Change for a Paper Clip?

I pulled into the service station for a quick coffee refill on my way out of town.  I reached into my pocket for the change ($1.28 for a refill!), and two paperclips from the day before were in with the change.
On a whim, I asked, would you take $1.27 and two paper clips?  (Seemed like a win/win to me.)
For just the briefest of seconds, she stared at me. Then, with a huge smile emerging, and without missing another beat, she replied, “I’m sorry sir, we don’t recognize paper clips as a form of currency here.”
I told you it was utterly trivial.  But, for some reason, I smiled all the way to my next destination.