Beer Money

For every empty beer bottle returned our local mini-supermarket will give the customer 9 cents towards their shopping. An excellent incentive to return empty those bottles.

This afternoon after I'd finished my stint in the garden, and having worked up a thirst, I thought I'd do just that. I had enough bottles to get a 72 cent voucher.

Standing in front of the beer bottle machine in the supermarket I unpacked my rucksack.

It was then that I noticed that there was an unclaimed  ticket for 9 cents hanging down from the slot;  a 9 cent unclaimed shopping voucher for one empty bottle.

As I was placing my bottles in the tube which checks them and takes them via the conveyor belt to the storeroom a customer in an obvious hurry arrived with an empty beer bottle, saw my collection of bottles and said:

Oh dear, I need 9 cents for this bottle, and my shopping is at the till. Would you give me 9 cents for it? 

I said: I have no change, but I have 9 cents for you.

And of course I gave her the slip of paper hanging from the slot.

Delighted and surprised she said: Is this really 9 cents?

I confirmed that it was a 9 cent shopping voucher and she thanked me for it.