We hear the phrase "Penny for your thoughts" quite often. I wrote a short story about how the mind will take words, create thoughts and put all into action.
My brain was clogged and ideas weren't forthcoming. A walk would do me good. I left the house and began my walk. After walking several blocks. I noticed a large metal
box sitting alongside the road. This was not your typical box you see... it had a motor humming inside. On one side of the box was a window and beneath the window was a small
sign. It read, "Penny for Your Thoughts" and next to the window was a coin slot. I found
this to be interesting. I decided today was perfect for box watching. Across the street was a bus stop, with a bench, so I decided to sit and watch the box for awhile.
Slithering along the walk towards the box was a snake. "...Hmm, what's this?", the snake asked. He got closer to the box to read the sign. I have some thoughts, he thought. So the snake inched his way up to the window and whispered his thoughts with his forked tongue.
Sure enough -- No false promises!
He felt the box vibrate. Clankity, clankity, clank! A large copper penny slipped out of the coin slot. Amazed at his fortune, the snake took his penny and glided away.
After a few moments a long legged spider sauntered up the walk. He too saw the sign. "Well..." mused the spider, "I have lots of thoughts, what's the harm in leaving one itsy bitsy behind." So the spider tossed a sticky thread onto the box and climbed to the window to leave his thought.
I could hear his thought from across the street; "My daddy says, silence is the sound of a spider weaving its web." Clankity, clankity, clank! A large copper penny slipped out of the coin slot.
"Wow!", said the spider. "Now I can buy the extra shoes I need!" The spider was happy because he loved to do the Hokey Pokey!
Adjusting his yellow vest between stops a bumblebee happened to spot the box on the walk. "What's all the buzz about." He wondered out loud. "Why would someone pay me a penny for my thoughts" He circled the box a few more times then decided he wasn't too busy to go ahead and leave a thought.
He hovered lazily next to the window and whispered his thought into the box. Clankity, clankity, clank! Another large copper penny slipped out of the coin slot. The bumblebee grabbed his penny and made a beeline for home. He couldn't wait to tell his honey about his new fortune!
The rest of the afternoon traffic picked up for the box. Everyone that visited the box left a thought. Each and every visitor got a shiny new penny. Butterflies, ants, beetles, and frogs were lined up for blocks; anxious to leave a thought to get their penny. The word was spreading quickly about the penny box.
Holding a backpack in one hand and a book in the other, a termite was approaching the metal box. He said, "What's all the excitement about?"
Curious to find out he pushed his way through the crowd with his hard head. He said to the others, "Oh my goodness, Mom is not going to believe this; I'm going to leave my thought and earn a whole penny. Now I can afford a new skateboard! She chewed me out for eating the last one."
So the termite made it to the top of the metal box to leave his thought. He was disappointed the box was metal and not tasty wood. Oh well a deal is a deal. Clankity, clankity, clank! A shiny new copper penny slipped out of the coin slot. The termite put it into his backpack and forged on.
The crowd was beginning to thin and I watched as the last of the guests earned their pennies after leaving their thoughts. Then I heard it, "...KABOOM!"
What happened next was unbelievable! All of a sudden loud screeching sounds were coming from the box. I ducked beneath my bench for cover. The metal box began to shake, rattle and roll. I screamed, "Oh my goodness, it's starting to grow!"
I looked on in amazement as the box began to BURP! Yes, words were spilling out its window. Some words were scrambled, but others were very clear. "S-O-O-N" "B-U-S-Y" "H-U-M-A-N-S" What does all this mean? Too afraid to come out from under my bench I watched in horror.
The metal box then did the most incredible thing. IT GREW ARMS and LEGS. IT began to walk.
Oh no what is happening? It was then I heard the clapping and cheers. All the creatures who visited the box and left their thoughts were jumping up and down. High five's and fist pounds were all around. They were very excited!
Their thoughts had become words and their words became action. The metal box was now humanized!
"May I have a penny for your thoughts?"
Marianne Weaver
