I remember reading a story a while back where someone used a "novelty" $200 dollar bill, with our President Bush's picture on it, to pay for a small purchase of less than $10 dollars. The bill was accepted by the dashier and the person was given change in the amount of around $190 bucks. Pretty dumb, ehhh?

Here's a good one that kind of follows in that vein.

===================================================

Man Arrested, Cuffed
After Using $2 Bills

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
04-08-2005

A man trying to pay a fee using $2 bills was arrested, handcuffed and taken to jail after clerks at a Best Buy store questioned the currency's legitimacy and called police.

According to an account in the Baltimore Sun, 57-year-old Mike Bolesta was shocked to find himself taken to the Baltimore County lockup in Cockeysville, Md., where he was handcuffed to a pole for three hours while the U.S. Secret Service was called to weigh in on the case.

Bolesta told the Sun: "I am 6 feet 5 inches tall, and I felt like 8 inches high. To be handcuffed, to have all those people looking on, to be cuffed to a pole - and to know you haven't done anything wrong. And me, with a brother, Joe, who spent 33 years on the city police force. It was humiliating."

After Best Buy personnel reportedly told Bolesta he would not be charged for the installation of a stereo in his son's car, he received a call from the store saying it was in fact charging him the fee. As a means of protest, Bolesta decided to pay the $114 bill using 57 crisp, new $2 bills.

As the owner of Capital City Student Tours, the Baltimore resident has a hearty supply of the uncommon currency. He often gives the bills to students who take his tours for meal money.

"The kids don't see that many $2 bills, so they think this is the greatest thing in the world," Bolesta says. "They don't want to spend 'em. They want to save 'em. I've been doing this since I started the company. So I'm thinking, 'I'll stage my little comic protest. I'll pay the $114 with $2 bills.'"

Bolesta explained what happened when he presented the bills to the cashier at Best Buy Feb. 20.

"She looked at the $2 bills and told me, 'I don't have to take these if I don't want to.' I said, 'If you don't, I'm leaving. I've tried to pay my bill twice. You don't want these bills, you can sue me.' So she took the money - like she's doing me a favor."

Belesta says the cashier marked each bill with a pen. Other store employees began to gather, a few of them asking, "Are these real?"

"Of course they are," Bolesta said. "They're legal tender."

According to the Sun report, the police arrest report noted one employee noticed some smearing of ink on the bills. That's when the cops were called. One officer reportedly noticed the bills ran in sequential order.

Said Bolesta: "I told them, 'I'm a tour operator. I've got thousands of these bills. I get them from my bank. You got a problem, call the bank.' I'm sitting there in a chair. The store's full of people watching this. All of a sudden, he's standing me up and handcuffing me behind my back, telling me, 'We have to do this until we get it straightened out.'

"Meanwhile, everybody's looking at me. I've lived here 18 years. I'm hoping my kids don't walk in and see this. And I'm saying, 'I can't believe you're doing this. I'm paying with legal American money.'"

Bolesta was taken to the lockup, where he sat handcuffed to a pole and in leg irons while the Secret Service was called.

"At this point," he says, "I'm being treated like a mass murderer."

Secret Service agent Leigh Turner eventually arrived and declared the bills legitimate, adding, according to the police report, "Sometimes ink on money can smear."

Commenting on the incident, Baltimore County police spokesman Bill Toohey told the Sun: "It's a sign that we're all a little nervous in the post-9/11 world."
====================================================

Nervous? More like completely stupid.

Ziggy

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> ====================================================
>
> Nervous? More like completely stupid.
>
> Ziggy
>

Well I haven't seen a two dollar bill in maybe 15 years. Add that to the use of "Queer as a two dollar bill" and I can see why some young person wouldn't think the bills were real, but the police should have known that. At the very least got his name and address while they investigated whether the 2 dollar bills were real or not.

D'OH!!!!

---

I'd rather speak my mind because it hurts too much to bite my tongue.

American Spirit BBQ Proudly Serving those that courageously defend freedom.

> Well I haven't seen a two dollar bill in maybe 15 years. Add that to the use
> of "Queer as a two dollar bill" and I can see why some young person wouldn't
> think the bills were real, but the police should have known that. At the very
> least got his name and address while they investigated whether the 2 dollar
> bills were real or not.
>
> D'OH!!!!
>

Hell, they were rare even when I was a kid back in the 1950's. I think their most popular time was in 1976 when they came out as the "Bi-centennial" bills. But damn, even as an 8 year old I knew they existed.

---

Usually currency is produced in multiples of 1, 2, 5, and 10s, so I'm not amazed that there would have been a $200 note issued. Maybe the clerk had the same thought.

But with Bush's protrait?!? What a dummy!!

[at the drive-through] Yeah... can you break $200? And no pickles!!

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> Well I haven't seen a two dollar bill in maybe 15 years. Add that to the use
> of "Queer as a two dollar bill" and I can see why some young person wouldn't
> think the bills were real, but the police should have known that. At the very
> least got his name and address while they investigated whether the 2 dollar
> bills were real or not.

The expression is supposed to be "queer as a three dollar bill".

> Well I haven't seen a two dollar bill in maybe 15 years. Add that to the use
> of "Queer as a two dollar bill" and I can see why some young person wouldn't
> think the bills were real, but the police should have known that. At the very
> least got his name and address while they investigated whether the 2 dollar
> bills were real or not.
>
> D'OH!!!!

