I went shopping at the 100 yen shop (akin to the 99 cents store) and bought 6 things. I paid with a 1000 yen bill, got my change, and went to the next shop (on the other side of my little town). When I went to the register at the second store and pulled out my wallet, I had a heart attack. The 10,000 yen bill (like $100!) that I put in my wallet before leaving my apartment was missing!! I cancelled my purchase, went through my whole bag, hopped on my bike, and booked it back to my apartment to see if maybe the bill had fallen on the floor. I looked all around and it was nowhere to be found. So, of course, that left the 100 yen store. I booked it back to the shop and tried to explain to the cashier that I might have paid with a 10,000 yen bill instead of a 1000 yen bill... my explanation was vaguely understood but basically got me nowhere. I then called my very kind, English-speaking aunt to explain what had happened and to ask her to explain to the cashier. My aunt explained and the cashier checked the 10,000 yen section in the till, but there were no extra bills there. Then the cashier went to get the manager. My aunt had to hang up for a couple of minutes and while I was waiting for her to call back, the manager came. Although the manager wasn't overtly mean, she was definitely irritated that I didn't understand what she was saying and kept speaking quickly in Japanese even though I kept saying, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Japanese." When my aunt called me back, I asked her to ask the manager to check in the 1000 yen section. The manager got on my cell phone and walked away with it... why, I don't know, since, clearly, I wouldn't have been able to understand anything she said anyway. She eventually came back to the cash register and, while speaking to my aunt still and not looking at me, she grabbed the 1000 yen stack from the till and put them on the counter. She didn't go through them, just sort of put the pile down and I guess was explaining to my aunt that there were no 10,000 yen bills in the pile. Just looking at the pile, there were no 10,000 yen bills easily visible. But she didn't count the bills or go through the pile really. Then the manager handed the phone back to me and put the money back. My aunt explained to me that they double check all 10,000 yen bills, etc.
Anyway, the good news is that I didn't lose 10,000 yen. The bad news is I gave myself a heart attack and my aunt an embarassing phono convo. Ah, the first of many such moments to come. Fun!!
Ugh, I need a drink. ;)
They look so similar!! Now imagine them folded up in my little wallet.
