Just a prompt between a couple of us!
Cashless
Twenty Years After Season 5 Ending
"Sir, what is this?" The young waiter asked Mike Slattery.
"It's a hundred-dollar bill, son." Mike answered. Maddie Slattery nearly choked on her wine.
"I've never seen one of these." The young man answered.
"Here?" Maddie said as she gave him her credit card and took the bill. He walked away and Maddie shook her head at Mike. "You did that on purpose. Where did you find that?" Maddie asked.
"Old wallet." Mike answered.
"It is not nice to make feel people feel badly. That boy had never seen a dollar bill before." Maddie said.
"At least ours know better." Mike remarked.
"They had you for a father. How could they not?" Maddie teased. Just then the waiter arrived back with the card and receipt for Maddie to sign.
"Just out of curiosity, how do you get your tips?" Mike asked.
"They are deposited with my pay." The young waiter answered.
"Your paycheck?" Maddie asked.
"What's a paycheck?" He asked before walking away. Maddie shook her head at Mike.
"What happens if the banks or internet fails?" Mike asked as they walked out of the restaurant.
"That will probably never happen again. So, since cash and checks are not the thing anymore, I know you have money stashed somehow?" Maddie asked.
"I have gold and silver stashed. It still has value, more than cash even." Mike answered.
"I suppose that's a good thing. Nice night, even if you harassed that young boy." Maddie teased.
"You enjoy watching it. Just hate to see how society has changed in the last twenty years." Mike admitted.
"The change was already happening. The Red Flu just brought it about sooner." Maddie reminded him as she tucked her hand around his arm.
"True. I just hate that our kids never experienced piggy banks, birthday money or quarter candy." Mike said and Maddy began laughing.
"Mike, quarter candy was more your generation. I never even experienced it." Maddie teased.
"Oh, I forget the age difference sometimes." Mike admitted.
"Eighteen years is a lot sometimes but it could have been longer. Mike, our kids benefitted from having those stories from you. You still have made their childhoods magical, even though they will never find a twenty-dollar bill that you've tucked into their hand before their first date." Maddie said.
"You make me seem old-fashioned." Mike said.
"You are a bit but we love you anyways." Maddie told him before giving him a kiss as they got to the truck.
"Think the kids will want ice cream?" Mike asked.
"Maybe…probably. You spoil them." Maddie remarked.
"They deserve it." Mike said.
"Oh, you may think differently when you see Owen's grades." Maddie said.
"Algebra again?" Mike asked. He got into the truck and fastened his seat belt.
"And reading…and PE." Maddie said.
"PE? He loves sports." Mike bellowed.
"I think it involves a girl, according to his teachers. Kind of like his father." Maddie joked.
"I was the perfect student." Mike said.
"Sure. I told him that you and him would be having a conversation. I think its time for that talk." Maddie said.
"He's thirteen." Mike argued.
"When did your dad give you the talk?" Maddie asked.
"Thirteen. Can we go back to talking about money?" Mike asked and Maddie laughed.
"So old-fashioned." Maddie said.
"And you love it." Mike answered before starting the truck and heading them towards home.