I flinched as light from above streamed in through the big opening in the sky. A large face peeked through and her big blue eyes stared at me. Her loud voice spoke small words and she let out a large booming laugh. She reached into the dark dungeon and pulled me and a few others out. At least I was finally getting out of that dark dungeon. The bright light blinded me and a mix of voices boomed through my whole body. She handed me to another hand, this one was much larger and colder. It was weird. I looked back at my previous owner,
“Thanks so much for buying me that coffee. That was so nice of you!” The man holding me shook his head and I could feel the whoosh of air flutter through me.
“It’s not a big deal! You didn’t even need to pay me back. It’s just a coffee.” He held me out again and let me dangle from his fingers.
I seriously hope he doesn’t drop me. I’ve been on the ground before and it was terrifying. Those humans are disgusting creatures. My previous owner pushed me into this man’s hand,
“No, no. Please. You take it.”
They stood like that until the man finally gave in and took out a brown folding thing. I’ve been in one of those before. It was dark in that too. I got ready for the very uncomfortable fold down the middle, but he slipped me in with no fold. This was much nicer... but it was still dark. They both talked above me and didn’t even care about me being in the dark again!
“At least let me take you out!” Said the man. There was silence from above and I spoke to the guy with the purple 5 printed on him,
“Take her out where?”
He whispered back, “On a date, ya goof.”
The woman replied back, “Okay. I’m free Thursday night.”
The man nodded and pulled out a small piece of paper out of my new home. He closed the flaps around me again and it went dark. I heard the woman again,
“I’ll see you Thursday night then.” The sound of light clicks against the dull floor faded in the background.

The guy with the purple five whispered back to me,
“Nice going, fella. You brought two lovebirds together.” I frowned. Lovebirds. It didn’t sound like it was special. I hate birds. But Mr. Purple Five made it sound like a good thing. Maybe humans like being birds. Well, I did bring those two together. I nestled into my warm slot and waited for the next time the two people, lovebirds as Mr. Purple Five put it, to meet again.
*****
I’ve been in this cave for a while now. I’m not sure how long, but I do know that today is Thursday. The man is on a date, at least that’s what Mr. Purple Five told me. I heard the same woman’s voice that gave me away, so I guess the “lovebirds” are having a nice dinner together. The man called out,
“Check please!”
He reached in the little pouch and I felt him pick my small brown, folded, home up. The small coins squealed in their own language. Poor little guys. They never get taken out to be used. The man opened the small cave and dim light streamed in. He reached out and pulled out a shiny blue plastic card. I’m still not sure why those humans use a piece of plastic to pay for everything. That card isn’t money! I don’t understand humans and their living style at all. The man slipped the plastic card back into its lonely pocket in the side and the man reached out and pulled out two Mr. Purple Fives that sat behind the one next to me. The man obviously didn’t care about those two. If he had, he wouldn’t have sent them away to a place that isn’t so warm and comfortable. Our warm cave closed again and I heard the loud rustle from the outside.
Mr. Purple Five, the one sitting behind me, let out a sigh,
“We’re still here, little guy.”
I scoffed, “Just because I don’t have a purple five doesn’t mean I’m little. And what do you mean? I like being in here.”
“Listen, kiddo. We’re money. We’re meant to be passed around in exchange for whatever a human wants. I don’t know about you, but I get sick of sitting in the same wallet or purse for a long while.”
“Well, Mr. Purple Five, I’m just going to get used to sitting in this cave. I brought the man love, that’s what you said. He won’t ever use me. I gave him happiness.” Mr. Purple Five made a strange sound but didn’t reply back to me. Oh well. He’s just jealous that I brought the man above joy. I guess Mr. Purple Five can’t deal with the fact that I am much more special than him... even if I don’t have a big purple five on me.
*****

A few days passed since that Thursday and the man used Mr. Purple Five yesterday. He was my only friend. I don’t understand the annoying little coins, Ms. Big One Oh is rude, and Mr. Big Two Oh is mean to everybody. He thinks he’s the best. But he really isn’t. Mr. Purple Five told me good luck and was then just taken. He just left me alone. He did say we may meet again. I hope we do, even if he does think I’m not as special as him. As for the man and woman above, they’re still in “love”. I personally think love is strange, but humans are strange creatures. It’s been awhile since their first dinner “date”. They’ve been on plenty more now. Ms. Big One Oh is a huge sap, so she goes on and on about them and their relationship. I told her I was the reason for their happiness but she just scoffed at me. Mr. Big Two Oh told me that I wasn’t important enough to humans to make such a big impact on them. Mr. Big Two Oh doesn’t know anything though.

