Pennies and Nickels
“Fawn,” said Spot, coming into the barn from outside. ”What are you doing?”
Fawn was sitting on the barn floor, with his piggy bank in front of him.
”I’m counting up my money,” said Fawn.
”Are you going to buy something?” asked Spot.
”Yes,” said Fawn. “Ricky is going to sell me his CD Player.”
”Are you sure?” asked Spot. “What is Ricky going to do without one? He uses it all the time.”
“He is going to buy a new one,” said Fawn. ”He is going to be working this summer.”
”That’s what I heard,” said Spot. “How much money do you have to pay him?”
”Fifty cents,” said Fawn.
”Are you sure?” asked Spot. ”Fifty cents isn’t a lot of money.”
”I asked Ricky how much he wanted for it,” said Fawn. “He said fifty.”
”Oh boy,” said Spot. “Anyway, how much money do you have?”
”I have forty-four cents,” said Fawn. ”I need a nickel and a penny.”
”Well there goes all my money,” said Spot to herself. ”I don’t think that a CD player is worth only fifty cents.”
Spot went outside to find Ricky, taking her money with her.
”How much are you selling your CD player for?” asked Spot.
“Fifty dollars,” said Ricky.
“That’s what I thought,” said Spot. “Fawn thinks you are selling it for fifty cents. He’s in the barn now, counting his pennies and nickels.”
”Oh my!” exclaimed Ricky.
”Fawn has no concept of money,” said Spot. ”Here, take this fifty dollars and don’t tell Fawn that I paid you for it.”
”Spot I will give the CD player to Fawn,” said Ricky, handing Spot her money back. “You shouldn’t have to buy it for him. Besides, it’s probably my fault anyway. I should have been more clear.”
”Are you sure?” asked Spot.
“Yes,” said Ricky.
Ricky went up to the house and got his CD player and then went to see Fawn.
“So how much money do you have?” asked Ricky.
”44 cents,” said Fawn.
”I’ll tell you what,” said Ricky. “I’ll sell it to you for what you have.”
”Really,” said Fawn. “I am short six cents.”
”That’s okay,” said Ricky.
Later that afternoon, Spot went into the barn to see Fawn.
“Hi Spot!” exclaimed Fawn. “Look, I got my CD player.”
”That’s great,” said Spot.
“Hey Spot,” said Fawn. “Can I borrow some money from you?”
”What for?” asked Spot.
”I’d like to buy some CD’s,” said Fawn.
”Fawn, you are impossible,” said Spot, handing him twenty dollars.
”I only need twenty cents,” said Fawn.
”Believe me,” said Spot. ”You will need the whole twenty dollar bill.”
Fawn thanked Spot for the money and then he went outside. A few minutes later he came back with two CD’s and handed Spot $18.80.
“What’s this?” asked Spot.
“I told you that I only needed twenty cents,” said Fawn.
“How did you buy two CD’s for twenty cents?” asked Spot.
”They were old ones that Jayden had,” said Fawn.
