Thrifty

One, two, three, four. My wallet has enough dollars to buy a cup of drip coffee and a glazed, old-fashioned donut. Twenty on hand would be better. One dollar buys little in this northern land requiring thick soles and lofty down. Around the world most people live on two bucks a day. Probably they do not stop as I do while on my way home at a yard sale where several households have pooled their unwanted goods. I need nothing, but the allure tempts me this late in autumn. I flip through old cook books. I see a rare man-box with cables, cords and screwdrivers. Embroidered linens and etched glassware cover a side table. Among the items soon to be discarded is a crystal candlestick similar to one (a wedding gift, perhaps?) that belonged to my mother that blew apart when I let a candle burn too long. Also available for purchase: plates, cups, costume jewelry and vinyl record albums. I pick up a ceramic mug that has a curved lip, making it easy for sipping. The under side lacks a stamp declaring it made in China. The price tag reads two dollars. That combined with a deck of playing cards adds up to four.