There was a familiar ding above. I heard the little pesky coins squeal in excitement again. We must be in another store. Ms. Big One Oh was panicking. She always got nervous when we went in a store. She was scared of what might happen if she left the cave. I just stayed relaxed. I knew the man above wouldn’t use me. He owes me a lot. I heard muffled voices above and then a bright light flooded the dark cave. The man reached into the coin pocket and pulled two big ones out. The other ones left behind screamed to themselves. Mr. Big Two Oh just let out a sigh. He hated the coins even more than he hated me; and let me tell you, that was a lot of hate. The man then opened the part of the cave where us paper money sat. I stayed relaxed, but then I felt fingers fold me in half. I heard Ms. Big One Oh let out a sigh and Mr. Big Two Oh laughing to himself.
I looked down to see the cave close and placed back into the small pouch. I couldn’t hear the coins’ high pitched squeals because of my confusion. The man handed me into another man’s rough hand. I didn’t even see what the man got in exchange, I was in too much shock. I saw the man turn his back and walk out of the store, and another ding echoed in the air. I can’t believe the man just used me! I gave him happiness. He found love because of me. And he just gave me away? I thought the man and I were friends! The little coins were finally placed elsewhere and I was folded in half by a rough hand. I let out a sigh. I guess Mr. Big Two Oh was right. I was nothing to the man. Mr. Purple Five had a purple five on him. Ms. Big One Oh and Mr. Two Oh were obviously much more special than me. The man doesn’t care about me, I guess. Everybody was right. I felt myself get stuffed back into a cave. But this one was much darker. And lonelier. I didn’t have anyone anymore.
*****
I don’t know how much time it has been, but I can’t stop thinking about the woman and the man. I still can’t believe that the man just gave me up like that. He wasn’t supposed to. But I just have a small one on me. Not a purple five or a one oh or a two oh. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss the little pests... coins I mean. I don’t really miss Ms. Big One Oh or Mr. Big Two Oh, though. They were mean... and right about me and the man. A small stream of light shone from above. A rough hand pulled me out and held me on his open palm. Well I guess this man is getting rid of me sooner than the other, ungrateful man. A loud squeal blew past me and a smaller, much softer, hand grabbed me. I looked up to see a small face. She shook me in the air with a loud giggle again and ran to hug the man with rough hands.
“Oh thank you so much, daddy! My first dollar bill!”
“Don’t spend it all in one place, sweetheart!”
The tiny girl held me above her head and waved me through the air. I actually thought I was going to be sick. If that was possible to happen to a dollar bill. This girl was much worse than the coins. And I bet she was going to use me right now. Or stick me somewhere and then forget about me. I had no purpose to humans.
I was brought into a very bright and pink room. She placed me to the side and pulled something out. It looked like a box. I wonder what she going to do with me. She put me in the box with a small smile. It wasn’t dark, and I could see the light above. It was soft too, not like the rough fingers or the dark cave. And it was quiet. There was no Ms. Big One Oh and Mr. Big Two Oh to bother me and the annoying little coins were nowhere to be found. I could get used to this. The girl put me on a table with a smile.
“My very first piece of money! I’m never going to use you! I promise!” The very happy girl sat down next to my box. That ungrateful man didn’t care about me at all, even though I did bring him happiness and “love”. But he still used me. But I had a feeling that this girl really was going to treasure me. I mean, I brought her even more happiness! I guess Ms. Big One Oh, Mr. Big Two Oh, and Mr. Purple Five were wrong. I am worth something to someone. I’m worth a lot.