The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

Change you can believe in

People have issues with change. And I’m not talking the: we-can’t-be-in-this-long-distance-relationship-anymore-because-you-joined-a-cult-while-I-was-away kind of change.

I’m talking the quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies kind.

This one time I was broke.

Well, often times, lack of money seems to be my main problem. But this time I decided to solve my problem by collecting loose change I found around my house. As I counted it at work, like Scrooge: bent over a desk in deep concentration, muttering numbers inaudibly, occasionally yelling at my frog and rat employees to get back to work, (No, wait, that’s “The Muppet Christmas Carol.”), my fellow work-studier shot me looks of disgust.

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When I mentioned that I was going to use my change to buy coffee that day, she offered to pay me $5 for it, so I wouldn’t; which is ridiculous, because – change counts as money just as much as dollars – she was going to pay me money for my money.

There is one reason I think my co-worker’s anxiety makes sense – the plight of cashiers. I worked at Sara’s for four years, so I feel their pain keenly.

But then, exchanging change is probably no slower than the bank card transaction I usually perform to buy stuff, what with the various steps of showing my I.D., swiping, being cross-examined with a ton of questions on the screen and signing the receipt.

And the annoyance-for-cashiers thing doesn’t explain why vending machines don’t accept some change. Mostly, they seem to hate pennies. Where else am I supposed to use 1 cent?

When I grow up I’m going to open a store where I only accept pennies. Some might say, “Tessy when you grow up, you may not be very successful.” But I’m not drinking that hater-ade. By the way, if you want to buy hater or Gatorade from my store, bring pennies.

Worse than penny-hating machines, are the ones that won’t accept dimes and nickels. Pretty soon the only valuable coin will be a quarter. And I suppose the way I feel about quarters adds to its ego.

When I get a quarter back from a cashier – or just find a quarter – I see real potential.

But the other types of change might feel neglected. So I’m standing up for change.

I say, bring me your dimes, your nickels, your pennies, yearning to be spent.

I’m going to change the world, by changing the way the world sees change.

TESSY PAWLOWSKI

[email protected]

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