Day #408 - Take it or Leave it

Another month on the Penny Tale calendar of completed squares!

This morning Doc tried to entice me once again to go out to breakfast with him. I told him I needed to get the term papers graded by noon - he should go out alone. He returned with a haul. And he wrote it down because I did not want to be interrupted from my work. Let’s see what his Love Note has to say:

Sparky and I went for a Sunday drive and stroll.

First stop - Claremont High School. Found one quarter and one penny under a table. (Coins #1&2). We then found a quarter, penny and dime under the bleachers (Coins #3-5). There was a penny at the edge of the tennis court. (Coin #6). Sparky found 2 pennies next to trash cans (one of his favorite places to search). (Coins #7&8). One more penny in the parking lot. (Coin #9).

Second stop - Starbucks drive thru

Coffee plus 2 dimes and 2 pennies (Coins #10-13).

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This afternoon we were out of dog food, so we headed out for an urgent supply run. Just for a few moments of fun (and coins) we stopped at the Farmer’s Market where I immediately found a dime. Yipee! (Coin #14 of the day - but first one for me).

At the grocery store I spotted a dime as we walked in. There were customers and employees working and walking all around it. Too crowded. Take it or Leave it? So I searched the check out lanes while waiting for a break in traffic. Found a penny. (Coin #15). I was finally able to swoop in for the dime (Coin #16). While we were in the milk area, Doc looked down the paper goods aisle and spotted a penny from about 50 ft. I was sent to fetch it. There was a gentleman standing over it. Take it or Leave it? The man looked really nice, so I just smiled and said, “Hi! If you don’t mind, I’d like to get that penny you are standing over.” He replied, “Sure! But I would have picked it up if I would have noticed it”. I gave him a Penny Card and thanked him for being part of the Day #408 Penny Tale. Shared the story and told him about Penny Smiles. He said, “Well you got one from me!” Joy shared. (Coin #17)

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Doc next insisted upon stopping for coffee at the 7-11 store. I found a penny by the door as we walked in. Doc seemed to take forever making up his coffee cocktail. I didn’t see any coins. However, Doc said “What about the two pennies under the register counter”? Even after he pointed to them I initially didn’t see them! (Coins #18-20)

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I had the coins in front of me as I typed today’s Tale. I could remember each of the coins I found, so I thought I did not need to listen to my voice recorded notes. As I was erasing the messages, I came across this one:

“We are stopped at a red light and making a left turn. There is a police car in front of us. Doc just said, “I suppose if I see a penny in the Median I should probably not jump out of the car to get it under these circumstances, correct?” But he couldn’t help just looking out his window. Sure enough … there was a Median penny! Take it or Leave it?

Total: 20 Coins P (13), N (0), D (5), Q (2) = $1.13

We have choices to make every day - Take it or Leave it.

That can be applied to so many situations. As I am writing this note to you, there are many things I’d like to avoid. Unresolved issues which beckon my attention. As I am teaching my students - procrastination, ignoring situations, turning a blind eye, hiding under a rock … none of those techniques are very effective in resolving or improving things. Often the things we dread aren’t as bad as what we fear. Time to tackle them!