sweet, sweet moolah

Almost every time I stand in line to pay for something, I think of how embarrassing it would be to get to the counter, see the total, bring out your money, and realize . . . . you don't have enough. That was probably one of my biggest (non-life-threatening) fears. Well, now I'm looking for a new biggest fear, because my ex-biggest fear really did happen to me, just last week.

I went to the bookstore on Tuesday afternoon to get my textbook for Business Writing. The teacher had announced in class that it was $75. Since I only had $45 in my checking account, my mom had given me $100 cash. I found my book and got in line. I got to the counter, handed the guy my book, and got my mom's money out of my wallet. He rang it up. "$170.61." Amazed, dumbfounded, and in complete disbelief, I said the stupidest thing possible, "Wait, how much was the book?" The guy looked at the computer and said "um, $170.61." I found out that the rental was $75. I looked at the $100 in my hand then at the extremely overpriced textbook, and I realized that I couldn't possibly pay for it, even with my cash and the money in my checking account combined. He asked me if I wanted the rental, and I coolly said that I would be buying the textbook . . . "just not right now."

So it happened. And it was pretty embarrassing. First time I've really felt like a poor college student. Really, textbooks are too expensive to only be used as hard surfaces and to decorate desks during class. It always surprises me when people pay that much for books and don't read them. Sheesh, I think I'm going to be reading a certain "Business Communication: Process and Product" textbook twice.