51 Cents

No, it's not an incorrect reference to the rapper 50 Cent.

51 Cents is the amount of my latest residual check from Gods and Generals.

It's as if I'm in an episode of Seinfeld.

I was pretty excited to see the envelope as it used to mean a decent amount of money was enclosed. And it was always unexpected - a surprise. Kind of like found money. Imagine my surprise at the amount!

I mean, what can you get for 51 cents nowadays? I can't ride the metro - but I can transfer from metro to a bus with that. I can't buy a pack of gum - but I can get a gumball or two. I can't get anything in a vending machine! I can get only ONE first class stamp, but at least I get that. I'm seriously considering this and coming up empty handed - I got nothing. The check is hardly worth the paper it's printed on. I dare say it isn't even worth the paper it's printed on!

And depositing it is just damn funny. Imagine being the teller and having to punch in a whopping 51 cents into my account.

But deposit it I will, cause as the expression goes: I need every penny I can get! And as my grandfather used to say, "Save your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves."