Why Preparedness Matters
There was a time when penny loafers were very popular, especially for school children. The shoes had a slot up top in each, into which perfectly fit a penny, and many children actually did insert a pennies. Of course, was also once such a thing a candies and gum balls which also cost a penny, so if perchance you were passing a store that did sell penny candies, you were prepared.
True story: we once knew a guy named Kurt had worn penny loafers ever since his mother had gotten him his very first pair upon entering kindergarten. Much to her chagrin, Kurt insisted on placing dimes into the slots. Why should she fork over dimes instead of pennies to a child who didn’t understand the value of money, but little Kurt was adamant. His mother had drilled it into him that he should always be prepared, and since he was not a big fan of candy – what to speak of the fact that penny candy had gone the way of the dodo – where would a penny get him despite the somewhat eponymously named shoes, but in those days, public telephones abounded and cost to make a call? Ten cents. Even little Kurt knew that, having witnessed his mother using said phones. At least with dimes, he reasoned, he’d be prepared for something. Exasperated, she gave in.
Penny loafers eventually went out of style with seemingly everyone but Kurt, who wore them into adulthood and continued to place dimes in the inserts of each new pair. To place a call from a public phone was still ten cents, and one just never knew…