The Return of the Mexican Coin

Faithful readers will remember my lucky Mexican coin.

It was donated to me during a subway performance. I didn't notice it until I counted my change at home and realized someone must have given it to me by mistake, thinking it was a two-dollar coin.

Today I was walking into the liquor store when I paused to give a woman outside some money. Today it's cold in Toronto, with temperatures just above freezing and a strong wind. I'm afraid I don't have a very consistent policy when it comes to responding to requests for handouts. Usually I don't give, but sometimes I do. It all depends on my mood, the weather and the impression I get from the person asking. Not very scientific, I know...and probably not the wisest policy when it comes to making lasting change.

Anyway, today I paused before going to buy a bottle of wine (a luxury item after all) to respond to the obviously freezing woman about my age outside the door. Reaching into my pocket, I found about $3.50. It seemed awkward to fish out only a portion of that for her, so I gave her all of it, feeling simultaneously generous and foolish as she thanked me profusely.

When I came back a few minutes later, she held something out for me.

"This coin you gave me," she said. "It's a Mexican coin. You should keep it."

Sure enough, it was my lucky Mexican coin. I gratefully took it from her, telling her she was very kind to give it back. And she obviously was kind. Her earnest expression showed how relieved she was to give back something important that was rightfully mine.

Just now, I've done a little research, and I've discovered that the 2 Peso coin (which is what I think it is) is worth about 25 cents Canadian. Not much, and certainly less than $2.00. But both she and I knew it was special. It became even more so when I told her how I had received it and kept track of it until now, and that I'd be writing this story about it later today.

In return, she went on to articulately explain why she (44 years old) is standing outside the liquor store in sub-zero weather asking for handouts. Whether or not I agreed with all of her choices, the background she gave me made me feel better about replacing the Mexican coin with $2.00.