Pluperfect
Recently, we've had occasion to discuss how waitpersons in restaurants tend to say "perfect" no matter what we order (see, for instance, in the comments here). Lately, I've noticed how the craze for perfection has spread to the grocery business.
I have a habit of carrying cash (my Chinese students barely know what cash is) around in a change purse (for coins and dollar bills) and a billfold for fives, tens, and twenties. When it comes to paying, I have two general rules of thumb:
1. If possible, I like to pay the exact amount of the bill
2. I like to get rid of an excess of heavy change and bulky dollar bills that rapidly accumulate in my purse
To meet both of those desiderata, that sometimes entails fussing around a bit to count out the right amount. It might mean that I end up giving the cashier slightly more than the exact amount. Sometimes I even come up a penny or two or three short, in which case the cashier might make it up from the kitty. No matter what, they almost always say "perfect" — especially if I give them the precise amount owed, or close to it.
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