Tuesday
The most majestic kit
I saw the Glitter-Explosion Science Kit at the store. Three types of neon sand, a volcano mold and space-pilot goggles. I put it in the cart. Mom took it out.
I told her to just use the card, because the card has all the money on it. She said the card only moves money she earned from her job. That didn't make sense. If we didn't have enough paper money, couldn't we just make more?
Wednesday
I fixed the family economy
I got my best markers and drew One Eva Dollar bills. Then a One Million Eva Dollar bill with Barnaby on it. I was the richest eight-year-old in town. Tilly ate one.
Dad looked at my pile and asked a question: if he printed a billion coupons for one free hug from Dad, would his hugs be worth more, or less?
The kitchen, same night
The Big Truth
Dad said every dollar is a promise that somebody did real work. He trades his time and his work, and they pay him for it. Paper with grape marker on it is just paper with grape marker on it.
Even Tilly knew. She'd only been using hers for chewing.
The next day
I had to trade my time
Mom said if I really wanted it, I had to earn it myself. Her worst job in the world is pairing socks. I rolled them into perfect little sushi rolls. It took forever.
She gave me five dollars. I held it for a long time. It wasn't just paper. It was stored-up Eva Energy.
Three weeks later
Socks, weeds and one very wet car
I matched socks. I weeded the garden, which is pulling on the earth's hair. I helped wash the car and Dad got soaked. On Friday night I counted: five, ten… twenty-five!
Tilly tried to add her board book to the pile. Thanks, Tilly. But that's not money.
Saturday
Ta-da!
We went back to the store. It was still there. I paid for it myself, with every one of my twenty-five dollars, and I carried it out with my own two hands.
Then I sang about it. You'll see.
