Throwing
Pennies
Saw
a man slinging pennies around at a shopping mall. He was outside Sears when I first saw him,
while I was waiting on my wife. I like
to sit in the common areas and people-watch.
One can see all types! Teens texting
on I-phones, mothers strolling with toddlers, old folks getting exercise,
toughs strutting, wolves trolling for babes, …
This gray-haired, old man was reaching
into his backpack, and throwing a small handful of pennies across the floor
when he thought nobody was watching. He
would smile when the little kids found one of the pennies. When the clean-up lady stopped to sweep up
the coins, he would frown, and kind of look away, as if he had nothing to do
with the situation. Sometimes folks
would pick them up, make a wish, and toss them into the mall fountain.
My wife came by and said Belk was
next; I smiled and said I would wait right there. I walked around the fountain and sat beside
the old fart. He smiled and nodded back
when I raised my hand in a gesture of greeting.
I could not help it and began to talk to him, “penny for your thoughts?” He was glad to chat and began to answer my
question about his penny philanthropy.
“I do what I can to make this a
better place. I know I don’t look like
it, but I have a M.B.A. and once worked with Morgan Fargo. I was pretty good, made quite a bundle! But, somehow, I got off track. I really do not know what happened. Maybe I never should have gone into finance … but, I did like to help people with their
retirement plans.”
I asked him how he became the
penny-thrower. What was he doing?! Why did he go around town, taking pennies out
of his backpack, and sling them on the ground, hoping somebody would be helped,
if nothing more than giving them a smile and a wish?
“I thought I was going make
everybody rich while I did my thing as a financial adviser. It seemed to work for a while. But, the company was less interested in
really helping folks with investments, and more interested in helping
themselves to the folks’ investments. I
lost my altruism and became disillusioned.
I decided to party with them and even try a few snorts. That powder is strong stuff and a soul-stealer. I went to some dark places; but, thank the
Lord, I survived and escaped. It must
have been Him that delivered me.”
I was perplexed and amused. I was enjoying the conversation, but
something inside me wanted to understand how he got to be a strange little man
with a bag of pennies. So, I probed
deeper and asked him to explain his funny hobby.
“Well, I was let go from my
job. I have a loving wife who has stood
by me through thick and thin, keeping me together. We do what we can, when we can, if we
can. We give away secret gifts. We have an orphan fund we support … we do
what we can. I cannot solve all the
world’s problems; but I can bring a smile to children and well-wishers! Do you think I am crazy?”
He smiled, got up and walked toward
the exit, dropping pennies as he strolled outside. I thought I heard him say something about a cup of water?!
24
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew
you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you
did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the
ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You
wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and
gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money
with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with
interest. (Mt.25)
“And whoever gives to one of these
little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to
you, he shall not lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42
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