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I feel like I've been telling this story to everybody but just in case I missed someone, I'm going to write it here.
This is the story of how I got a false 50 peso bill.
There is a kiosco on the other side of the street across from my building. I always go to it because it is the closest to my house and they usually have change for $100. As does the kiosco on the corner, but that one is a wee bit farther away. With kioscos, you have to be careful with how you pay. They are somewhat notorious for giving fake bills (TRUCHO!). So generally, paying with a large bill like $100 or $50 is not recommended. Well, as I already mentioned, these two kioscos usually have change.
Last Thursday, I went to the one in front of my building to buy a phone card. There were two young guys and an older man talking behind the counter. I requested the phone card and handed a $100 bill to one of the young men. He denied it and said that he didn't have change. But then the older man told me to wait, because he had change for me. I saw him fishing through his pockets...doing....cosas raras, as I always tell it. As I was waiting, I began to get suspicious. It had been obvious that I was a foreigner. A perfect opportunity!
The old man held out his hand, palm down. He held out two $50 peso bills, both of them were folded in half, almost hidden. As he held them out, he looked at the young man and told him to give me $40 but "no cambies nada (in the register)!" It was so obvious that something fishy was going down! Well....I chose one of the $50 peso bills and looked at it. It was so fake. I didn't know what to say. I was about to say "No, no, I don't want to trouble you, give me my $100 back." But the young man had already gotten the $40 pesos out and I felt like it was too late. I sadly looked at my fake $50 pesos. "Gracias" I mumbled as I left. "No, gracias a vos!" said the old man with a smirk.
I hurried back home, flung myself on my bed and sobbed! Ok, that's a bit dramatic, but it's more or less what happened. I was so upset! How could the old man think that he could trick me! I was offended that he thought that I wouldn't know what was going on! And even more angry that I didn't say anything when I knew for sure that it was fake. I was just afraid that if I said something, he would laugh at me and call me a crazy woman. What did I know! I was a foreigner!
But I had seen fake bills before, studied them, I tell you! Studied them! I even compared the $50 to another bill I had, and it confirmed my suspicions.
I was all alone in my sorrows. I sent a message to a friend, telling what had happened. To my surprise, the reply was "Go back and get your money back!" What? Are you crazy?? "Go back, tell them what happened, tell them what you bought and with what bill. Don't let any more time pass!" No, they'll laugh at me! They will say that I got the fake bill from another place! People don't do this! It's too late! I've already left! "Don't be stupid! Go! And people DO do this! I've done it!" When have you done it? "I don't remember, but I've done it before!"
Ok, I said to myself. What have I to lose?
I marched back to the kiosco but the old man was not there. There was just the man who had given me the $40. I asked him if he remembered me. He replied in the affirmative. I told him that there must have been some mistake but the old man had given me a false bill. He stalled a bit, fiddling with the phone cards. I asked him if he wanted me to show him the bill. He said yes and I showed it to him. More stalling. He rubbed it on a piece of paper to verify that it was fake. He said that the problem was that he couldn't be sure if I had gotten the fake bill somewhere else or not. That is what I was afraid of. I couldn't reply. He continued asking if it was the owner, the bald man, who had given me the bill. I said yes. He told me that I could go to the kiosco on the corner because he was there at that time as he is also the owner of that kiosco.
I marched to the corner, to my other ex favorite kiosco, and I found him! I entered and played the whole "quiet, innocent girl, stupid foreigner" card.
There must have been some mistake, I began, but it seems to me that you gave me a false $50 bill.
His eyes widen and his jaw dropped a bit, completely feigning surprise.
I did?
Yes, would you like to see it?
Yes, show me.
I showed him the bill and he looked at it carefully and said
This, this is a very poorly made fake bill. This is bad! very bad!
Yes, I more or less knew that it was fake when you gave it to me. But I didn't think you would give me a fake bill. But when I got home, I looked more carefully and realized what had happened.
He replied that surely someone else had given it to him. He apologized sheepishly and gave me another $50 bill.
I studied that one to make sure it was real. To reassure me, he asked another employee to verify the bill, it was real.
I was so excited I scurried off to make a phone call at my favorite locutorio. I say it's my favorite because one of the guys who works there is always so kind to me and calls me things like "corazon" and "linda."
After my phone call, I was still so excited that I even told him the story! I asked him if he would do me a favor as I pulled out the bill. He was like "Oh no! You're going to ask me if a bill is real or not!" I gave it to him, he looked at it, hestitated, looked at me, then smiled and said, yes, corazon, it's good.
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Grandma Joye
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Smart Melinda
Good for you, Melinda! That must have taken much courage to go to both of those places. Will you ever go back to them or is this the end of your relationship and business transactions with them? You have been so brave on numerous occations and I'm proud of you! You seem to learn from each experience so that pretty soon noone will try to take advantage of this cute American girl. It may teach them a thing or two about trying to cheat foreigners. I remember where the one right across the street from your place is. It is so good to be able to think of you in these places. What is the weather like? Is it getting any chillier or are you getting more unwanted rain?