by David Elder

Created on: April 26, 2008   Last Updated: April 29, 2008

The Jar

Jeremy strained on the tips of his toes, trying his hardest to see over the counter to the shelf that held the jar. Mr. Adams stood behind the cash register finishing up with another customer, his smile plastered firmly in place, and his crisp green apron tied primly around his waist.

"Can I help you young man?" asked Mr. Adams in his kindliest voice. His tone belied the look on his face as the proprietor scowled down at the diminutive four year old.

"I was just trying to see the jar better, Mr. Adams" said Jeremy brightly.

"Were you now? Well why don't you walk around to the back and take a closer look?" said Mr. Adams, his face relaxing into an amused look seen often inside the confines of his store.

Jeremy walked slowly around the end of the counter and to the base of the shelf that held the enormous jar filled with pinto beans. His jaw dropped as he stared at the contents of the jar, his mind swirling in an attempt to come up with a number.

Above the jar there was a sign posted which read: "Guess the number of beans and any item in the store is free (One guess per customer please)." Jeremy couldn't read yet, but he knew what it said because his mom had told him so.

"Well son, how many beans do you think are in that jar?" said Mr. Adams.

"Eleventeen hundred an forty seventeen" said little Jeremy proudly, his smile exposing the gaps where his baby teeth had been.

"That many?" said Mr. Adams to the accompaniment of laughter from the other side of the counter.

It seemed that their spirited exchange had drawn a crowd, and as Jeremy turned he saw his mother and older brother standing there among the onlookers. His mother smiled and shook her head in a knowing fashion, but his brother pointed and laughed loudly."

"Eleventeen hundred and forty seventeen?" said his ten year old brother Colin, "What a dummy!"

His mother gave Colin a stern glare, then looked back toward Jeremy, and held out her right hand to him. "Come here Jeremy, we can't have you bothering Mr. Adams. He's a busy man."

"That's alright Sarah," said Mr. Adams, "I'm never too busy to help a child."

Jeremy stomped his feet loudly and walked back to his mother, his face flushed brightly as he paused to give his brother an angry look. "You'll see, I'm right." He said, "It is too that many, and you'll be sorry when I'm riding around on my new bike!" Jeremy was referring to the shiny new red Schwinn racer that was displayed in the window of the store.

Jeremy's family could never afford something as extravagant

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