Friday, December 31, 2010

Pennies from Heaven

There is a saying that a penny saved is a penny earned. But inflation has taken a big bite out of the value of our hard currencies. Even in a recessionary time like now, no one would pick stray coins on the street, particularly the pennies.

The other day, there were many reddish coins strewn all over a parking lot outside a coffee shop. Since I am a firm believer of the good luck these errant copper pieces can bring to the persons who keep them, I, a self-professed penny pincher, decided to put these orphans to some good use. So I bent down and got all of them from the wet ground. Except this time I did not put them into my pocket to add them to my lucky penny jar later. I decided to share my new found fortune with a stranger.

About this person, he might be a panhandler. But I would not say he looked scruffy or unkempt. Somehow he did seem to be by the coffee shop a lot. That day, he was at his usual place, a spot a couple feet from the entrance to the store. In the past whenever I walked by him there after I got my coffee from the shop, he always muttered a few words asking for some spare changes. It surprised me on that day, this individual did nothing to these shining coins either. Perhaps he was not as bad-off as I thought. But he did accept my heavenly offerings with good humor. Hopefully, this humble gesture of mine will bring many good tidings this individual needs so he can live a better life that he deserves. - Ayee

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