Sometimes I forget

Today I had to get up at 3 AM (I went to bed already and woke up due to a nightmare).  We went to work to get the Dr Pepper delivery.

I think I've talked about it, basically, as a vendor, you are in a clan.  It's either Coke, Dr Pepper, or Pepsi.  We're in the Dr Pepper clan.  They provide the canned soda vendors and service technicians (although I am vain enough to say I can do a lot of fixes on my own), we stock it with a minimum 75% Dr Pepper product (that equates to two "competitors" and 6 Dr Pepper items in each machine).  They have a wide selection, so it's easy to fill it up.

Anyway, another feature is the delivery.  They tell you "We are coming at 4 AM on the last Tuesday of the month", and you'd better be there if you want the machines, and soda.  Last month Ron forgot it was delivery day and the other vendor received it for him.

They, very politely, requested we get THEIR order this month.  We couldn't say no, could we?  And, we'd be there anyway.

So, I went to bed, had a hard time falling asleep, got about 6 hours sleep, and went to work.  I didn't even do my God Time.  I barely had time for a shower.

We got there and I checked the machines.  They all looked OK (I do need more snacks).  I couldn't even stock.  I think I stocked 1 case of soda, and fixed an improperly stocked soda column (the infamous "wrong soda came out").

As part of my day, Ron paid me.  I was happy to get it.  He also asked me to sell some change to the credit union.

When we are handling change, we like to use small buckets, about 2-4 quart size.  They hold a lot of change, are sturdy, and are easy to move.  Ron had placed some rolled quarters (40 quarters to a coin roll, if you wondered) in a bucket.  It was a mostly clear bucket, with a label for loose bubble gum (we used it to stock the gum ball machine, when empty it was converted to coin bucket).

Sometimes I lack good judgement.  I didn't think anything of taking my bucket into the credit union.  The credit union serves anyone, in one of the worst parts of town.

I didn't have a problem taking in the bucket.  When I got the money (a few $20 bills, I put them into the bucket) and did another transaction.  A woman, clearly from the bad part of town, came in.  She was making a loan payment, I think.  I didn't eavesdrop.

The minute I put the $20 bills in the bucket, she turned her body completely, looking at the bucket with the money.  She wouldn't take her eyes off it, even when the teller spoke to her.  STARING at the money.

Ooops.  Bad judgement on my part.  I forget I live on Earth and some people worship those little green pieces of paper.

It's a good thing I had witnesses, I could have seen her making a grab for the bucket or mugging me outside.  I was very glad she left well before I did, that, when I did leave, I had a security badge to get into the building, and she did not.

She was, literally, enthralled by the sight of a few $20 bills.  I thought it was no big deal.  I see people flashing stacks of $100 bills in there, all the time.  They'll stand there and count off a thousand dollars or so, pluck a few bills out, put them in one pocket, and put the rest in another pocket.

Now, I know, hide the money, even if it's a dollar.  People are crazy.

Praise God all she did was stare.