Letter from a Lonely Penny

Some pennies aren't just found...they aparently have a story to tell! The following is a letter I received from Adam when he gave me his first found penny. Poor, poor little penny!

Leslie:

I wanted to tell you my story and thank you for rescuing me from a life of destruction and despair.
I am a penny. My life has been filled with ups and mostly downs. I was born in the Philadelphia mint, having never met my parents. I was quickly bundled with 49 fellow orphan pennies and shipped to a Bank of America in Miami, Florida. The first six month of my life were glorious; I spent approximately 150 days travelling the hot spots of South Beach. Some of the highlights included changing hands during the purchase of: 16 ice cream cones, 2 thong bikinis, 27 tequila shots, and 14 beers.

Then came October 17, 2002, a day that changed my life forever, and not in a good way. I fell out of the pocket of a pair of board shorts, spending the next three years and twelve days buried in the sand. When I was finally “rescued,” it was by a homeless drug addict. I spent the next year of my life helping to stir heroin as it was being boiled on small squares of tin foil. I can assure you that scars go much deeper than the physical imperfections you see.

November 2006, my “owner” was recruited as a drug mule and given $300 to ride a bus to New York City while carrying a duffle bag full of marijuana. During a 2:00 AM rest stop at the Greyhound bus station in Washington, DC, I thought things would improve when I was accidentally dropped in the parking lot. No such luck, I was picked up by Tonya, a twenty-four year old street walker who was trolling the bus station for johns. Tonya had just earned $25 doing bad things for 30 minutes behind a dumpster. Apparently stumbling across me solidified her good day and made me her “Lucky Penny.”

I fully admit that all pennies are born with the dream of being a Lucky Penny. But they never tell you at the Mint that you might be a Lucky Penny for a two tooth missing, seventh grade finishing, street walking whore named Tonya. But, I digress.

As Tonya’s Lucky Penny, I have witnessed depravity and hardships no penny should have to see. It is far easier to count the mornings I did not cry myself to sleep, Tonya worked at night, than the morning where sleep came easy. I will not lie, I thought about ending it all and drowning myself in a sewer many times. And yes, much of my physical wear and tear is from lying down in a parking lot, hoping a car would put me out of my misery. Alas, it was only days ago that relief finally came. Tonya had just finished a $40 depravity that I will not sicken you with here. When she exited the back of the beat up 1998 Pontiac Grand AM, I fell free, and my journey to redemption began. It was only three days in the alley before I was found by my savior Adam.

Adam has cleaned me up and given me a stable home. The four days in his care have been amazing. I will never forget the hardships, but I have been reminded of the good that also exists in the world. I am so excited and ready to do something positive with my life, helping your cause in any way I can.

Thank you,
One Lonely Penny