This morning I found a lucky penny from 1997. It was face up in space number 50 in our parking garage. My spot, 51, is squeezed in between number 50 and an enormous cement pole. I only found the penny because I was staring down at the glistening broken glass spread all over the ground.
Instantly I checked my ride. My Honda was fine aside from the remnants of a massive bird that had flown over it the day before. Maybe getting dowsed with bird poop really is a blessing.
Apparently three cars were broken into last night. My neighbor, at least my parking garage neighbor, has a car seat for their baby in the back row. What kind of jerk breaks into a car with a baby seat?
While at work today I was concerned that the thieves were after said baby seat. Maybe they had taken it along with some diapers and the stereo. I imagined befriending my parking garage neighbors and having a fundraiser to get them a replacement. We’d become pals. Maybe I’d occasionally baby-sit for some extra cash.
Thankfully the baby's car seat was still there when I returned from work this afternoon. Unfortunately their front passenger window was not.
But back to my lucky penny from 1997. Thank goodness for 1997. That year I could finally buy my own booze, we got President Clinton for a second term, and the first Harry Potter was published. Of course, that same year Dolly the sheep was cloned, Bill Berry left R.E.M. after suffering a brain aneurysm, and Willem de Kooning died.
Here’s one of my favorite de Kooning paintings.
Seated Woman, c. 1940.
I’ll put my lucky penny with my two other favorite Indian Head Pennies from 1893 and 1904. I’ve had them in my coin collection since I worked at Drug Emporium during my high school days. I am amazed by what some people let slip out of their wallets. These are worth at least a dollar each by now!
Indian Head Pennies were circulated from 1859 to 1909. If you come across one from 1877 I’ll give you ten bucks for it.
Out of curiosity I looked over the events from 1893 and 1904. The highlights? On May 10, 1893, the United States Supreme Court legally declared the tomato to be a vegetable. On April 24, 1904, Willem de Kooning was born.
