Change

Similar to our world headquarters office in KC there is a small eating area known as the “Canteen” located within our building. The Canteen consists of two sections, an eating/break area, and a kitchen. The eating area is nothing more than several tables and chairs lined up in rows where a majority of the office spends their lunch hours and as a place to get away from their desks to drink their coffee or tea. The kitchen area consists of a kitchen, a serving area, a coffee/tea area, and a small store. The store stocks snack items such as chips, soda, candy, fresh fruit, and chocolates. During breakfast time you can buy bread omelets (omelet between two pieces of bread), dosa (similar to a crepe), and noodle dishes. Around 3pm they have samosa’s (potato filled fried dumpling) or spring rolls. However, unlike the lunch area we have in KC this Canteen is not out to make a profit, it is here primarily as a connivance to our associates. This means all of the items they sell are the same price that you would purchase them at the local food mart. Chips 10RS, soda 20RS, Bread omelets 15RS, and the list goes on.

One afternoon I was slightly parched and needing something with a little flavor and a slight pick me up to carry me through the rest of the afternoon. Heading into the break room the attendant instantly headed for the refrigerator, does that mean Matt and I visit too often? Grabbing a Pepsi he handed it to me not even bothering to mention the price. With my only source for cash being the ATM I find that I am consistently only in possession of large bills. Pulling out a 100RS bill I attempted to pay.

“No change, no change….smaller”, the phrase that constantly plagues me. Being that I am located in the office this is not a huge deal as the following phrase is “pay me next time”. How many stores do you know in the United States that, A - cannot break a 2$ bill, and B – would give you product on the understanding that you will pay them the next time you shop there? If this transaction had taken place in the local market I may have had to wait for up to 10 minutes while they asked everyone in line and/or anyone outside for change to break a 100RS bill. I won’t tell you what they have to do to find a pen when you pay by credit card.
I made 3 other purchases on loan until he was able to provide change for the notes I possessed.

Blake