Bits of Change: Give a penny, Take a penny February 27, 2008

A couple of weeks ago I was paying for my lunch at a diner and noticed a “Give a penny, Take a penny” dish next to the cash register. Upon receiving my change I dropped a penny in the dish. Now unlike other change deposits, this isn’t a wishing well or a piggy bank-it’s a dish full of pennies to share with one another. I think it’s wonderful that we’re willing to give something to a complete stranger. I understand that it’s only a penny, but it’s still something and the charitable act has lasted for years.

Usually I subconsciously drop a penny or two in the tray, but this time I really started to notice the dishes that were sometimes trays or cups and made of wood, plastic or metal. While paying close attention to the physical penny deposits, I did notice that the there seemed to be a penny shortage (only a few lonely Lincolns were wading in the bottom on the dish). Maybe it was because I was younger and not as observant, but I thought I recalled an overflow of copper. Regardless, it’s still great to see a nice gesture in physical form out in the world. I just hope there are more givers than takers.

I often feel guilty taking a penny (thanks to Quaker school), and what usually happens is that the cashier hands me the penny to use or just takes it for me. Now the next time I have pennies in a transaction, I always try to leave one or two-literally paying it forward for myself and anyone else a penny short from an ice cream cone. On that note, do you ever wonder what your penny is going towards? Hopefully not lottery tickets or cigarettes. Come to think of it, there should be two separate penny trays: “Give a penny, Take a penny for cigarettes and lottery tickets” and another one for everything else.

Here’s to the penny givers. Thanks for helping me out when I came up short. The coffee was delicious, the ice cream was to die for, etc. etc. etc.

I owe you….a penny.