From John: Flowers for Mom

When I was a young boy about 8 years old, my younger sisters and I got the idea to buy something for my mother for Mother's day. Money was hard to come by. We went around to the neighbors and asked for pop bottles. Back then, soda pop was sold in bottles, and they were washed and refilled. There was a deposit on the bottles of $.02. per bottle We were able to get three cartons, just 18 bottles, making a refund of $.36. I also had three cents saved.

So with a grand total of $.39 we walked uptown (about a mile) to where we knew a florist was located. When we went inside, someone asked what we wanted. We told them we wanted to buy flowers for Mothers Day. I reached into my pocket and pulled out our whole stash of cash, asking if that would be enough.

Another gentleman, who I am sure was the owner, came over, looked us over, and said "just a minute". He went in back and came out with a geranium plant with gold foil wrapping around the pot. He took my three dimes, a nickle, and four pennies, and said, "Thank you very much." I had no idea that the cost was about four times as much. And we went proudly home carrying a flower plant for Mom.