How bad is the economy, really?

I'm having my car detailed & decided to spend some of the wait at a nearby Dunkin. My bill came to $5.13. I have the cashier a $20; she rang me up & started to make change. Meanwhile I found a $1. "Oh - here. I have a $1. Looking at the display on her side of the register - which doubtless read "$14.87" - and holding my $1 in her hand, she was completely baffled. I remained silent. She called her manager over & was unable to even tell him the problem correctly (somehow, apparently, conveying that I had given her $16 for my $5.13 tab). At this point I found my voice. "I gave her $21. My change should be $15.87."

The manager looked at the till, at the money in her hands, and at the display, and confirmed what I'd just said. I got my change - dropped the coins in the top jar (force of habit) - and went to my table without muttering or shaking my head.

How bad can the economy really be, if someone who cannot, when looking at a display that says the customer is due $14.87, figure out that if the customer now hands her an additional $1, she now owes him 15.87, has a job?

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