Here's another agonizing anecdote from Not Always Right, the customer-service nightmare aggregator. This takes place in a hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland:
(An American guest approaches me at my desk.)I'm not sure how an American could manage to get to Scotland without realizing the pound sterling generally equals about two American dollars, so maybe the writer is spoofing. But assuming it's a true story, that guy must have been thinking he was having the cheapest vacation of all time until he overdrew his account.
Me: “Morning, sir! What can I do for you?”
Guest: “Hi there! I’m going to rent a car today to drive around the highlands. Could you just tell me how much gas costs here?”
Me: “Gas? As in petroleum? Sure. Petrol here is about £1 a litre.”
Guest: “How much is that in gallons though?”
Me: “Well, as far as I know, there is slightly less than four litres in a gallon. So about £4 a gallon, I suppose.”
Guest: “Awesome, that’s $2 a gallon! That’s cheap!”
Me: “Sir, the exchange rate is currently $2 to £1, so it is in fact equal to $8 a gallon.”
Guest: “Pfft! I doubt that. The dollar is the strongest currency in the world!”
Me: “Well, it’s the largest reserve currency, but I assure you the rates are as I described.”
Guest: “You know, considering you work with tourists, you should probably know the exchange rate a little better, son! Don’t they teach you math in high school?!”
Me: “They do, sir.”
Guest: “Not well enough!”
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