I remember seeing, at least once, a sign upon entering a small community, “Home of 5000 nice people and I old grouch.” It took me up to the last morning in Branson to find one, perhaps two old grouches. I was buying ice and gassing up the truck. When I went to check out the bill was $4.07. I had a ton of change in my truck but none on my person. I looked hopefully at the Add a Penny – Take a Penny display. There were at least ten pennies there. “No sir.” The cashier warned. That’s take a penny, not seven pennies.” Although it seemed reasonable that there be a limit on taking pennies, seven didn’t seem to me to be it.
She gave me my change and I put the pennies I received into the jar. “Maybe you can be more generous to the next person whose a bit short,” I said. She just grunted. I had found my old grouch.
I returned to the truck and then to the condo. I then took the car for gassing up to the same place. I took dozens of pennies out of my penny place in the truck. I was going to show her. I bought gas and went inside to buy some car fragrance. Traveling can sure stink up a vehicle. I was ready to dump the pennies dramatically and pointedly in the jar. Sadly the old grouch was on break and some young man probably will wonder for years about the old grouch who dumped a handful of pennies into the Take A Penny jar.
Yes even Branson has at least one old grouch. Maybe it has two. But one leaving town and headed home, maybe it’s a bit past time.
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