Sunday, July 5, 2009

Odd Shots Monday--the Odd Dollar

Join us in something odd every Monday. All the details are linked to the Odd Shots Camera Logo in the sidebar. Mr. Linky should be back today, as I have made peace with him. Please link only if you have posted an odd shot, but do leave a comment one way or another.



I go to a quilt retreat in Leavenworth, Washington every June. While we are there we always eat at least one lunch at the Soupcellar. Their white chili is incredible!
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Soupcellar customers have had a custom over the years of writing a message on a dollar bill and tacking it up to the ceiling or the wall. It started a long time ago, and continued.
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This doesn't look like the dollars of a long time, though, does it? Well, last year, or maybe the year before, we had an odd surprise when we went for lunch at the Soupcellar. It wasn't there. We knew it hadn't closed down, but it wasn't where it had been before. Of course, thinking we were in the wrong block we kept looking and found it and went down the stairs to the restaurant.
Something was not quite right. It was the Soupcellar all right, but it was just a bit different. We looked around and the counter was, well, almost in the same place and the tables. Things were configured just a little bit differently. The servers were just as friendly. The food was just as good. And all the dollars were gone.
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Well, it seems we weren't quite entirely crazy after all. During the previous year the Soupcellar had moved to a different cellar location a block away from the original. In moving they had taken down years worth of dollar bills. The new cellar was fine, just enough different to throw us off a bit.
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So, what happened to all the dollar bills? When they moved, they took all the dollar bills down and counted them up. There were $12,000. At about the same time the owners had heard from a young woman from Ukraine who had lived with them as an exchange student. Her mother was very ill and they did not have the funds for her medical treatment. The dollar bills of years and years, instead of going up on the walls and ceiling of the new location, were used to pay those medical expenses.
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And a new collection of dollars has begun.
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Okay, I promised Mr. Linky would be back, but I am afraid he is still not cooperating. Do leave a comment. Wait, I think I've got him! I will put in the links for those who got here before I figured it out.

7 comments:

PERBS said...

What a unique story! My heart was smiling as I read about the story. Thanks for sharing.

Gattina said...

That is really wonderful ! I like to read stories like this, it makes me believe that not all humans are bad ! And a little less $ bills on the ceiling doesn't disturb at all ! It will be filled up soon again !

L. Neusiedler said...

thanks indeed for sharing this interesting story! in Romania I saw business cards left on a pannel, with a message :)

The Duck said...

Cor Mr Linky again eh? Mummy goes mad about him! Well Auntie Katney, I have posted!

MOO said...

What a great story! And $12,000 in the Ukraine must have seemed like a million. Because of their generosity, I'll bet they collect more dollar bills the second time around...BTW, I'm playing Odd Shots today, too!

Mary said...

I'm sorry I missed going to the Soup cellar with you guys. I stayed in to sew during two lunchtimes. I was just having way too much FUN! Great story of Kindness!

Cindy said...

How sweet! I would have been disappointed in not seeing the dollars up on the wall....but now I know "the rest of the story". :)