Change For A Twenty

It seems most customers will give you a twenty dollar bill no matter what the amount of the fare. The first two fares I had today went short, and they did not let me down. They gave me twenties for 5-6 dollar fares. Yikes! That wipes out all of my change (cab drivers do not begin their day with thousands of dollars on us). I went on my third fare.

He is going from Albany and North B to Howard and Mississippi (I could only spell this because of the jingle I learned in 5th grade). I ask him if he has exact change. He says no, he was going to give me a twenty. So we stop at the convenience store at Howard and Morrison. He goes inside, gets some cigs, and comes back. We are set.

When I get him to his house, he hands me a twenty dollar bill! What! We just went to the store. He was a little drunk and said just keep it. I was not trying to rip him off.

When he got out of the cab I looked at it and it was a 1928 twenty gold backed bill. You don't see many of them anymore. I'm not sure how many people have seen the gold backed $20 bill. All I've ever seen were images and the signature was of A.W. Mellon. Is that who I think it is?

I know the driver Joe down on Britton Plazza, he buys old currency. I might a little more than face value.

I have always understood that in time of economic downturn, you will find old currency and coins in circulation. People are desperate.