I rarely ever carry cash these days with just about everyone in the consumer market accepting credit or debit cards. However, I often find a single, lonely dollar bill in my wallet and it has become a sort of symbol of charity to me. It makes me think what I would do with my very last dollar? Truth be told, I’d give it away every time and have been doing so for years.
My most memorable last dollar experience happened two years ago on a Fall foliage trip to Vermont with my girlfriend. We had decided to drive along the storied and picturesque Route 100 on our way to a weekend of hiking in Stowe. Somewhere near Killington the traffic slowed for a volunteer firefighter boot drive. I checked my wallet and there was a single dollar bill primed and ready. Surrendering my dollar to the firemen was a no brainer on many levels. My dad was a career fireman and I’ve heard enough stories to appreciate the risks that they take to keep us safe. I thanked them, smiled and we continued on our way to Stowe.
Then an amazing thing happened. We had stopped at a gas station in Waterbury to refuel and I was having an amazingly difficult time getting the pump to work. This seemed a curious predicament especially since I had an MIT sweatshirt on and an engineering degree under my belt. As it turned out, the pump would not accept my card because it was already on. Someone had left with a little over ten dollars still on the pump! My last dollar had turned into ten for me but more importantly it may end up being priceless to someone else…
…I found a single dollar in my wallet this morning while cleaning out some old receipts. I’ll be making a special trip to find a Salavation Army bucket this afternoon because that’s where my last dollar should go this time of year…
Merry Christmas!
-Kayak Dave
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