TWENTY DOLLARS

Twenty dollars is a nice amount of money - not too much and not too little. Hardly enough to get you in any kind of trouble but just enough to make a difference in your day. With twenty dollars you can put some gas in the car, have lunch or a take in a movie, maybe even buy a CD or a book and still get some change back. A smoker can buy a pack of smokes, a drinker can buy a six pack and a teetotaler can buy some... tea. When I withdraw some cash from the ATM at our bank I have my favorite withdrawal set to $20.00 because to me it is the perfect amount of money.

I like having twenty dollars that is all mine to do with as I please.  I am a family man and I accept that virtually all of the money I make is spoken for well in advance and I don't mind - bills have to be paid. But once in a while it is nice to have some money that is just for me;  and twenty dollars, free and clear just seems to hit the spot. I go to the Fredericton Exhibition every year with a twenty dollar bill in my pocket - it gets me in, buys me a Dippy Dog or two, a drink and some greasy fries while I walk around taking in the sights and the smells for free. I am not tempted to gamble and even if I was - how much could I lose - twenty bucks?

A brand new crisp twenty dollar bill looks and feels good - it has that greenish tint the way money should and it has a picture of the Queen on it. I bet even the Queen could enjoy herself with a twenty - buy a cup of tea and some buns at the local shops, or maybe have a Guinness at the track.

I don't buy lottery tickets but if I did, twenty dollars could win me a million. I think I would take that cheque to the bank and cash it in for a stack of twenties and that would suit me fine. A million dollars can bring a lot of comfort and that is a good thing; but when it comes to happiness, I think I could get along just fine - twenty dollars at a time.