I hate to say this, but the expression is "Queer as a three dollar bill."; at least that's the way it is where I come from. As for the police--they and the store should brace for a lawsuit, given his comments about being publicly embarrassed and the complete lack of grounds for the arrest.

> The expression is supposed to be "queer as a three dollar bill".
>

It is now, but I am far older then you...

---

I'd rather speak my mind because it hurts too much to bite my tongue.

American Spirit BBQ Proudly Serving those that courageously defend freedom.

>
> > The expression is supposed to be "queer as a three dollar bill".
> >
>
> It is now, but I am far older then you...

My parents used to use it. They're 70+.

> I hate to say this, but the expression is "Queer as a three dollar bill."; at

See my previous post.... Only I am not THAT MUCH older then you...

.o0(lawyers always thinking of lawsuits)

---

I'd rather speak my mind because it hurts too much to bite my tongue.

American Spirit BBQ Proudly Serving those that courageously defend freedom.

Ok to be honest here I have heard both used...

---

I'd rather speak my mind because it hurts too much to bite my tongue.

American Spirit BBQ Proudly Serving those that courageously defend freedom.

> I hate to say this, but the expression is "Queer as a three dollar bill."; at
> least that's the way it is where I come from. As for the police--they and the
> store should brace for a lawsuit, given his comments about being publicly
> embarrassed and the complete lack of grounds for the arrest.

I've always wondered that. CAN you sue for "false arrest" and win under ordinary circumstances ("ordinary" being defined as not raped with a plunger handle or beaten on)?

> I've always wondered that. CAN you sue for "false arrest" and win under
> ordinary circumstances ("ordinary" being defined as not raped with a plunger
> handle or beaten on)?
>

You can sue for whatever you dang well please.. The real question is: Can you win?

I think in this case he might be able too...

---

I'd rather speak my mind because it hurts too much to bite my tongue.

American Spirit BBQ Proudly Serving those that courageously defend freedom.

He can.
He will.

He is... The Man.


...for all suits public and private.

---

> I've always wondered that. CAN you sue for "false arrest" and win under
> ordinary circumstances ("ordinary" being defined as not raped with a plunger
> handle or beaten on)?

Anyone can sue, but surviving a motion to dismiss and winning are another matter.

In this case, the man would likely win as the grounds used to arrest him were invalid, but winning and collecting damages are also two different matters.

Monetary damages might be slight here (loss of income?), but the embarassment he suffered can also be grounds for damages. That's why I said it looked like a lawsuit was brewing (based on his comments). I have said nothing about my personal feelings regarding filing such a suit.

All reminds me of an old joke:

Guy walks into a store in the middle of nowhere and asks the cashier, "Hey, bud, can I get change for an $18 bill?"

The cashier replies, "Sure. What would you like, two nines or three sixes?"

>
> Hell, they were rare even when I was a kid back in the 1950's. I think their
> most popular time was in 1976 when they came out as the "Bi-centennial" bills.
> But damn, even as an 8 year old I knew they existed.
>

They are still more common than many realize even after being issued almost 30 years ago. I personally know two people that still request $2 bills from the banks to hand out at various children's charity events and many of those eventually end up in general circulation.

Now try passing a dollar coin. Many cashiers look at those dollar coins like your trying to give them an old beer bottle cap.

---

To truly explore, one must keep an open mind...

Tending bar in a joint recently and a guy wanted to pay a $16 tab
With $5 worth of silver quarters
I paid his bill- kept the silver
And bought him a drink
Did I get ripped?
Maybe -
But I've still got'em
Oldest- 1958

> Tending bar in a joint recently and a guy wanted to pay a $16 tab
> With $5 worth of silver quarters
> I paid his bill- kept the silver
> And bought him a drink
> Did I get ripped?
> Maybe -
> But I've still got'em
> Oldest- 1958

My suspicious mind would immediately think that the guy got the quarters illegally, e.g. in a burglary. Usually, people who save silver coins keep them on speculation, and don't part with them except to collectors. When someone shows up in a retail establishment with "collectable" coins, you should wonder . . .

> > Tending bar in a joint recently and a guy wanted to pay a $16 tab
> > With $5 worth of silver quarters
> > I paid his bill- kept the silver
> > And bought him a drink
> > Did I get ripped?
> > Maybe -
> > But I've still got'em
> > Oldest- 1958
>
> My suspicious mind would immediately think that the guy got the quarters
> illegally, e.g. in a burglary. Usually, people who save silver coins keep
> them on speculation, and don't part with them except to collectors. When
> someone shows up in a retail establishment with "collectable" coins, you
> should wonder . . .
>

Now here is where we differ My paramedic mind says an Alcoholic who needed a drink and all he had was those silver coins..

However if you got $5.00 worth of real silver coins you didn't get ripped..

---

I'd rather speak my mind because it hurts too much to bite my tongue.

American Spirit BBQ Proudly Serving those that courageously defend freedom.

We had a similar situation here where a Taco Bell manager tried to have a customer arrested for paying with a $2 bill. The man wasn't arrested because the cops new better once they got there, however the man sued for false imprisonment because he was detained illegally by the manager. If I remember correctly Taco Bell settled with the customer and the manager was fired. I'll see if I can dredge up a news article.

To me it sounds like the man can sue Best Buy for both false arrest and false imprisonment. But I'm sure Best Buy would want to settle before it got that far, paying a $hi+load in legal fees and negative publicity.