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This writing was accepted for publication in the 84 page perfect-bound issue... cc&d magazine (v215) (the December 2010 Issue) |
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The Hundred Dollar Bill
Anne Turner Taub
Penny Anderson loved browsing in thrift shops. Her friend Marlee laughed at her and claimed that was her way of getting therapy cheaply. Penny grinned as she let it slide off her back and went merrily on thrift-shopping whenever she had the opportunity.
Today, she was looking at children’s books, not that Scott, her ll-year old, ever interrupted the serious occupation of watching television cartoons to read a book. But hope springs eternal in the heart of every mother of a pre-teen.
While she was skimming through titles, she spotted an illustrated book based on an interesting idea—what the author imagined Jesus was like as an 8-year old. Well, that was intriguing but a little young for Scott or her l3-year old daughter, Melanie. She began looking at other books, but something drew her back to the book on Jesus. The picture on the cover was really tastefully done—8-year old Jesus holding a dove with a broken wing—but it just wouldn’t do for her children. Again she turned away, and again she found her gaze slowly turning back to the book. She was not very religious—true, she went to church on holidays, or when she needed a favor from God—but she did not understand why she was being drawn back to that children’s book.
Oh well, she thought, it might be interesting to look at it anyway. She opened the book, and on the flyleaf was a written inscription, “To Mark and Matthew on Your Eighth Birthday. Enjoy This Book. You will find it rewarding in many ways. Love, Aunt Sally.”
Penny smiled wistfully—it was dated twenty years earlier! These boys had obviously been twins. What had life been like for them all these years? Had the book really turned out to be rewarding? It really was a lovely gift. Maybe she should buy it and save it until an 8-year old appeared on the horizon. She looked through the pages slowly. She had to admit the drawings were beautifully illustrated—and then, she received a sudden shock. She literally could not believe her eyes. In the middle of the book was a very flattened out $l00 bill. At first she thought it was play money, but no, it was a very real, very old $l00 bill.
When Penny had recovered from the surprise, she could pretty well guess what had happened. The boys had never even opened their birthday present, and the bill had just lain there all these years.
Well, what should she do with the $l00? Whom did it rightfully belong to? There was no address. And twenty years had gone by. Whom could she contact? She decided to buy the book—that was the least she could do. And since it was now hers, she would treat herself to something wonderful. There was a dress she was dying to purchase but she had always felt it was too expensive. They needed so much money for other things—the house and their living expenses, not counting saving up for college for the children.
But this was something special. And it should be spent on something special, very special. She would buy that dress!
When she got home, she called her friend Marlee to tell her the good news. Marlee was thrilled with her find, and asked Penny whom she would give it to.
“I’m not giving it to anyone. It’s mine.” Penny became fretful. She was entitled to this. She loved Marlee. She felt Marlee was the kindest, most giving person in the world, but she was very religious, and sometimes her total devotion to “brotherly love” really got to Penny.
“Don’t you see?” said Marlee, “You found it in a children’s book on Jesus. You have to use it to help children.”
“No, I don’t,” Penny squirmed. Sometimes she found herself becoming very annoyed with Marlee when she got all moralistic like this. “I save constantly. All the money we have goes for living expenses and for the children. I think I am entitled to something for myself.”
“But this would be doing something for yourself, don’t you see that? You would love yourself for helping a child have a better life.”
“Goodbye, Marlee.” Penny hung up abruptly. Why did people always have to rain on her parade?
She went to the dress shop and bought the dress. The saleswoman commented on how well it looked on her. I am not going to let Marlee spoil this for me, Penny thought, as she admired herself in the mirror.
When she got home, her husband Tom was already back from work, reading a newspaper. She put on the new dress, and said, “Honey, how do you like it?”
Tom looked up, took off his glasses, “Like what?”
“My new dress. Do you like it?”
“Yes, it’s very nice, but don’t you have another one just like it?” He went back to reading.
A little disappointed, Penny went into the den, where her daughter Melanie was watching a sit-com. “How do you like my new dress, Melanie?”
Melanie answered without taking her eyes off the screen, “It’s nice. I like your blue one a lot better.”
“Do you really mean that? You didn’t even look at it.”
“Yes, I did. I saw it when you came in the room. It’s very nice. I just think you could have done better. By the way, Susie Bardis just had a baby.”
The change of thought put Penny into a double-take whirl, but when she recovered, she said, “Susie? She’s only a child herself.”
“She is not a child. She’s l3, just like me, except she’s a week and two days older. And she’s a slut.”
“Please do not use that word. It’s a terrible word and I am sure it’s not true.”
“Well, she looks like one. She only wears clothes that are raggedy hand-me-downs, and they are either too big or too small. Besides, half the time she looks like she’s been beaten with a coal shovel.”
“You mean, she actually comes to school with bruises on her body? Who would do that to her?”
“Mom, don’t you know anything? Her parents are dead and she lives with her stepfather who drinks like a fish 99.9% of the time. When he’s plastered, watch out. He’ll smash anything or anybody that’s in his way.”
“Melanie, your language has gotten atrocious. Watch yourself, young lady.”
“All right, Mom, but I am right in the middle of a good part, and I want to see this. Anyway, he threw her out when she had the baby.” Her eyes were once again riveted to the screen.
Penny was appalled. “Where did she go? Who is taking care of her and the baby?”
“Mom, please have some mercy. I am missing the best part.”
Pausing for a commercial, she deigned to continue, “She’s living in that shelter place, you know, over on Wilson and Harcross.”
“Oh, you mean the Baylor Home for Unwed Mothers.”
No answer. The “best part” was on again.
The next day Penny “accidentally” walked past the Baylor Home several times, hoping to run into Susie. Marlee will be proud of me, she was thinking, I am going to do a good deed.
Finally, she spotted Susie, holding her baby tightly, and running towards the Home. Penny caught up with them just as Susie had her foot on the first step.
“Hi, Susie, Melanie told me you have a new baby. I have a fine baby carriage left over from when Scott was born. I’d love you to have it. It’s in excellent condition.” Penny felt very pleased with herself.
Susie turned on her. “I don’t need no pity and no charity from nobody. I live at this shelter now, but as soon as I can get a job I’m going to pay them back.” With that she fled up the stairs.
Penny was totally stunned. Where did a child with her background and miserable home life get the pride and integrity to feel that way? A wave of insight washed over her.
That afternoon, Penny returned the dress, and sent the money anonymously to Susie, in care of the Baylor Home, with the stipulation that it could only be spent on something new.
Penny somehow suddenly found herself getting very involved as a volunteer in the church’s activities helping needy children. She never told Marlee what she had done with the $l00 bill. For some reason which she herself did not understand, she just felt it would be too embarrassing.
A few days later, Susie’s stepfather had a little too much to drink beyond the little too much to drink he normally had. He tried to start a fight with the front of a trailer truck, but the truck won the argument. The next day Susie and her baby daughter, wearing brand new matching outfits, came to the funeral. People commented on how cute they looked together.
