Western Union Cashing Money orders Grand Junction Colorado

A friend owed me money and went to a Money Corner store to purchase a Western Union money order for me. When I received it, I tried to cash it while I was in town.
Being low on cash, it seemed logical that a money order, which is supposed to be equal to cash, would be a simple matter to cash. Not so. I went to one bank in the area and they refused to cash it. I then went to two grocery stores that sell Western Union money orders and THEY refused to cash it.

I have a bank account but where I was would have had me drive an extra eight miles to the nearest branch. That would have been in the opposite direction than I was going, as well.

I called Western Union and told them that I had a $14.75 money order and couldn't even get their representatives to cash it. Their response was that I could send it back, along with a $15.00 service charge and they would refund the money to me. DUH...how stupid do they think I am? How stupid are THEY to even offer such a service???
It seems the only way I'll get my money is to deposit in my account. So much for being a good thing for people without accounts!

Oh, yeah...I can go to one of the Money Corner stores in the area and pay them another fee for cashing it for me after they already charged my friend for issuing it.

Rick
Arcadia, Florida
U.S.A.