"And we had to float our checks two miles. In the snow."

So I'm in line at Wal-Mart (not looking for a purple shirt) and the lady in front of me was finishing up her order. Now because she was in the 10-items-or-less line and had at least 147 items, I think she got what she deserved:

Clerk: "Your total is $140.91." (Not kidding.)
Woman: "Here's my card. I don't know how much is in the account so I might have to write you a check."
Clerk: "Denied."
Woman: "Okay, I'll just write you a check."

Now here's where I'd have been sunk back in college. A check no longer "floats." If you haven't got the money in your account, it bounces like a Superball. Wal-Mart and other megastores now have the technology to see just how good that check is in a matter of seconds.

Clerk: "Nope, that check isn't going through."
Woman: "What?! I just deposited my paycheck! It should be fine!"
Clerk: "When did you make the deposit?"
Woman: "An hour ago!"

Newsflash! That technology doesn't go both ways. Pity the college kids these days...