{"seoTitle":"The Old Daddy and His Coins | A Parable About What Things Are Worth","seoDescription":"An old daddy discovers his son taking coins worth pennies but carrying a lifetime of memories. A tender short story about sentimental value and quiet generosity.","keywords":"short story, coin collection, father son, sentimental value, generosity, parenting, family, parable","content":{"p1":"The old daddy returned from his antiquated gym and plodded up the stairs to his bedroom on the top floor of his row home.","p2":"His tall, slim son was rifling through his cabinet.","p3":"\"What are you doing?\" asked the old daddy.","p4":"\"I am looking for coins for my South America trip,\" answered the son.","p5":"\"Oh,\" said the old daddy—still startled by the sight of it all.","p6":"The old daddy entered the bathroom right next to his son, disrobed, and washed his aching body in the shower.","p7":"While he was lathering up, the old daddy thought about his son rifling through his cabinet.","p8":"\"That's my coin collection. I always pick up one or two coins from each place I visit. They're not worth much, but they mean a lot to me,\" he thought as he washed off his left shoulder.","p9":"\"I'm going to ask him which coins he took,\" he thought as he scrubbed his right shoulder.","p10":"Barely out of the shower and wearing nothing but a towel, he yelled out, \"Son, can you come here for a minute?\"","p11":"\"What is it, daddy?\" asked his son.","p12":"\"What coins did you take?\"","p13":"\"Why?\"","p14":"\"Because that's my coin collection and I want to know what you took. Can you bring them to me?\"","p15":"The son shook his head with a frown and went to fetch the coins.","p16":"\"Just put them there for now,\" said the old daddy as he spread the coins out on his dresser.","p17":"There were coins from Paraguay, Chile, and Argentina. Each coin carried a memory and brought a smile over the old daddy's face.","p18":"He recalled many mishaps and many marvels from his travels.","p19":"\"Let me calculate the value.\" All of these coins total €1.50. The most valuable coin is only about eight cents.","p20":"\"What are you going to use these coins for, son? They're only worth €1.50.\"","p21":"\"I was going to use them in case I needed to buy water when we travel into a country or we needed them for some reason.\"","p22":"\"I don't think you'll even be able to buy water with these coins, but they mean a lot to me.\"","p23":"\"Well, if you don't want to give them to me, then don't worry about it. You have a lot of those coins,\" said the son as he shook his head and left the room.","p24":"As planned for mid-afternoon, the old daddy, the son, and his son's girlfriend went to an Indian buffet. On the way, the son and girlfriend walked several paces ahead of the old daddy.","p25":"The buffet was 15 euros per person. The old daddy gladly paid for the girlfriend and the son. The girlfriend ate sparingly, while the son devoured vast portions of naan.","p26":"After exchanging pleasantries with the host, the old daddy paid and left a generous tip. \"Thank you,\" said the old daddy to the host, and \"thank you,\" said the old daddy to his son and girlfriend. They did not know what to say.","p27":"\"Good naan,\" said the son as he walked out, still with a few pieces of naan in his hand and one between his lips.","p28":"As the old daddy walked home, he thought over and over about the coins that his son wanted. They were of little monetary value, but they meant a great deal to him.","p29":"He was going to ask his son's girlfriend if she ever had a collection. \"Maybe then they would understand,\" he thought. But he refrained.","p30":"He went home and gathered half the coins, put them into a small plastic bag, and gave them to his son.","p31":"His son took them with a nod."}}