The little kid was up to the old movie stunt

 

November 5, 2014  (I was 69)

 

The little kid was up to the old movie stunt

with a wad of gum on the end of a stick

prodded through a grating to retrieve

the elusive dime someone dropped below

The kid angled and poked but could not spear

a single cent or bottle cap

A big kid told him to forget the stick

He lifted the grate and jumped in

and out again with the dime

quick as that slammed the grate into place

Without hesitation he gave the dime

to the startled boy who looked in wonder

I already have a dime said the big kid

The little kid buys two of his favorite candies

Sees a kid littler than himself eyeing

Have one he says to the hesitant tyke

I have two

The reasons this did not happen are

The older kid is more likely to keep the dime

and may put the little kid into the grated hole

And even if the little kid did buy two candies

and the tyke did just appear

he’d keep both pieces

and might give the tyke the gum off the stick

The first version is more heartwarming

but the truth is funnier