The Value of Money

Hi, my name is Reet, and this is my story called “The Value of Money.”

Hello, everyone. I have a story to share with you today. It is a personal story about my very early years, around actually 4 years old.

Growing up in a small town named Stratford, one of my earliest memories was being allowed to walk, myself, to a nearby grocery store, about 400 feet from our doorstep.

I had all my pennies and a couple nickels saved in my piggy bank.

I asked my mom if I could take all of my money and buy some candy. Mom agreed, but only if I promised to stay on our side of the street, which was where the grocery store was located.

“Yes, of course,” I said, “I would.” I had been to this grocery store before, but never by myself. Off I went with all my money placed carefully in my front jean pocket.

Opening the door to the grocery store, my eyes immediately went to the candy aisle. I spotted bags of M&M’s, candy bars, gumballs, and my favorite – jellybeans.
I took my time and picked a big, colorful bag of jellybeans – red, green, yellow, black, white. Holding it very close to my body, I walked to the store counter.

Reaching up as far as I could. I was only 4 feet tall, and barely seeing over the countertop, I placed the candy and all of my money from my front jean pocket.
The grocery man was rather old, for I could tell by his posture and all of his wrinkles. Looking scornfully at me, he yelled, “You don’t have enough money to pay for this candy.”
"Whoa. Whoa." Needless to say, I was mortified. I cringed as his voice escalated.

Just as I started pulling my money back to me, a tall, very tall, black haired young man emptied his front jean pocket of coins onto the counter, and said to the grocery man, “Give the kid what she wants.”
My heart started to beat rapidly. I then heard the grocery man say, “He’s paying for you. Say thank you.”
I turned, looked way up, and whispered, “Thank you.”

Fast forward 34 years. I worked as a department manager for Caldors in Brookfield, another small town located in the southwestern Fairfield County of Connecticut.

In a strip mall with a sandwich/ice cream shop. Rarely I would take my lunch with my colleague, Edy. And on this particular, hot August day, we decided to go there. We chatted, ate, laughed and finished our meal.
As I was stepping away from the table, the attached bell rang on the door. In came a girl, age around 7 years, blond hair, face streaked with sweat and dirt.
She walked over, placed a dollar bill on the counter, and asked for 1 chocolate ice cream cone.

Immediately, the clerk looking at the money, yelled, “You don’t have enough money for the ice cream cone.”
“Whoa. Whoa.” I said to myself, as I reached into my pocketbook, took out a couple of bills, and said, “Give the kid what she wants.”
Edy witnessed the goings on, and said “Reet, you’re a good person.”

Responding, I said, “No Edy, I am just repaying a debt.”

Experiences, no matter how small, can change you. This changed me. I am 74 years old now, and I never, never leave the house without enough money, because you never know what that bag of jellybeans will cost.
This lives with me today.

By Reet