Money problems

As you know, Leiya had a graduation recently and she was given graduation gifts and money from her friends and family. She isn't the neatest of people and so a lot of her stuff had gotten spread out around the room that we are using. Just another thing to nag her about and I was trying to refrain from this annoying habit of mine. However, maybe Sadie the puppy taught Leiya a lesson about putting things up and away far more than I could have ever taught her.

"Mom. I think Sadie ate my money." Leiya said this half laughing, half crying.

WHATTT!!!

"Look what I found by my things." (That were on the floor). "There's only half of a fifty dollar bill."

When she handed me the bottom half of a bill I found this sort of humorous, but then again I was more than annoyed at Leiya for leaving her stuff where the dog could get it.

Marcy was horrified and apologizing backwards and forwards and upside down.

"I am SO sorry. I should have let you know that Sadie chews everything up."

I do not find fault with the dog. She is only doing what puppies do and Leiya should have put her money away.

So I went to the bank with the badly chewed up bottom half of the fifty dollar bill.

"This may seem like a strange question, but is this bill redeemable?"

The bank teller looked at the shred and handed it back to me.

"I'm sorry. If it doesn't have the serial numbers we can't do anything about replacing damaged money."

Not a surprise. Ah well, a lesson learned. It is not such a big deal. I've always gone with the philosophy that if the problem can be solved with money, then it really isn't a problem. Fifty dollars isn't something to sneeze at, but it could have been worse. The dog could have peed on Leiya's computer which was also down on the floor, or eaten her passport or something else.

End of story. Or so I thought.

This morning I was enjoying my breakfast of cereal and coffee while reading a book when Marcy comes into the room.

"Tani? Um... Do you still have that half of the fifty? I think I have some more of it..."

I hate to gross you out but I'm afraid I have to. Marcy had been awakened this morning by the sound of some dog making "odd" noises and that got her out of bed in a hurry.

"Oh no. Which dog pooped on the floor? And loose bowels at that!"

Because the dogs do this occasionally, Marcy has disposable gloves at hand and she started to clean up the mess.

"Oh my gosh! There's a fifty dollar bill in there! Um... Part of a fifty dollar bill in there... Quite a few parts of a fifty dollar bill in there."

That's when she came for me with her hands in disposable gloves and carrying.... well, you know.

I guess Sadie's stomach couldn't take "rich" foods. Talk about laughing till your sides hurt. Even Grandma came out to see what the ruckus was about! Woke up Leiya and had her come and witness the... unveiling, and Marcy and I carefully washed and rinsed (out in the yard!) and put money pieces out to dry.



What do you think? Is the bank going to accept this on Monday or not? Even if they don't the whole family got a good fifty dollar laugh out of it and a story to tell for years!