A group of friends and I headed out for dinner. I told them to get seated, while I handled paying for parking. Since the restaurant was near a hospital, the two businesses had a deal that they would share parking resources. The hospital managed the resource, so I headed into the ER waiting room to pay for the parking. The woman behind the greeting station asked me for $3.75. I’m notorious for not carrying enough cash, however, I happened to have a few dollars with change in my pocket, totaling $3.65. I tried to hand her the mass of bills & coins in hopes it was close enough, and began walking back to the restaurant. The woman, however, was a very quick counter and called out to me that I owed them ten cents. I explained that I did not have ten cents, but after dinner was concluded, I would likely have more change, and would return with the ten cents (In fact, I would have to return anyway before I could drive away). She would not accept this, and forced me to stay until she was done filing the rest of her work. A yelling match followed where I explained that this was a gross waste of hospital resources. That by keeping me, and engaging me in argument, they were depriving people in real need of medical attention. She would not back down. Eventually, I found massive silver dollar on the floor, and tossed it at her flippantly, and left for dinner.
