DAD
If you see a penny you need to pick it up son, always.
SON
Why? It’s just a penny.
DAD
It’s not just a penny. It’s the principal of the matter son.
SON
How do you mean Dad?
DAD
Well ok, let’s put it like this:
Billions of people all over the world spend most of their lives slogging their guts out for their entire adult lives to earn a bit of money so they can live….
SON
Ok…
DAD
We all have to work, and if you’re very very lucky, you might get to do something you enjoy for a living. This, however, only applies to a tiny percentage of the global population.
Bearing that in mind, there is a significant amount of frivolous overspending, excessive borrowing, waste and wretched consumerism in some parts of the world, in stark contrast to the poorest of the poor – people with literally nothing. Aspirational television, ‘celebrity’ worship and distasteful opulence are all plagues on modern society, making those with little or no money and possessions feel perpetually downtrodden and hopeless.
The poorest in society have to scrimp, save, improvise, recycle, reuse, borrow, and have a generally frugal existence. Every penny counts to them. By walking past free money on the floor and not picking it up you are indirectly doing them a disservice. You owe it to yourself and the struggling masses to pick it up.
SON
Shit, I wish I’d never asked now, I was only being polite!
This is interesting as it could go several ways if developed. Is his dad just justifying keeping money off the street or should he really be teaching the boy to give to charity?
ReplyDeleteWell I would love to develop it further, I might come back to it later. It is obviously quite ambiguous at this stage! The father is highly opinionated and dogmatic, but I don't think he's necessarily instilling a sense of charity in his son. Arguably, by telling his son to take something that isn't his (even though it's only a penny) he is actually replicating the type of behaviour he detests. You've got me thinking now!
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