By “other liabilities” I mostly just mean myself.

I just went into a shop to buy a lens cover for DB’s camera.

Easy right?

Wrong.

Despite seeing better every day, it appears that I still can’t see well enough to be let loose in society.

The cover was supposed to cost 15€ which felt like a lot, but still less than replacing the lens if it gets scratched.

I took out my purse and handed the man-behind-the-counter the first red note I found in it. In my head, red notes are 10s. He took it and immediately turned towards the till which I thought was a bit impatient but I ignored my thoughts and continued rummaging through my purse for the remaining 5€. A few seconds later I took out the next red note, which I also handed over and which he also took.

So far so good.

When he handed me 35€ back, I was a little bit confused. Then I realised I must have given him a 50€ note to begin with, not a 10€ as I’d thought. 50s are brown, but apparently a very reddish brown.

 

Side note:

It appears my ability to judge colour is out of whack too.

Since I usually read everything I look at without having to think about it, it’s not usually a problem. I don’t rely on the colour, I read the numbers too. Not that I ever have 50s on me, at least not regularly.

If I’d thought about it, I could have held the notes up to my nose and been able to read them, just not at arms length.

IF.

But I didn’t.

ARGH.

So.

Back to the shop scene.

I looked at the 35€ in my hand. Then at the man, “there’s 10€ missing” (I hoped the second note had been a 10€, not another 50€). He said 50-15 is 35, so it was exactly right. I said I’d given him two notes, he asked why he would take a second note when the first was already more than enough (fair point). I said I had no idea, but that he had definitely taken the second note as I handed it to him. He’d already closed the till so he was no longer holding any notes at all which left it my word against his.

In the end, we settled for him giving me 5€. That way we both risked losing 5€ instead of 10€.

I left the shop wanting to kick things. Including myself. I hate it when I make that sort of unnecessary mistake.

In future, at least until I have glasses, DB will have to be responsible for all purchases.