Mr. R.’s World of Math

So here’s a story you’re probably not going to believe, but it’s true. I promise you! At least I remember it happening…

It was a long time ago, when I was teaching in a school that was a bit strange, and a bit peculiar (but not nearly as peculiar and strange as the school you’re in right now!)
As I remember, it was a cold, dark morning, and when I came into my classroom everything was perfectly normal. Little did I know that later that day, nothing was going to be normal at all. 
At 8:30, My students arrived for morning meeting and sat down at their desks.
“Hey, what’s that thing hanging from the ceiling?” asked Jenna.
“What thing?” I asked.
“That red rope!” said Jenna.
I looked at the ceiling and saw a red rope hanging down.
“I have no idea,” I said, “I’ve never seen it before.”
“Let’s pull it!” said Jake.
“No, we just don’t go pulling ropes off the ceiling” I said, “Maybe the handyman left it there.”
“Or maybe it’s someone’s birthday balloons,” said Susan. 
“Or maybe it opens a door to another universe,” said José.
“Or maybe it’s an elephant’s tail,” said Chris.
“Or maybe it’s a piece of alien spaghetti…” said Larissa.
“Or maybe it’s a hair from a giant red doll on the roof,” said Nancy.
“Or maybe it’s…”
“STOP!” I yelled at my class, even though I didn’t like to yell at them.
Just as I screamed, Matthew jumped up, ran to the red rope and pulled it.

As soon as Matthew pulled the rope, I thought to myself, I’d pay $14.38 + $18.92 to turn back time to before he pulled the string. How much would I have paid in total?