May 21, 2015

This morning started off with a 16 cent day.

I found my first three nickles in front of a bodega on Albany, not far from St. Marks.  As I crossed the street, I noticed something shiny.  I looked and noticed a nickle.  I picked it up.  As I was bent over, I noticed two more.  Standing in front of the Bodega were three men smoking.  

A block later, I found a penny in front of a run down brownstone.  

I moved to Bed-Stuy Brooklyn in early March.  I walk to work most days.  My walk is about 2.5 miles.  My first few weeks, I was walking around snow and ice.  I would scan the ground in front of me to make sure I wasn't going to slip.  I noticed that there were pennies on the ground in many spots.  I started picking them up.  For my first six weeks, I picked up money every day.  Two days, I found crumpled dollars.  

When my brother, his wife, my niece and nephew came on a Friday, I told them we'd find them each a penny for their bank.  Sure enough, walking just the half mile to get tacos, four of the five of us found pennies.  The kids had each found two.  On the way back, we found a time and a chuckee cheese token (the kids loved that).  www.chuckecheese.com

I explained to the kids that these were pennies from heaven.  God was raining money down on us.  Each time we picked up a penny or money, we had to pick it up and say, "thank you Jesus."  I also secretly think it's my grandma in heaven sending me messages.  She died in January.  I think my Grandpa is up there too helping.  He used to yell at us kids when he found pennies in our dirt driveway on the farm.  He would say,"these things add up, you know!"  We would roll our eyes and giggle.  Now I find myself saying the same thing.  

In front of work, the other day, there was a fruit cart.  The owner was sitting on a five gallon bucket in front of the cart staring at the ground.  Right in front of him, was a shiny, new copper penny.  I picked it up and gave it to him.  It made me laugh that a fruit vendor who is making pennies, would leave a penny on the ground.  

I guess it's interesting to me to think about how much is left here.  Many days, I am finding pennies that are green or tarnished with age.  I'm not looking that hard either.  Pennies are the main thing.  I've also found all other types of coins, both American and international.