Tokarev Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Careful with your $2 bills PUT YOURSELF in Mike Bolesta's place. On the morning of Feb. 20, he buys a new radio-CD player for his 17-year-old son Christopher's car. He pays the $114 installation charge with 57 crisp new $2 bills, which, when last observed, were still considered legitimate currency in the United States proper. The $2 bills are Bolesta's idea of payment, and his little comic protest, too. For this, Bolesta, Baltimore County resident, innocent citizen, owner of Capital City Student Tours, finds himself under arrest. Finds himself, in front of a store full of customers at the Best Buy on York Road in Lutherville, locked into handcuffs and leg irons. Finds himself transported to the Baltimore County lockup in Cockeysville, where he's handcuffed to a pole for three hours while the U.S. Secret Service is called into the case. Have a nice day, Mike. "Humiliating," the 57-year old Bolesta was saying now. "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." What we have here, besides humiliation, is a sense of caution resulting in screw-ups all around. "When I bought the stereo player," Bolesta explains, "the technician said it'd fit perfectly into my son's dashboard. But it didn't. So they called back and said they had another model that would fit perfectly, and it was cheaper. We got a $67 refund, which was fine. As long as it fit, that's all. "So we go back and pay for it, and they tell us to go around front with our receipt and pick up the difference in the cost. I ask about installation charges. They said, 'No installation charge, because of the mix-up. Our mistake, no charge.' Swell. "But then, the next day, I get a call at home. They're telling me, 'If you don't come in and pay the installation fee, we're calling the police.' Jeez, where did we go from them admitting a mistake to suddenly calling the police? So I say, 'Fine, I'll be in tomorrow.' But, overnight, I'm starting to steam a little. It's not the money -- it's the threat. So I thought, I'll count out a few $2 bills." He has lots and lots of them. With his Capital City Student Tours, he arranges class trips for school kids around the country traveling to large East Coast cities, including Baltimore. He's been doing this for the last 18 years. He makes all the arrangements: hotels, meals, entertainment. And it's part of his schtick that, when Bolesta hands out meal money to students, he does it in $2 bills, which he picks up from his regular bank, Sun Trust. "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.'" At Best Buy, they may have perceived the protest -- but did not sense the comic aspect of 57 $2 bills. "I'm just here to pay the bill," Bolesta says he told a cashier. "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." He remembers the cashier marking each bill with a pen. Then other store personnel began to gather, a few of them asking, "Are these real?" "Of course they are," Bolesta said. "They're legal tender." A Best Buy manager refused comment last week. But, according to a Baltimore County police arrest report, suspicions were roused when an employee noticed some smearing of ink. So the cops were called in. One officer noticed the bills ran in sequential order. "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,'" Bolesta says. "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 then taken to the county police lockup in Cockeysville, where he sat handcuffed to a pole and in leg irons while the Secret Service was called in. "At this point," he says, "I'm a mass murderer." Finally, Secret Service agent Leigh Turner arrived, examined the bills and said they were legitimate, adding, according to the police report, "Sometimes ink on money can smear." This will be important news to all concerned. For Baltimore County police, said spokesman Bill Toohey, "It's a sign that we're all a little nervous in the post-9/11 world." The other day, one of Bolesta's sons needed a few bucks. Bolesta pulled out his wallet and "whipped out a couple of $2 bills. But my son turned away. He said he doesn't want 'em any more." He's seen where such money can lead.
El Sitherino Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 For Baltimore County police, said spokesman Bill Toohey, "It's a sign that we're all a little nervous in the post-9/11 world." ... That's the most retarded statement I've read. Some stupid ass people not knowing about $2 bills = fear of terrorism? What the hell?
CapNColostomy Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Hmmm...I'm not going to Best Buy anymore after reading that. **** 'em. Years ago I worked for a mushroom factory that was constantly having to fight the city council to stay open because of the high ammounts of compost used to grow mushrooms. It stunk the town up. To show the morons on the city council how many jobs and how much money that place put into the community, every week for two months straight, everyone at the factory was paid their entire payroll in two dollar bills. I remember when people around town got their panties in a twist anytime I tried to spend that crap. Like it was monopoly money or something. People are gimps.
