Ava's Lost Penny

Little Ava searches all over for her shiny Penny. She reaches for her piggy bank. She begins shaking it. Then stops. “Penny you in there?”

“Oh no, what's happening?” says a tiny voice as she tumbles over and over bumping into other friends.

“Ouch, that hurts! Get off me!”

“You just slammed into my face!”

“Whoa! I'm dizzy!”

“Hang on,” the gruff voice yells. “She's shaking us again.” Ava shakes her purple piggy bank until all the coins fall one by one on the bed. “Penny, you in there? Penny where are you?” She looks at every coin” but doesn't find Penny. She runs out of the room.

Once they are all safe on the soft landing the biggest silver coin asked, “Is everyone OK?”

“Yes, but who is Penny?” asked a shiny nickel new to the group.

“Penny is like Kathy over there.

“Me? Boomed Kathy. “Penny looks like me?”

“Yes, but Penny is Ava's friend. And she keeps him very clean and shiny.”

“I'm not shiny” sighs Kathy.”

“I know Kathy, but you are still a penny.”

A larger coin with rough edges comments, “We need to help Ava. What can we do to help Ava find Penny?”

“We just need to wait for the boy,” says the coin with the gruff voice. “He will come in here and take us. He always does. Remember it makes us made because we belong to the little girl. But this time we want him to take us. Ava and her mommy and boy always go to the park. If the boy puts some of us in his pocket, we can go too and help Ava find her penny.”

“Do you think Penny is at the park?” asked a smaller silver coin with rough edges.

“I don't know. I hope so. She always has him in her little purse and takes that everywhere.”

Shortly after the conversation between the coins. Ava's brother Tommy runs into her room and grabs a handful of coins off the bed and runs back out of the room. And with his dirty sticky hands stuffs them in his pocket. He runs past Ava yelling, “I got your money.”

“I don't care! Want Penny.” she cries back pushing him to the side.

The three coins not snatched by the little boy yell in unison “Find Penny!”

Ava comes running through the house to the kitchen where her mom is preparing dinner. “Mommy, mommy,” she cries as she tugs at her mom's apron.

“What is it honey?” mom questions.

With tears flowing, she cries “Lost Penny.”

“Oh honey, it must be here somewhere. Did you look in your little pink purse?” mommy asked.

“I did mama, look.” she shows her mom her pink purse.

Her mom glances inside the purse and sees a tear in the corner big enough for a coin to slip through.

“Ava, look.” She shows Ava the slit. “I believe this is how you lost your penny. There's a hole in your little purse. We will go to the store after dinner, and I will buy you a new purse. I'll give you a new shiny penny to put in you new purse.”

“No! Want Penny!” Ava yells through sobbing. “Want Penny. He's scared. He needs me. Mommy, please find Penny.”

“Darling, after dinner, we can go back to Doug's Five and Dime and look for your penny. Maybe you lost it down the toy isle.”

“OK, mommy.”

That night at dinner, Ava was very quiet. She barely ate any of her favorite meal, spaghetti.

“What's wrong Ava?” Her daddy questioned looking concerned. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Ya, daddy.” Ava says. “Lost Penny.”

“What?” Dad comments, looking a bit confused.

“I'll tell you later.” her mommy says.

“Ava go get your jacket while I clear the table and we will go to the store.”

Ava ran to the small closet in her bedroom and retrieved her pink jacket. She ran back to the kitchen. “Ready mommy. Go get Penny.” She smiled.

At the store Ava rode in the cart while mom traced their steps. They both carefully looked for Penny. Once they got to the toy isle mom took Ava out of the cart. Ava crawled on the floor looking under and around everything. Penny was nowhere to be found.

“Honey, your penny isn't here. I'm sorry. Tomorrow we will go to the park and look for your shiny penny.”

Ava sadly took hold of her mom's hand and together they started walking back through the store. Ava was still looking everywhere and didn't see the display of Hot Wheel cars at the end of the isle. She bumped into it spilling cars across the floor. She helped her mama pick them up.

“Thank you sweetie. Now be careful and watch where you are walking.”

“Looking for Penny.”

“I know sweetheart. Do you want a new purse?”

Ava nodded. She picked out a little purple purse with yellow star sequins. She had her mom check it for holes.

That evening after Ava's mommy tucked her in and read her a story Ava began to cry. “Awe sweetheart, it'll be OK. We will find Penny. Tomorrow we will go to the playground and look for your penny. Now try to get some sleep.”

“K mommy.” Ava whispered.

Ava did not sleep well that night. She missed Penny very much. Penny always slept on Ava's pillow close to her cheek. But tonight Ava cried herself to sleep hugging her pillow.

Meanwhile at the playground resting at the bottom of the slide half leaning against the cool silver round leg and half peeking out of the gritty sand lies Penny. The early evening air is beginning to cool.

“Ava! Where are you? I'm cold and scared! Ava! Come get me!” Penny tries to stay as still as he can because he doesn't want to slip deeper into the sand. If he does Ava may never find him. Penny started to cry. He didn't want to. He didn't want to disappoint Ava and get dirty or rusty. She always kept him so clean and shiny. But he couldn't stop himself. He began to cry harder. He missed Ava so much. And he was worried about her. He didn't want her to be sad.

