My Two (Euro) Cents

Greece is part of the European Union unless a Grexit (or some other portmanteau) occurred in the last two weeks. Since I’m in Rhodes, I probably would have heard about it. I’m hearing about Brexit and Johnson. (There’s a bit of comfort knowing we aren’t the only country with a buffoon in office.)

I decided in my travels to collect different denominations of Euro coins for the two little girls in my life who are old enough (hopefully) to not stick them up their noses or swallow them. 

The 1 and 2 Euro coins- easy, peasy, lemon, squeezy.

Included as part of my currency exchange.

The 5,10,20,50 cent Euros – easy as pie . . . I mean baklava.

Change from paying for my lunch of chicken souvlakia.

Thinking I had snagged them all, I Googled “Euro coins” to make sure. Apparently there are eight different coins. I lacked the 1 and 2 cent ones.

While paying for a vodka and tonic, I related my search for the coins to the bartender and asked if he could help me out. He passed me two 2 cent coins. I tipped him a couple Euros. (I think he had the better end of the deal.)

Now all I needed were the 1 cent.

At the minimart across from the Agla Hotel in Rodos, I asked the lady at the cash register if she could include a few 1 cents in my change. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Could I have a few 1 cent coins in my change?

Lady At The Cash Register: No

Me: (Slightly annoyed) How about if I give you 20 cents for each 1 cent?

LATCR: No, you can’t have them because I need them for my customers.

Me: (Now more curious than annoyed) Don’t I count? I’m a customer.

LATCR: (Holding her ground) One cent coins are difficult to get. I can’t even get them at the bank.

Me: (Now more determined than curious) When do you give them to your customers?

LATCR: (Now SHE is slightly annoyed) If my customers request a plastic bag I must charge them nine cents. Then I need the 1 cent coin for change.

Me: (Placing a 10 cent coin on the counter) I would like to buy one plastic bag, please.

LATCR: You can’t buy just a plastic bag.

Me: You just said that the bag costs nine cents. I’d like to buy a bag.

LATCR: (Looking at me as if I’m insane) You have to buy something to put in the bag before I can sell it to you.

Me: (Not letting this go) How big does what I buy have to be to get a bag?

LATCR: It depends.

Me: (Selecting a bottle of water from the refrigerator case) I’d like this bottle of water.

LATCR: That will be 50 cents, please.

Me: (Taking out 1 Euro) Please, put it in a bag.

LATCR: That will be 59 cents, please.

Me: (Thinking this was the hard way of doing things.) Thank you.

LATCR: (Handing me 41 cents) Thank you for shopping at the Agla Minimart!

Me: (Thinking LATCR isn’t sincere) You’re welcome.

Then, the next day, I repeated the bottle in a requested plastic bag scenario.

Now the two little girls in my life will have complete sets of Euro coins.

Don’t stick them up your noses or swallow them, Haeley and Annabelle!