Rachel

The Piggybank

Harold Windchester waited eagerly for the lawyer to hand him his newly inherited possessions. He scratched his cat Sally's ears impatiently. Next to him sat his two brothers, whom Harold had not spoken to for 15 years. Now they all sat in a row waiting for their part of the wealth. Recently, Grandma Windchester passed away in her sleep. Being a wealthy woman of old age with only 3 grandsons as family, her will was a heavy on everyone's mind. Finally the lawyer looked up from the will in his hand and addressed one of Harold's brothers, Larry.

"To you Larry Windchester, You grandmother leaves you with $500,000, a rocking chair, and these words of advise."

He looked back down at the will and read it aloud.

"Larry, you have always been stingy, and if I had any other family left, you wouldn't be getting one cent of my wealth. Loosen up you old tightwad!" The lawyer looked up again from the will.

"Erhem." he said, and handed over the money and the chair. Larry smiled greedily.

"Well then," continued on the lawyer. "It seems you're next Samson. To you, your grandmother leaves to you, her lamp, her curtains, and $500,000, as well as these words of wisdom." His eyebrows rose as he read the will. "You are uncaring, selfish, and rude. I hope you fall on a cactus."

Sampson reached out his arms for the money and other old positions.

"And finally," the lawyer announced, "To Harold, your grandmother leaves you with an empty piggy bank and a Hershey's bar. As well as these parting words," Here the lawyer cleared his throat and looked back at the little paper in his hands. "Harold, you are as cheap as cheap can get. Good riddance you slug!"

The lawyer looked grimly up at Harold and winced as he brought out the piggy bank and the candy bar. Both his brothers sniggered and clutched their sacks of money. Soon everyone cleared out of his home, and Harold inspected the piggy bank closer.

He shook it, nothing. There were no friendly coins clanging against the ceramic bottom. The piggybank was white with a narrow slot running down its back; it had blue eyes painted on. There was a long curly tail, and pointed ears that were part way hollowed out. Harold was bitter, both his brothers had gotten money and useful items, all he got was a stupid toy and a 75-cent candy bar. Just then Harold's cat Sally jumped up on his lap and purred loudly. Harold scratched her ears for her. Sally was one of Harold's only friends, and he was very fond of her. He took out the chocolate his grandmother had given him, and unwrapped it crossly thinking about his brother's newfound wealth. Sally was rubbing up against his arms now. As Harold looked down at the candy bar, he saw something peculiar poking out of the wrapper. It was a piece of lined paper, with writing on it. It read; "Look in the Piggybank for $1,000,000."

Harold picked Sally off his lap and set her down on the floor. Then he looked again at the note. He couldn't believe it! $1,000,000! That was twice as much as either of his brothers had received. Harold ran down to his basement to get a hammer, and returned with an enormous grin on his face. He walked over to the piggybank and held the hammer above his head. Harold felt Sally against his pant legs, and brought the hammer down with a bang.

"Ouch!" yelled Harold. The hammer was vibrating still, in his hand. He looked down at the piggybank. To his surprise, there wasn't a scratch on it! He put down the hammer hand held the piggybank up close to his face, nothing. It was in perfect condition!

"How strange…" Harold muttered to himself. He placed the piggybank down on the floor. And picked up his hammer again. Sally stood nearby watching. Thinking again, Harold lifted up his old carpet and hid the pig under it. He didn't want it to shatter and for pieces of the ceramic to hurt Sally. Once again, Harold picked up his hammer, and brought it down with full force. There was a clang, as the hammer bounced off the piggybank, and again, made the hammer vibrate in Harold's hands.

Harold picked up the carpet and brought out the piggybank, still in perfect condition. Now he was getting mad. Was his grandmother playing a trick on him? Why wouldn't this stupid toy break? Harold was so angry, he picked up a chair that sat next to him, and picked it up over his head. With a cry of irritation, he brought the chair down onto the piggybank with all his might. There was a crack as the chair broke. Harold looked at it, there was a long crack that ran through the back of the chair. The piggybank still didn't have a scratch on it. Harold kicked it out of frustration, and pain surged through his foot. He gave up, and brought the piggybank up to his bedroom.

He set it up on a shelf, and laid on his bed. So close to $1,000,000! It was there, sitting in his room, up on his shelf, and yet he could not reach it. Sally jumped up on his bed as though to comfort him. She purred, and rubbed up against him, but Harold wasn't in the mood for this now, and he pushed her to the floor. Why wouldn't the piggybank break? What is it made of that is so strong? He though. Just then Harold heard a crash. He looked up to find Sally sitting on his shelf, with one paw out, looking at the shattered piggybank on the floor.

There it lay, in many pieces. The shattered remains of the toy that had caused him so much frustration. He looked up at his cat in amazement. She had knocked it off the shelf, and it broke. Harold wondered why it had not broken when he tried so hard to destroy it. But he had no time for questions now. He bent down to look for his fortune, and found a single piece of paper on the floor. There it lay, with the words 1,000,000 written on it. It was a million dollar bill. A million dollar bill from Monopoly.