On the Sorting of Currency
A Two-Character Drama in One Act.
Based on a True Story.
(The curtain rises.)- She:
- You know, I like to sort the bills in my wallet by denomination, from smallest to largest. The one dollar bills first, then the fives, next the tens, and so on. I don't really care whether the bills are right side up or upside down, or which way they're facing. But having them in order by size is nice.
- He:
- I agree. Putting the bills in order by denomination is aesthetically pleasing and has practical value as well, as it makes it easier to find bills of a particular denomination, what with the small bills being on one end of the stack and the large bills on the other end, the in-between bills being somewhere in the middle. I must confess that in addition, unlike yourself, I try to keep the bills right side up and all facing the same way, although I would be hard-pressed to justify the habit on practical grounds. Put it down to a quirk of personality, a desire on my part to bring what small bits of order I can into an often-chaotic universe.
- She:
- Well I can understand that sentiment! I have my own such quirks which, although not precisely the same as yours, no doubt spring from the same impulse, the same desire for order, lacking in practical value but satisfying nonetheless from a purely psychological standpoint.
- He:
- [nods] I am glad that we see eye to eye on this matter.
- She:
- I wonder if there are people who sort the bills in their wallet by serial number.
- He:
- I am sure that there are. However, such people tend not to live very long.
- She:
- Makes sense.
(curtain)