Math Is Not That Simple

Slow your roll on thinking you’re smart because you can add two numbers together.

As I paid for my morning coffee and a muffin, the woman next to me was sobbing. “You’re tying to steal my money,” she said to the convenience store clerk. “Why are you doing that?”
“Ma’am,” he said. “The numbers are right here,” and he pointed at the small computer screen showing how many items had been scanned. One item was a bag of sunflower seeds for $3.29. The other item was a bag of candy for $2.29. The total, before taxes, was $5.58.

As she continued to sob behind her mask, the woman turned to look at me. Her red eyes asked for help, so I looked over. “Yep,” I said. “Two twenty-nine and three twenty-nine makes five fifty-eight.”
“You too?” she said in a louder voice. “Why are you all trying to steal from me?”
“What do you think it should be, ma’am?” I asked after a brief pause of disbelief.
“I don’t know. I’m not good with numbers,” she said.

She did not seem developmentally delayed, though people with developmental delays don’t have a particular “look” to them. She wore her mask, so she understood public health guidance. She had car keys with her, so she was capable of driving (which requires some math in…