While I stopped writing for a few weeks recently, life pushed onward. Many stories went unwritten, many tales never shared, but a few gems gleaned from my adventures in ordinary life are worth mentioning. This is one of them: I spent my emergency money on a hot dog and a coke.
It happened at a Costco in Woodbridge, Virginia . I was working, but out-of-the-office for lunch, so a co-worker suggested the big-box store’s little café as a cheap way to fill our bellies.
After visiting their surprisingly immaculate bathrooms, I ordered a foot-long hot dog and a coke. The total bill: $1.50. With the food laid out between the cashier and myself, I thoughtlessly presented my debit card and quickly learned that I needed cash. Unfortunately, that was a problem as my wallet was bare.
Tucked away in hidden corners, however, I keep my emergency money… two five dollar bills. Ten dollars will solve very few emergencies, but in truth, I never thought I would spend them. You see, they’ve been there a very long time.
In 1998, I left home for college with nothing more than two suitcases filled with everything I own… in 1998. A few months into college – in 1998 – I found a five dollar bill folded up and tucked away in hidden corners of my wallet. Every now and then – in 1998, I would take it out and examine the writing around the edges that were unmistakably written by my sister in 1998. It was a little piece of home in a faraway place – in 1998.
(Front)
John's Emergency Money
-Lucky Dollars-
From Big Sister 07-26-98
(Back)Make it all the way without spending this five
Then into the world richer you will arrive.
Four years later, in 2002, I graduated and proudly displayed this five dollar bill from 1998 as proof of my frugality. A few months later, I discovered another five dollar bill (with a whole new look) with another catchy couplet lining its edge tucked away in hidden corners of my wallet.
Sadly, I don’t have a picture of this one, nor do I know what it says. For, after nine long years in my wallet, I spent the five dollar bill, on a hot dog and a coke.
4 comments:
This is so sad. :(
For nine years I've been wondering what you'd decide was important enough to spend your lucky five on. The hot dog wins! I wonder if it tasted better than usual? That other five will be lonely in there now. Maybe you should give him a new playmate. Perhaps a ten (inflation). b
Man.. that was really cool! You took the meaning of emergency money into another level with that years of frugality. Whew! But it's kinda sad that you spent it on a hotdog and soda. Rebecca's ten dollar bill is a great idea! Haha!
Amazing that you held onto it for so long. I once was buying gas somewhere in Mississippi and - after I filled up - realized they didn't take credit cards. I left them with my Driver's License and promised to return. Before I turned out of the parking lot, I remembered the $20 tucked in my wallet behind some pictures. What a great feeling that was!
I'd say, you found an appropriate use for the emergency cash. Food definitely qualifies.
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