Tip

Last Dec while performing as Elton John in the Holiday Legends show, I received a very different tip.  It was 20 British pounds.

 I don't know if the generous patron gave it to me by mistake or if he was looking for a way to dispose of the foreign currency, because I didn't know what I'd been given until after the show.

A quick Google search told me it was worth about $26 US dollars, which is a very generous tip!

I tried to convert it to US dollars at a local bank.  They asked if I had an account there, to which I answered no.  I was told they could only exchange the currency if I was an account holder, and that my bank would do it for me.

The only problem is that I don't have a local bank.  The nearest branch of my bank (excluding ATMs) is an hour away in a different state.  I do all my banking online; bill paying, check depositing, balance transferring - all online.

You see, I've had the same checking account since I was in high school more than 35 years ago.  My bank has merged with others and changed names several times over the years, but the thing that hasn't changed is my wonderful account number, which has repetitive digits that are very easy to remember, and my account origination date in 1981.  In addition to the convenience of my easily memorable account number, on many occasions I've thought that if I ever got into a pinch and needed something from my bank, they might look at my account origination date in 1981 and say to themselves "Hey, this guy's loyalty deserves a break".  I have yet to ever need that break, but I feel prepared to ask for it should that change.

But I sure as hell wasn't going to drive 2 hours round trip to exchange the currency!  

So I got my friend Steven to do it for me.  I knew he had a local bank and, sure enough, they exchanged the 20 British Pounds for $25.98 with no question.