can I help you?
OM: Yeaaaah, can you give me some change?

I look and see there's a 5 dollar bill in his hand. Upon better look I see that it is completely torn in half, there were literally two pieces of dollar bill in his hand. I look back in him.

Me: Are you serious?
OH: What?
Me: We can't accept that. It's completely torn in half!
OH: It's not bad. I don't have any tape so....maybe you could tape it together.
Me:...no.
OH: *fuss fuss moan whine* It's not bad!!
Me: Argh. Fine.

I give him his change because it's easier, and though it's very rude of me, toss the pieces away right in front of him in the trash. He looked at me like I was crazy for throwing away good money. I've had all kinds of wackos working here, but never has one tried to give a 2 pieces of a bill before, so that's a first. A sliced and taped up credit card once though...and the most shocking thing is that they act like they do it all the time. I mean really?

[EvilEmpryss]

Uhm, why did you throw the money away? If the numbers on both halves match, it can be taped together and taken to a bank for exchange for a new one. You really did throw good money in the trash.

Now the scam is to take a $5 and a $1 -- or a $10 and a $1 -- and tear both in half and mix the halves and try to pass them both off as a torn tenner. But if everything matched then it was just some guy with a bill that can't be used as-is.

I would have given you a weird look, too.

[Kittish]

I don't understand why you threw the torn up bill away. It's still good money, as long as both halves are from the same bill.

[Mel]

I've had people give me torn in half bills before. I just make sure both halves match, tape them up, and put it in my cash drawer.

[Cecily]

I don't know about other countries, but in Canada, you can take a half-bill and take it to the bank. If the numbers are intact, they will give you half the value. So half of a ten will land you 5 dollars. Taped with matching numbers is also good for the whole value.

[Teskeria]

Also if you only have one piece, but it is MORE than half of the bill, the bank will to replace it. They will not if it is less than half.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Just a reminder folks: what's done in the OP is done, and I've noticed a couple of replies that come close to FTSTS.

Play nice and the thread stays open. Don't and not only will the thread be shut down, infractions will be handed out if necessary.

/mod mode off

[mjr]

This reminds me of a joke:

Q: What's the difference in fifty cents, and half a dollar?

A: You can spend fifty cents. You can't spend half a dollar.

[EvilEmpryss]

This reminds me of a joke:

Q: What's the difference in fifty cents, and half a dollar?

A: You can spend fifty cents. You can't spend half a dollar.

Yes you can.

[sms001]

HM, I can't even imagine what an inauguration brings to town (former Alexandriate here). And you were quite a bit more patient with DOHG than I would have been. And glad you brought up the business with the fiver: I learned something new today! (lol. shoulda sent him to the Mint.)

[HotelMinion]

WOWWWW Color me surprised. I googled it and the web says that a bill in half should be turned into a bank to get a replacement. I Did Not Know That. Money is sooooo precious to me that I have never ripped one. Nor have I EVER gotten a bill like that at any of my jobs. But anyway, we not a freaking bank. And according to another site, cutting money is considered defacing currency and is illegal. And if you still intend to use it as money, that is to buy things, it's not allowed. The guy wasn't buyign things, but, again, we're no bank. Though I'm not surprised people think we are. I get, "Do you have change for...?" at least 20 x a day. Well you learn something new everyday I guess!

[PepperElf]

DOHG: Drunk or High Guy

Maybe it's me but I was wondering if he was trying to suck down some free wifi or something like that.

Yes you can.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Rev_Unc_P.png

I have a collection of those ... somewhere.

[wolfie]

This reminds me of a joke:

Q: What's the difference in fifty cents, and half a dollar?

A: You can spend fifty cents. You can't spend half a dollar.

But in the days of the old Spanish dollars, you could spend a "nybble" (four bits, or half a byte).