Letters to a New Generation
A Funny Exchange
Yesterday, the girl who sits next to me in one of my classes asked if I had a quarter.
"No," I replied, sorry. But then I remembered that I had some leftover money after buying new art supplies. "Actually, I think I might." I dug around in my bag until I found one.
"Here it is!" I handed the coin over with a smile.
"Thank you, you're so nice!" She turned around to continue talking with her friend.
"It's fine," I said, feeling a bit conflicted. I had acted without thought and handed over money. Even if it wasn't much, I was always taught not to lend money to people. But I reasoned with myself that I wasn't lending money, I was giving it and expecting nothing in return. So it wouldn't matter if I got nothing in return.
The next day the same girl was absent.
"Her boyfriend's gone today too," her friend snickered.
I smiled. I never really liked the girl, never really respected her. But it wasn't like I hated her. Not at all.
Later that day, after the bell rang and school let out for the weekend, I was walking briskly along a crowded hallway. The friend of the girl I had given the quarter to was walking a bit in front of me. A quarter fell out of her pack and rolled across the floor and past my feet.
I didn't pick it up. And I'm not sure what that means. But I am sure funnier things have happened in the world.
"No," I replied, sorry. But then I remembered that I had some leftover money after buying new art supplies. "Actually, I think I might." I dug around in my bag until I found one.
"Here it is!" I handed the coin over with a smile.
"Thank you, you're so nice!" She turned around to continue talking with her friend.
"It's fine," I said, feeling a bit conflicted. I had acted without thought and handed over money. Even if it wasn't much, I was always taught not to lend money to people. But I reasoned with myself that I wasn't lending money, I was giving it and expecting nothing in return. So it wouldn't matter if I got nothing in return.
The next day the same girl was absent.
"Her boyfriend's gone today too," her friend snickered.
I smiled. I never really liked the girl, never really respected her. But it wasn't like I hated her. Not at all.
Later that day, after the bell rang and school let out for the weekend, I was walking briskly along a crowded hallway. The friend of the girl I had given the quarter to was walking a bit in front of me. A quarter fell out of her pack and rolled across the floor and past my feet.
I didn't pick it up. And I'm not sure what that means. But I am sure funnier things have happened in the world.