All that glitters
What follows is my story for “Jumping off Places hosted by Linda at atticreflections.blogspot.com . Please join in the fun and enjoy my little tale.
The coupon fluttered out of her hand and landed among a sea of legs. She had worked hard cutting and clipping for what seemed like hours. A Penny saved is a penny earned. Isn’t that what her mother had always told her?
Now it was gone, the one coupon that was worth more than all the others. $2.00 off! So what if she never bought this brand of soup; and she didn’t care if she had to buy three cans. It was double coupon day and it would be practically free with the coupon. How could she pass up that?
People stepped and moved. She was on her knees but why was it so important to her? She asked herself again. Do I really need this coupon? Do I really need something, I don’t really need?
Yes, yes, yes, the answer came back at her. She grabbed at it and all at once it was in her hands. Triumphantly she took the cans of soup up to the register along with the rest of her purchases. She paid and left the store.
She returned home, picked up her mail and went inside. Lugging the bags to her kitchen pantry she opened the door and bags and packages spilled out of the packed cabinet onto the floor, as well as an errant box of pasta that whacked her on the head. What was she thinking; she didn’t use any of this stuff. She made a good living, she didn’t need to scrimp and save. She didn’t need to hoard. Guilt stabbed at her gut.
Disgusted with her obsession, she turned to the mail. Sitting on top of the stack was a letter from the food bank asking for donations. That was the last straw. She was getting the message loud and clear. Sorry mom I’ve earned enough pennies today, she thought.
She put the mail down and sifted through her purse for her keys. She went out to the garage and got some cardboard boxes and filled them with groceries, got in the car and drlve to the local food bank.
She carried the boxes in and laid them on the counter.
“A donation.” She said
“Thank you, we are always in need of donations.” the girl remarked.
“I got really great deals on all this stuff.”
“Great, said the girl, a penny saved is a penny earned.”
This is a lovely story! Hoarding and a release for the hoarder! Wonderful! Thanks again for participating in JOP - Jumping Off Places!!!
ReplyDeleteI think I can see myself in this story. Maybe it's time to head to the food bank. Good insight Crystal. :-D
ReplyDeleteGreat story, I see a bit of myself in this story also, like my sister Maddy - we all must have been raised in the same era. It also brought to mind the saying "Waste Not, Want Not".
ReplyDeleteExcellent Crystal! My mom always says that and she also says what Marlene just stated, "Waste not, Want Not.: Have a great one!
ReplyDeleteGreat story! I stopped clipping coupons when I found myself buying things I didn't want or need for the savings? LOL
ReplyDeleteGreat insightful story! One many a foodbank would love to see told I bet.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your thought provoking stories. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love how this one kinda twisted around on itself...
ReplyDeleteA beautiful story about how we put the bait to consume almost always unnecessarily.
ReplyDeleteI love your stories, too! You are very good at writing! and DRAWING! xo
ReplyDeletehave a great sunday, crystal!
Cool story thanks for sharing I smiled at the end yay mothers are always there even when there not!
ReplyDeleteLove Dawn xx
And so it goes...nothing wrong with saving a penny for someone else! Particularly when they might lack even a penny!
ReplyDeleteReally nice story. I love the 'sea of legs' imagery as she tries to find her legs with this obsession. I am horrible with coupons unless they are for dog food, yogurt or toilet paper because, like you so aptly pointed out, so many of them are for things I just to need. Why save $2 bucks on $5 worth of stuff I don't need if I can just save the $3 bucks by not buying it at all. Good insight.
ReplyDelete