When Ann was little we didn’t leave her out. We always spent some of our bottle collection money on her. But one day she started showin’ up with sodies and candy of her own. That happened afew times. She just said she’d found the money. She said it was layin’ out side on the ground. Pretty soon we got curious. We asked her where. She took us out and pointed to a tree. She said, “There’s always pennies over there.” I went to take a look. I started kickin’ around in the dirt and I found one. I was so surprised. IT WAS A STEELIE. A 1943 steel penny. I stood there lookin’ at it and then . . . my heart sank to my knees. I slammed in the house and ran into our room. I lifted the mattress and reached around for my coin book. I pulled it out and opened it up . . . all the slots were empty. I sat down on the bed. I’d spent years collecting those pennies. That book was almost full. I even had Indian Head pennies and I had a 1909 VDB. I wanted to kill Ann. That penny alone was worth 40 dollars and she’d spent it on a piece of gum.