I WANT MY MONEY BACK

No Fountain so I used a Pond

As a young boy I listened to all of the popular songs. It wasn’t because I wanted to but because my older sisters just loved the music of the day.

So many songs were about love, either being in love or trying to get rid of an old lover. There was a new hit that was played so much I memorized the words not because I wanted to but because I heard it so often.

I didn’t know that I wasn’t what all little girls desired. After listening to that song I felt sure with a little luck I would be desirable.

While things changed later at this time I had two little beauties in mind. I asked my oldest sister what the words to the song meant. Which one she asked me? I said the three coins one.

She said it’s like this. There is this fountain that spurts out water and people come and ask the fountain to bless them. Then they throw a coin in the fountain and wait to see if the fountain gives them their desire.

Well that was good enough for me. I didn’t know where a fountain was but we had a pond in the back yard and I figured that would probably work. I pondered whether I should throw a penny in or maybe a nickel.

It took me three days to decide on the penny and I promised to toss in some more if the pond fixed me up. As I readied myself to throw my penny in my favorite verse came to my mind; 

Three coins in the fountain

Each one seeking happiness

Thrown by three hopeful lovers

Which one will the fountain bless?

Make it mine!

Make it mine!

Make it mine!

So into the drink my penny went and I never saw it again. I waited all afternoon and nothing happened.

I asked my sister how long must I wait before my wish comes true. She said it might be a long time or never. She said that is the rules only one coin will get his answer and the other two will have to try again.

Every time I would get down a bit that song would be played on the radio again and I would find me another penny.

My faith weakened in the pond when a boy in the second grade kissed the number one girl of my choice but I revived and said c’mon pond number two is almost as good.

As it turned out number two girl moved away and I haven’t seen her since.

Anyway I didn’t give up for each and every year I would select from two to five acceptable young maidens and I decided to increase my coin value.  I reasoned that the nickel surely would get some results. By this time I had added the second verse and would sing both verses;

Three coins in the fountain

Through the ripples how they shine

Just one wish will be granted

One heart will wear a valentine

Make it mine!

Make it mine!

Make it mine!

Then with a mighty heave away sailed my nickel. It had been five years since I started my quest for a girl friend of my own and that pond was getting all my money.

Needless to say my wish wasn’t granted and I gave up for it was always the other two guys that got the girls not me.

A couple years later school started again. There was this new girl who came to our school. I thought she was about the ugliest girl I had ever seen. I mean she had red hair, I mean really red. She had freckles all over her face and her blue eyes couldn’t make up for them freckles.

After a few days I noticed she was looking at me… directly into my eyes and then it got worse… she smiled at me.  I was praying that no one else saw her do that.



A Red Haired Girl

At lunch that day I was eating with the guys I hung around with and there she was looking at me and she smiled at me again.

I thought, I will ask to be transferred to another school but when I was asked why I couldn’t answer for I wasn’t about to say it’s the red head.

Then I did what I had to do.

I went down to the pond and said; “If this is the best you can do then I want my money back.” 

I went on and said; “I want it all back.”

I couldn’t transfer to a different school, so I just read a book that said, "A deal is a deal."

Apparently I was stuck with what the pond sent me. I got through that year and come summer she went swimming where me and the guys always went. Of course there were other girls there also but she was the only one I could see.

She continued to smile at me and then did the unthinkable, she winked at me. No girl had ever winked at me. I had to ask my sister what it meant and she said, “Someone has their eye on you, you lucky boy.”

That just about killed me and ruined my summer until I noticed something, she was filling out fast. Save for the freckles she was looking better than the rest of the girls in my classes. She could out swim me and she was always swimming up to me and either smiling or winking at me.

Something happened to me that summer. As best as I can remember it was when one of the popular guys at school began to pay attention to “my girl” and I wasn’t going to stand for it.

School started again and I made sure I was always near her.  I wasn’t going to let anyone take her from me. About a week after school started I noticed her freckles had greatly faded and her hair looked beautiful with her blue eyes.

The big moment came when I got my first kiss from her. I felt like I was walking on air. I asked her when she realized she was in love with me and she said it was the first time I saw you and you looked into my eyes from across the room, I was in love and I threw a penny into the old pond like they do to fountain in Italy.

I suppose if you are a romantic you can figure out the rest of my story but I will add that we have three little freckled, red headed girls running around the house and I have learned to love red hair and oh yes, freckles.

Finis

You might enjoy Frank Sinatra singing this popular song

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo8qV1bPqVM