Guest Jed Posted April 7, 2005 Posted April 7, 2005 Since when is a 2 dollar bill grounds for arrest? **** that.
Dagobahn Eagle Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 For Baltimore County police, said spokesman Bill Toohey, "It's a sign that we're all a little nervous in the post-9/11 world." As InsaneSith said, what on Earth does a terrorist attack has to do with alleged counterfeit money?! And what's with American police and cuffs anyway?! First they handcuff a 10-year old, now they handcuff a 57-year old in plain view of everyone? Two words: Was that freaking necessary?
swphreak Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 I wish I had a roll of $2 bills and could go to the Best Buy in Roanoke... The guy should seriously sue Best Buy for the emotional damage it caused him... or something.
El Sitherino Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Originally posted by Dagobahn Eagle As InsaneSith said, what on Earth does a terrorist attack has to do with counterfeit money?! They weren't even counterfeit, they were bills they made back in '76 for the bicentenial. Wonder if they question the quarters as well?
tags Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 just because they're cops, they think they can do anytthing now'a days.
Dagobahn Eagle Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 They weren't even counterfeit, they were bills they made back in '76 for the bicentenial. I know, but I admit my message didn't make that clear. Fixed;). Just because they're cops, they think they can do anytthing now'a days. The USA Patriot Act doesn't help either.
Derc Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Good thing I trade in my 2 dollar bills to my parents for normal 1 dollar bills. Seriously, I don't spend 2 dollar bills. They're more like collector's items. But damn, that guy got owned.
El Sitherino Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Originally posted by Derc They're more like collector's items. Except not.
ET Warrior Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Originally posted by InsaneSith Except not. Of course they are! They're like a one dollar bill only they're worth TWO dollars!! Twice as valuable. Now, to get my hands on some of those collector 100's I keep hearing about.
Dagobahn Eagle Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Good thing I trade in my 2 dollar bills to my parents for normal 1 dollar bills They're like a one dollar bill only they're worth TWO dollars!! Twice as valuable.Yeah, for real dude, that $1 you waste every time you turn them in adds up!
Derc Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Let me rephrase: For every two dollar bill, I get TWO one dollar bills!
Darth Groovy Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Further proof that Best Buy does NOT pride itself with customer service. I have several real life examples. This is very typical of such a non-customer oriented business.
Tokarev Posted April 8, 2005 Author Posted April 8, 2005 I find that it's the attitude I notice... Thankfully, I haven't had to deal with their service..
IG-64 Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 My dad has been a cop for 31 years. He is a good cop, and people respect him. But yes, there are dumb cops out there. Probably rookies. As for the story, i'd like to go pay for something with a $1000 bill. Also, I don't think it's fair to blame Best Buy, they're just a company. It the fault of the stream of idiots that happend to work at that store. Here in Houston, the Best Buy employees are actually very helpfull.
ET Warrior Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 The company that hired the idiots. If a company has bad employees, it's a reflection on the company, and it is their fault. And I've known plenty of stupid veteran cops. There are some really good ones, but there are some damn fools aswell.
Shok_Tinoktin Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Originally posted by ET Warrior And I've known plenty of stupid veteran cops. There are some really good ones, but there are some damn fools aswell. You can say that about most, if not all, professions, though.
toms Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 For Baltimore County police, said spokesman Bill Toohey, "It's a sign that we've all turned into paranoid idiots in the post-9/11 world." Did he get his $2 bill back, or did Best Buy keep them? If it was me i'd have demanded them back. Mind you, if it was me i wouldn't have paid the damn installation fee in the first place. And i'd now sue... why the hell not. People sue for hot coffee, you might as well sue when something that actually infringes your rights happens...
ET Warrior Posted April 8, 2005 Posted April 8, 2005 Originally posted by Shok_Tinoktin You can say that about most, if not all, professions, though. Absolutely, but most professions don't put those fools in a position to step all over your constitutional rights.
kipperthefrog Posted April 9, 2005 Posted April 9, 2005 Best buy also uses bait and switch methods, rebated and all kinds of stuff to make it sound cheaper than it is.
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