Monday, February 16, 2009

Money laundering

I’m pretty diligent about checking the pockets of jeans as I do laundry. If you wash a cell phone, a Sharpie or a crayon (and bonus dunce points if you also dry the crayon), you pretty much figure out it’s easier to check pockets than to try and remove the resulting stains or replace an expensive cell phone.

And some times it pays. Literally. If I find money—it’s mine—unless it’s a lot and then I’m likely to feel too guilty to keep it. Although I may keep half as a finder’s fee. (Jacob: That five dollar bill I gave you last week--there were two. I kept one and you didn't even notice.)

Last night as I was checking pockets, I stuck my hands into the tiny pockets of my daughter’s jeans. Her first pair. I finally bought her a pair since, at the age of five, she can probably wear them without looking like a boy. I didn’t realize she knew to stuff her pockets with things and was surprised to find money in her back pocket. Play money, but money still the same. I guess I won’t be surprised to find a Barbie cell phone in the pocket the next time I wash her jeans. And, if for some reason, I forget to check, I doubt those pink plastic phones are too expensive to replace.

3 comments:

Karen Harrington said...

Oh, that is so true. I just pulled little pieces of tissue from the washing machine this morning, which my 5 year old had stuffed in her jeans. Such is the life of a mom, huh?

I think we have very similar fav books and movies lists! I love Sling Blade, too. And I just started reading Elizabeth Berg's Talk Before Sleep last week.

Wila said...

Not too many months ago, I washed two cell phones, in two different wash loads IN THE SAME DAY! Ask me if I learned my lesson? Oh yeah.

Anonymous said...

I too will keep whatever I find in pockets, whether it is money, notes, etc. The best yet was found in my son's pocket when he was 17 - it was a girl's leopard thong!!! It took me a couple days to figure out how to approach this one! He claims some guys from school put it in his pocket in the lockeroom - sure, whatever!