The next day Ava wakes up early and runs into her mommy and daddy's room. She climbs on their bed jumping in between them.

“Find Penny!” she squeals.

Daddy looks at Ava and looks at the alarm clock. “Ava, honey it's only six o'clock. Go back to bed.

“Find Penny daddy!”

“Not now Ava. Go back to bed.” her mommy says in a patient voice. “Mommy will come and get you in a little while. Try to go back to sleep.”

Ava slowly walked back to her bed. And did fall back to sleep.

A couple hours later Ava walks into the kitchen rubbing her sleepy eyes. Her mommy has a bowl of Lucky Charms with Marshmallows ready for her. “Eat your breakfast Ava, then we will go to the park to look for your penny.”

Ava smiles a big grin as she stuffs a spoon of cereal in her little mouth.

Once everyone finishes breakfast Ava and her mom are ready to go look for Penny.

Back at the playground Penny is awaken by the sound of yelling and laughter. “Ava, is that you?”

He looks around but doesn't see Ava. He sees lots of other little people with their grown-ups. He spots her brother Tommy, so he knows Ava is here. Some kids run over to where he is. Kicking dirt everywhere. “No!” He cries. He can barely see above the sand. He worries Ava won't be able to see him. Other kids come and kick the sand all over. He tries to hold himself tightly to the bar, but he is kicked anyway. He fly's a little way past his safety net. A little boy bends down and picks him up.

“Put me down!” Penny yells.

“Mommy, look what I found.” the boy said to his mom.

“That's nice honey. Put it in your pocket so you don't lose it.”

“OK, mom.”

“Let go of me. Your hands are cold and yucky. Not warm and nice like Ava's.”

Suddenly he's dropped into a dark gloomy pit. This place isn't warm like Ava's little purse. It's dark and smells funny. “Ava,” he whispers. Suddenly, to his surprise he sees a little light shining through at the bottom corner of this dirty pouch. He squeezes his way over to the light. The hole is small but if he tries really hard, he can drop out into the sand. “Ah, ooh, oomph! Almost there.” he says to himself. Without warning he flops to the ground. Little feet and big feet are swarmed all around him. He's afraid he's going to get stepped on or pushed deep in the dirt. He cries, “Watch out! Don't step on me! Ouch! Someone just kicked me! Ava!!! Help!!!

Tommy runs around playing. Picking up sand and putting it in his pocket. “Tommy, put that sand back down. It doesn't belong in your pockets.”

“OK, mom. Tommy proceeds to take handfuls of sand out of his pocket dropping it on the ground along with Penny's friends leading a path to Ava's Penny. Ava runs behind him.

Ava follows a trail of coins leading to where Penny is. She picks up the coins along the way putting them in her cozy little purple purse.

“Penny! You here?”

“Ava! That's my Ava. I knew she'd come for me. Ava! I'm over here!”

“Penny! Come to get you!”

“Ava! I hear you but I don't see you. Keep coming this way.”

“Penny, I commin.”

“Ava! I see you. I'm here. I'm right in front of you.”

“Ava, be sure to look in the sand for your penny.” her mommy said.

Just then Ava looks down and sees Penny.

“Penny! Penny! I found you! Oh Penny, I've missed you.”

“Ava, I've missed you too.”

Ava cradles Penny in her warm small hands.

The coins hear Ava and Penny talking.

“We did it.” says the gruff voice. “We helped Ava find her Penny.”

“We sure did.” whispers a shiny silver dime. “We sure did. And it's a good feeling to see them together and happy again.” With that they found a spot in the warmth of Ava's purse and fell asleep.

Ava gently places Penny in her purse with the other coins.

Once home Ava takes the coins from her purse. She gently places Penny on the bed.

“Here we go guys. Are you ready for a few little bumps and thumps?” The gruff voice said.

“We sure are.” replies a dull dented nickel.

Ava plops all the coins back into her piggy bank then runs down stairs with Penny.

“Ava, sweetheart it's time for your bath.”

“OK, mommy.”

With Penny in her hand she gentle places him on the edge of the tub. She washes herself then takes Penny and soaks him with bubbles.

“You clean Penny.”

Once out of the tub she sits on the floor and places Penny on a soft white towel and dries him off. She takes her mommy's nail brush and tenderly brushes Penny.

“Penny pretty. Shiny.”

She then takes her mom's hand mirror.

“Look Penny.” she places it down so Penny can see his reflection.

“Oh, Ava, I'm so shiny again! I thought you would be mad at me because I got so dirty. But, you're not mad at me.”

Ava picks up Penny and holds him to her warm cheek. “I love you Penny.” she cooes.

“I love you too Ava.'

At dinner time Penny was right next to Ava's plate while she ate. After dinner they both lay on the floor watching cartoons. Ava's elbows on a pillow and Penny right next to her. Soon it was time for bed.

Ava climbs into bed. Her mommy tucks her in. “Good night sweetheart. Sweet dreams. I'm glad you found your penny. I didn't like to see you sad.” She gave her daughter a big hug and kiss.

“Love you mommy. Night.” whispers Ava with a sparkling smile on her face.

Ava positions Penny on her pillow next to her cheek. “Love you Penny.” she says as she slowly drifts off to sleep.

“I love you too Ava.”

She is my Ava.

I am her Penny.