Retail workers have to deal with all sorts of weird situations that most people can’t even imagine.

This is why this retail worker decided to share his experience of having to explain how quarters work to an American adult.

Read the story and see how he dealt with this odd situation.

I just had to explain to an adult how quarters work.

This just happened. Drive-thru, taking cash, providing adequate customer service, flirting with old ladies; that’s my day.

Enter Quarter-Brain, reasoning for the namesake shall soon be readily apparent.

It represents how much of it she usually uses.

QB – Do you take those Quarter-Dollars?

I’m a bit perplexed by this.

Was she referring to the Dollar coins that are roughly the size of a quarter? Did the US mint put out a new Dollar? What…

She then hands me a quarter. A regular quarter. One of the state quarters. Kentucky, to be exact.

This was puzzling to him, but she was way more confused than him.

These are, and have always been, worth 25 cents. There is nothing special about them currency wise.

They also have “QUARTER DOLLAR” emblazoned on the front.

I can understand a 1st Grader getting tripped up by the wording but this was a fully grown, adult woman.

He underestimated how much explaining he would have to do.

QB- That’s worth a dollar, right?
Me- No, this is a quarter.
QB- But why does it say Quarter Dollar on it?

Now, dear reader, you may be wondering if she was simply messing with me? I assure you she was not.

There was no trace of irony, sarcasm, or humor in her voice.

She was seriously asking me why a quarter was called a quarter.

It was now his responsibility to educate her.

Me, completely serious, as if I were a teacher addressing a student – ‘It’s called a quarter dollar because its value is equal to one quarter of a dollar. Twenty-five cents.’

She looks at me with skepticism, then her quarters, and I come to the realization that I am watching a grown adult come to the conclusion that “Quarter Dollar” literally means “Quarter of a dollar”.

I wonder how she never realized this before.

She then begins to ask about Half Dollar coins but stops herself mid sentence, hopefully from realizing that she was well on her way towards proving the criticisms of the US Education System correct.

Now, here’s where it’s confirmed that at no point was this some elaborate joke.

She considers the money she has. It’s mostly quarters.

She has me remove items from her order upon concluding, after learning that quarters are, in fact, not dollars, she does not have enough money.

So yeah… fun times.

Give this honorary teacher a raise.

Let’s see what Reddit has to say about this.

A reader shares their thoughts.

It can be confusing, especially for foreigners.

Someone shares a story.

Sad.

Another reader chimes in.

An explanation.

In her defense, math is hard.

That’s my two cents.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.