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State Quarters

February 8, 2016 8 Comments

State Quarters
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When I was ten, my parents divorced. I coped with repetition. I collected state quarters.

Why state quarters? I loved the consistency. Name at the top, year at the bottom, and the pictures in the center I’d memorized: California, Delaware, Maine, engraved silver trees and patriotic birds and olive branches.

I dug through couches and coats, feeling their ridges on my fingers, always trying to recreate a full set of fifty. I always could.

No matter his or her house, no matter the struggle, I found each one and I kept them together, starting over the next day.

Why couldn’t they?

By Larissa Malia Nobles

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jeanne Althouse says

    February 8, 2016 at 9:06 am

    Love this metaphor

    Reply
  2. Lee D says

    February 8, 2016 at 9:23 am

    ‘coped with repetition’, ‘engraved with olive branches’…very nice, all around

    Reply
  3. Bobby Warner says

    February 8, 2016 at 9:59 am

    A rock-solid moral encapsulated in this tiny tale. A winner!

    Reply
  4. Jo Patterson says

    February 8, 2016 at 10:26 am

    Very, very good. Liked it a lot!

    Reply
  5. Vesna McMaster says

    February 8, 2016 at 11:53 am

    I particularly like the choice of coin collection as the displacement activity, as the mint and ‘stamping’ replicated images (repetitions) in the form of children is a well-worn metaphor, and this both uses it and gives it a new edge.

    Reply
  6. Barry O'Farrell says

    February 8, 2016 at 4:01 pm

    Patriotic birds, beautiful phrase.

    Reply
  7. Tony Press says

    February 8, 2016 at 9:05 pm

    Very nice, all the way through, and with a perfect ending.

    Reply
  8. Joe says

    July 25, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    Love the story….

    Reply

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