The Coin

         “Look what I just found!” Timothy Dedmon exclaimed as he held up a small disc in a dirt covered hand.

         Lilly looked up from where she was digging across the garden from her brother. “Did ya find something?” she asked, holding a hand in between her small blue eyes and her long blonde, but thin, hair, to try and block out the blinding sun that was falling behind Timothy.

         Timothy got up off his knees and brushed the loose dirty from his khaki pants. He grimaced as he looked down to see them stained by filth from his grandpa's garden. Turning his attention back to his find, he said, "I did, I did! Look!" He ran across the garden, hitting a few small tomato plants as he ran.

         "Slow down," the little girl said as she shook a finger at her brother.

         Timothy ignored her. "You mind your own busi-" He tripped over his own loose shoe laces and landed at Lilly's feet.

         She laughed. "Told you so," she said as she bent down to pick up the coin that had landed at her feet. "Let me see what you got." She spent a moment turning the disc over and over in her hands. "Yep, thought so. It's a coin."

         For the next hour, Lilly and Timothy sat on the steps that led from their grandpa's garden onto the back porch of his own Victorian style house. They both came up with ideas and dreams about what they could buy with their newly found treasure. Neither child knew what kind of coin it was. It wasn't a dime, or nickel, nor was it a quarter. So it must be old, and worth something. Timothy was sure he could buy anything he wanted. He knew that dinosaurs were no longer around, but maybe, just maybe he could still find some with his share of the treasure. Afterall, the two were going to split it. Lilly on the other hand kept talking about all the different types of dolls she would want to buy. Maybe even some of the dolls with glass faces, arms, and legs. And maybe even a doll that looked just like her.

         The two of them were still sharing ideas of what they might do with the precious coin, when suddenly they heard a noise coming from around the corner of the house. It was a loud, rumbling noise. Metal bits pounded on other metal bits. Black soot was shot high into the air from a smoke stack. Grandpa was home. Lilly jumped up instantly from the old stairs. "I'm going to tell him!" she said, not even bothering to put her shoes back on her feet.

         Grandpa was waving at the two children before he even stopped the tractor. He pulled up aside his old F100 pickup truck and shut the John Deer down for the day. "Children," he said, stepping down off the green giant, "I hope the two of you have managed to stay out of trouble." His eyes darted from Timothy to Lilly, and back.

         "We have been, Grandpa," the two kids said in almost perfect unison. "And look what Timothy found," Lilly said, holding the coin out so her grandfather could see it. The old man smiled and picked the coin out of his granddaughter's hand. He started towards the house without saying a word. Knowing all too well that they would follow in curiousity.

         The old man was surprised when the old grandfather clock on the back wall of the living room struck 8 o'clock. Neither of his grandchildren had brought up the coin since he had taken it from them earlier. No point in making them wait any longer. "Alright you two," he said, "turn your heads away from the TV for a moment and come here. I have some news about your little find."

         Both of the kids' faces lit up with excitement, and both of them started talking at the same time about what they wanted to do with their part. "Whoa, both of you slow down now, an old man can't keep up!" he said, interrupting them both. "Now, first thing is first. A little while ago I looked out at my garden and it appeared as if some rabbits or something had gotten in there, and tore some of my soil and plants up. Did either one of you see anything today?" The man watched as the two small faces in front of him turned red. He smiled to himself. "Well since neither of you know anything, I'll tell you what you have here."

         Timothy leaped up from the shag carpeting. "Treasure!"

         "I should get more than Timothy, I am older!" Lilly shouted, and stuck her tongue out at her brother.

         "Calm down, calm down," the old man said. He quickly dug the coin out of his pocket before the two children decided to make things worse. "I'm sorry to say kids, but this coin is just that. Just an old coin not worth anymore than the shoes on your feet." He flipped the coin into the air and watched as Timothy caught it with both hands. He turned it over in his hands, looking at it closely.

         Lilly turned to look at her brother. "Told you so, Timothy." She stuck her tongue at him.

         The old man chuckled at her sudden swap of sides. He loved his grandchildren.