Memory, Money and Perspective

Somehow I drew a blessing card in Heaven before I came to Earth and got to be born when my grandparents were so young. I grew up with all 4 grandparents and even a great grandma. The year I was born their ages were 64, 60, 59, 48, and 45. I knew them before gray hair and retirement.

I remember a conversation I had once with my maternal grandmother, Grandma Randy, short for Randolyn. She was doing laundry. I was helping match the socks. She dumped a load straight out of the dryer onto the couch. As she was pulling clothes out to fold them, a $10 bill and a few $1's dropped on to the floor. I was little and that was a lot of money to me. I said, "Wow! Who's money is that?"

She smiled and said, "Mine." And stuffed it into her pocket. I looked at the clothes from the load and they were all work pants and jeans, probably my uncles and grandpas. I looked at her with suspicion. She knew what I was thinking and was still smiling at me. She thought this was all funny. My grade school self wondered if my grandma who I thought was a perfect saint was really a thief!

I thought about what to say carefully. I loved her very much and didn't want to accuse her of being anything bad. Plus, she gave me cookies and homemade bread all the time. I didn't want to be rude or wrong. Finally I said, "Grandma, it seems like that money might belong to who's ever pants these are."

She laughed out loud. I was half horrified half confused. I didn't know what to say next. She hadn't answered my question. So I just waited and wondered.

Finally she said, "The rule is who ever does the laundry gets all the money that comes with it. It's like a tip for washing their clothes."

I persisted, "Did they mean to give you the money?" She laughed again. She knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Maybe, maybe not. I've reminded them for years to empty their pockets before they put their pants in the dirty clothes hamper. If they leave the money in their pockets, they must not want it." She was still smiling.

I just thought about it and didn't say more. I did conclude I should keep better track of my own money. I wondered if my mom had the same policy.

Now that I'm the laundry lady at my house with 3 boys of my own I know what my grandma knew. I earn what ever tip they leave. And usually there's no tip. It's usually rocks, matchbox cars, melted crayons what ruin the load or even a dead worm. Yeah, I earn my tips when I get them.

On a related note. The other day we were all driving the car. The boys were fighting. I started a game. A quarter for anyone who spots a monster truck. A dime for fire engine, police car or ambulance. A nickel for yellow car and a penny for a motorcycle. Game over when my coin purse is empty. They were happy and the car was quiet again.

Mike looked at me like I was crazy. "You're just going to pay them to see things?!" (This game would have never been played in Mike's family growing up.) I said, "Sort of. It keeps them quiet and I get all the money back in the wash." Mike chuckled, shook his head and was surprised with my solution to the fighting. I smiled and remembered what my grandma taught me. That was a pretty great blessing card I pulled.

Today is laundry day. Think I'll get a tip?