It's Just a Penny

I was standing in line at Dunkin’ Donuts the other day for my billionth cup of coffee and when the man in front of me received his change, he dropped a penny. I said, “Excuse me sir, you dropped your penny,” and he shrugged and did that little flip of the wrist that says, “It doesn’t matter" (or in some cases says you're flamboyantly gay). What’s that about? Are you too good for the penny? It took at least another minute for his donut and coffee to arrive thus giving him plenty of time to pick it up and a little too much time to look like a jackass (in my opinion). After he walked away, I picked up the penny and put it in the tip jar.

I think there is a divide among people; those that pick up pennies and those that don’t. Separating these two groups even more are the reasons behind the decision to pick up or not to pick up. Maybe the man was embarrassed to publicly make it known that he needs a penny, that he is financially unstable. Maybe he thought that someone else deserved it and leaving it was his way of giving charity. Maybe he was Michael Jordan and mathematically speaking, it really wasn’t worth his time to pick up the penny (although I should hope I don’t think Jordan is a short white guy).

I will admit, for one reason or another, I don’t want people to see me picking up a penny, but damnit! it adds up. My boyfriend picks up every penny he sees…covered in sludge, stuck to the ground, he’s “picked up some scurvy pennies!” as he would say. When he gets inquisitive looks he tells people it’s for good luck.

I guess there’s nothing really to conclude about all this, I just thought I would share the observation and encourage you to pick up pennies, nobody is above it.

D.Riggs

Small Thing: My day (and my friend Timmy’s) can be made by reading the “Stars are Just Like Us” section in US Weekly. (“They make the call signal with their hand!”)