As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts Perfect Magic Vancouver was located up stairs in a strip mall. At the bottom of the steps just outside the door our resident beggar always sat on the little stoop asking for change.
It was a beautiful summer day, nice and cool, the type of cool you get after a rainstorm. I opened my two windows as wide as I could, breathing in the crisp air.
Through my open window I heard the beggar speak, “Excuse me Sir, could you spare some change?” In my mind I could see her holding out her styrofoam coffee cup jingling the few coins, her cigarette in her free hand, (she didn’t care much about the smoking ban).
Much to my surprise the voice responding voice was Shawn Farquhar’s. Those of you who know Shawn can tell you his voice is unmistakable as is his manner of speech. And he is a very giving person.
I rolled my chair over to the window and peered through the slats in the blinds. Sure enough there was Shawn digging through his pockets and asking the beggar about her day. He spent a few minutes chatting and started towards the door that leads to the steps to the magic shop. As he was about to open the door the beggar calls back to him.
“Excuse me Sir, thank you very much but I don’t take pennies”.
“Excuse me?”
“Here Sir, you can have your pennies back.”
Shawn looking like a deer in the headlights
“But…”
“No Sir, pennies are too much to keep track of and they weight too much so I don’t take them. Here take them back.”
Having sorted through the change and extracting the pennies and holding them out to Shawn
“B…but you are begging for change! What do you mean you don’t take pennies?”
Holding out her hand with money, a beggar in reverse
“I don’t take them Sir”
“Well then give it all back!”
“I’ll take the silver it is the pennies I don’t want”
“But you are begging! Did you know 5 pennies make a nickel? Why not keep the pennies and give me back my nickel?’
“Because, I told you Sir, I don’t take pennies!”
Shawn steps through the door and up the stairs into the magic shop only to be greeted by me with tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.
PanningForGold 
Beggars can be choosers!