New fangled technology
Bizarre Happening:
Last week I went to the walk-in clinic to get a prescription for The Pill so that I could avoid having my monthly thingamabob while we are in Costa Rica. The parking lot there is one of those Pay And Display lots. I went to the machine, and paid, and printed my ticket, and took it out, and went to walk back to my car. A woman about my age had walked up and was looking at the sign which read:
"New Rate: $2 For 2 Hours"
The conversation went as follows:
Her (pointing at sign): "so..... is it $2 for 2 hours?"
Me (resisting the temptation): "er, yes" (I attempt to exit stage left)
Her (slightly panicked): "wait!" (I return) "How do you use this thing!!"
Me (resisting the temptation): "Well, you follow the steps" (pointing to the button beside the text which read Step One: "Press Here")
Her: (presses start button)
Me: "Then you put your money in"
Her: "Here?" (points her toonie at coin slot marked "Coins") "oh, no, here!!" (tries to jam toonie in credit card reader)
Me (pointing back at change slot): "uh, no there...."
Her: "ok...?" (puts money in)
Me (accelerating process): "Then you push this, and it prints your ticket, and you tear it off. OK?" (Iattempt to exit stage left)
Her (looking down at her ticket which reads "Place on dash") "So.... I place this on my dash? (as she watches me place mine on my dash)
Me: Yup!
Her: Thanks!
Me (making tracks so I get ahead of her in line) no problem!
This incident would make sense if she could't read at all, otherwise, not so much. But clearly she can read, as she read the sign.