Story Time: We Were Scammed

If you use the Shibuya station when coming to school, you would know that there is a Family Mart on the way. It's located near a cross-bridge, on the opposite sidewalk of Aogaku. I went in there the other day before going to school, just so that I can avoid the lunchtime 7/11 rush.

I grabbed two onigiris and a snack, then lined up to pay. In front of me was a short, tanned-skin Japanese cashier with a smile on his face. He scanned all the products, handed them all to me, and gave me back my change. Everything went smoothly- or so I thought. I looked down at the palm of my hand and double-checked the change he gave me. And oh- a 100 yen was missing. I went up to him and told him the issue, as a normal person would. He handled it professionally and immediately, apologizing and handing me the missing coin, without even checking how much I was holding in my hand. 

I didn't think much of it at the time, because things like that happen. I've also been a cashier once and I know that sometimes when you're rushing and everything, you make mistakes. It's human nature. He was also really polite about it, so it wasn't that big of a deal. 

A few days later, a friend of mine (who happens to be in our IE class) went into the same Family Mart to buy a bottle of water. I followed her inside. When she finished paying, she noticed that she was 100 yen short of her change. When I looked back at the cashier, it was the same man that was at my cash register a few days ago. She confronts him, and he gives her the 100 yen coin. Again, without checking how much he gave her prior. See the pattern? We put the two stories together and realized that this man is doing this intentionally. He leaves out a 100 yen coin. On purpose. 

This explains why he doesn't check our palms to see whether or not we're lying because HE's the one that's lying. He KNOWS that a 100 yen coin is missing. 

Later that day, I used the same Family Mart again to confirm our theory. And he does it AGAIN. I don't know if I should be proud that I spotted his lie, or be offended that he thinks that we're dumb enough not to check our change. At the same time, I think he does it to everyone. So maybe I don't need to be offended.

The moral of the story is, don't use the Family Mart near the school. Or do if you want to. Just check your change and you'll be good.