多余的零钱

By+Anonymous

My morning routine includes stopping at the local convenient store to pick up the daily news.

One morning not long ago， the convenience of the convenient store proved inconvenient to the folks stuck in line behind two small boys. As I approached the counter to pay the attendant， I noticed the two little guys standing at the front of line—a line that was growing longer by the minute.

The young man behind the counter was clearly agitated with the boys as his voice rose above the morning chatter in the store and he said to them，“Look， you guys need nineteen cents more to pay for this candy. If you dont have them， you dont get it. Now， what are you going to do？”

I watched， as the small boys seemed to shuffle from one foot to another without uttering a word， just staring at the attendant， their wide eyes filling with tears.

The folks waiting impatiently in line began to complain loudly，“Lets go， fellas！”

Suddenly， I felt overwhelmed to intervene on their behalf.

“Ive got the nineteen cents，”I shouted above the noise and commotion.“Take this dollar for my paper and keep the change towards their candy.”

The attendant seemed relieved to have the matter settled.

Everyone in the line turned to eyeball the loudmouthed lady with the exception of the two small boys who quickly snatched the candy and exited the store.

I handed over the dollar， smiled at the attendant and left.

As I made my way to my car， a small voice called out to me，“Hey， lady！”

I turned to see one of the boys peering from around the corner of the building.“That was pretty cool！”

He was gone. I supposed it was a“thank you”of sorts and I was content to think that I would be the topic of their small conversation that morning. I was the“cool lady”who saved the day by paying for their candy in an otherwise hectic and uncaring world. I imagined them giving each other high fives in my memory. It made me smile to think that my small gesture had brightened their little world， if only for a moment.

By the time that I arrived at my own store， I was basking in my good deed and wanted to sharemystorywithmy customers.

When I finished telling the story to a small group of girls， one of my customers turned towards me and said，“I like to do little things like that， too. When I stop to get my morning coffee， everyday， I place a penny in the parking lot or on the sidewalk—heads up. Sometimes I sit in my car and watch to see if anyone finds it. It always makes people smile and it makes my day， too. Ive been doing it for years.”

I couldnt speak. It does make you smile to find a penny heads up in the parking lot. Maybe I had been one of the recipients of her gifts.

She shyly admitted that she hadnt told a single soul before today. How noble that was！ And here I was， bragging about my generosity. I humbled myself and decided to forgo sharing my morning episode with anyone else.

That afternoon on my way home， I stopped to get a coffee at the local donut shop. As I left the store， I noticed a shiny heads！up penny on the sidewalk.

Instead of bending down to pick it up， I knelt and placed a penny next to it. Heads up， of course. After all， pennies are gifts from angels and angels always smile when we share our spare change.

我每天早上都會在当地的便利店门口停下，买当天的报纸。

不久前的一个早上，对排在两个小男孩后面的人们来说，便利店的便利性不复存在了。来到柜台向收银员付款时，我注意到队伍前面站着两个小家伙。随着时间的推移，队伍变得越来越长。

柜台后面的年轻人明显已经对那两个男孩不耐烦了。他提高的声音，盖过了早上商店里人们的闲谈声。他对男孩们说：“看着，你们需要再付19美分才能买这块糖果。如果你们没有钱，就不能买。现在，你们打算怎么办？”

我看着两个小男孩，他们只是盯着收银员，大眼睛里充满了泪水，站着的脚来回挪动，却一个字也说不出来。

队伍里等得不耐烦的人们开始大声抱怨起来：“伙计们，让我们先结账吧！”

突然，我忍不住想要代他们出头。

“我有19美分。”我用比人们的嘈杂和喧闹更大的声音喊道，“这一美元买一份报纸，剩下的零钱给他们付糖果的钱。”

事情解决了，收银员看起来松了一口气。

队伍里的每个人看着两个小男孩一把抓过糖果离开商店之后，都转而盯着我这个大声说话的女士。

我将一美元递过去，冲收银员笑了笑，离开了。

在我走向自家车子的路上，一个小小的声音喊住了我：“嘿，女士！”

我转过头去，看到其中一个小男孩在大楼的拐角那儿凝视着我：“糖果超甜！”

他走了。我想那算是一种感谢吧，想到我将成为他们那天早上聊天的话题，我感到很满意。在这个繁忙和漠然的世界里，我为他们的糖果付钱，拯救了他们的一天，这多酷啊！我在头脑中想象着他们互相击掌的情形。我的一个小举动点亮了他们小小的世界，哪怕只是一小会儿。想到这里，我笑了。

到达自己店里的时候，我还为自己做的好事感到乐滋滋的，想要和顾客们分享我的故事。

我向一小群女孩讲完这个故事后，一个顾客转向我说：“我也喜欢做那样的小事。每天早上我停下来去买咖啡时，都会在停车场或者人行道上放一美分———正面朝上。有时我会坐在车里，看看有没有人发现它。它总是能让人们微笑，也能给我带来幸福。我做这件事已经有几年时间了。”

我哑口无言。在停车场发现一枚正面朝上的硬币确实能让人微笑。或许我也曾是她礼物的接受者之一。

她羞怯地承认道，在今天之前，她从未对任何人提起过。那多么高尚啊！我却在这里吹嘘我的慷慨。我自愧不如，决定不再与任何人分享我早上的经历。

那天下午回家的路上，我在一家甜甜圈店停下来买咖啡。离开商店的时候，我注意到人行道上有一枚正面朝上、闪闪发光的硬币。

我没有弯腰去捡起它，而是跪下来，在它的旁边放了一枚硬币。当然，也是正面朝上的。毕竟，硬币是来自天使的礼物，而我们分享多余的零钱时，天使总是在微笑的。