音频下载[点击右键另存为][00:01.31]Passage 16. Passing on Small Change

[00:05.36]The pharmacist handed me my prescription,apologized for the wait,

[00:10.50]and explained that his register had already closed.

[00:13.45]He asked if I would mind using the register at the front of the store.

[00:17.17]I told him not to worry and walked up front,

[00:20.01]where one person was in line ahead of me,

[00:22.64]a little girl no more than seven, with a bottle of medicine on the counter.

[00:26.69]She clenched a little green and white striped coin purse closely to her chest.

[00:32.05]The purse reminded me of the days when, as a child,

[00:35.88]I played dress-up in my grandma’s closet.

[00:38.18]I’d march around the house in oversized clothes,

[00:41.46]drenched in costume jewelry and hats and scarves,

[00:44.96]talking “grownup talk” to anyone who would listen.

[00:47.59]I remembered the thrill one day when I gave a pretend dollar to someone,

[00:52.08]and he handed back some real coins for me to put into my special purse.

[00:56.34]“Keep the change!”he told me with a wink.

[00:58.42]Now the clerk rang up the little girl’s medicine,

[01:01.71]while she shakily pulled out a coupon, a dollar bill and some coins.

[01:06.18]I watched her blush as she tried to count her money,

[01:09.14]and I could see right away that she was about a dollar short.

[01:12.86]With a quick wink to the clerk,

[01:15.05]I slipped a dollar bill onto the counter and signaled the clerk to ring up the sale.

[01:19.42]The child scooped her uncounted change into her coin purse,

[01:23.15]grabbed her package and scurried out the door.

[01:25.55]As I headed to my car, I felt a tug on my shirt.

[01:29.27]There was the girl, looking up at me with her big brown eyes.

[01:33.32]She gave me a grin, wrapped her arms around my legs for a long moment

[01:37.26]then stretched out her little hand.

[01:39.01]It was full of coins.“Thank you,” She whispered.

[01:41.31]“That’s okay,” I answered.

[01:43.17]I flashed her a smile and winked,“Keep the change!”