Telha
For months, I thought I’d lucked out with my neighbor’s teenagers
Every Sunday morning, they were out cleaning the street, looking like community-minded kids.
As a woman in my 60s, I’ve seen a lot around here—good and bad.
But seeing two teens, barely out of middle school, devoting their weekends to cleaning gave me hope for the younger generation.
Each Sunday, I’d sit by the window with my tea, watching them sweep and haul away trash bags.
It was heartwarming, reminding me of my own kids before they grew up and moved out. I admired their dedication.
One morning, I spotted their mom, Grace, rushing out, probably running late for work.
I called out, “Grace! Your kids are doing a wonderful job cleaning the street. You must be so proud!”
She paused, gave me a strange look, then smiled briefly. “Oh, yeah… thanks. They’re good kids.” Her tone was a bit odd, but I figured she was just in a hurry.
Weeks passed, and I continued watching Becky and Sam—those were their names—working hard every Sunday.
I even offered them lemonade once, but they politely declined, saying they had to “finish up.” I thought it showed such responsibility!
Then, last Sunday, something unexpected happened
From my usual spot, I noticed Sam wasn’t just picking up trash.
He was crouched by the big oak tree in front of my house, moving leaves aside and carefully tucking something under a bush. I squinted to get a better look; it definitely didn’t look like trash.
He kept glancing around, as if he were up to something.
After they finished and left, my curiosity got the better of me.
I put on my gloves and went outside. The wind tugged at my hair as I bent by the tree, brushing aside the leaves Sam had arranged.
There it was—a small pile of loose change! Quarters, dimes, even a few pennies. Puzzled, I checked other spots along the street and, sure enough, found more coins hidden behind street signs, between bricks, and even near the drain.
By the end, I’d collected nearly five dollars in change. But why were they hiding money instead of cleaning?
That afternoon, I saw Grace unloading groceries and decided to solve the mystery. I walked over, the coins jingling in my pocket.
“Grace!” I called, waving her over.
She looked up, surprised but smiling. “Hey! Is everything alright?”
I laughed, trying to sound casual. “Yes, I just wanted to say again how wonderful your kids are, cleaning every week.”
Grace looked genuinely puzzled. “Cleaning? What do you mean?”
I blinked in surprise. “They’re out there every Sunday, sweeping and picking up trash. I see them from my window!”
She looked baffled, then burst into laughter. “Oh, they’re not cleaning!”
I stared, completely lost. “Wait, what?”
“They’re on a treasure hunt!” she explained, still laughing. “Their grandpa hides coins around the neighborhood for them to find every Sunday. It’s a game they’ve been playing for years! They’re not picking up trash—they’re hunting for treasure!”
I was stunned. “A treasure hunt? So all this time, I thought they were cleaning the neighborhood, and they’ve just been playing?”
Grace nodded, still smiling. “Exactly! My dad started it when they were little. He hides coins—quarters, dimes, sometimes even a dollar—and they spend Sunday mornings searching for them.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I’ll be! Here I was, thinking they were the most responsible kids around, and they’ve been playing pirates all along!”
Grace laughed along with me
“Sorry for the confusion! I guess it does look like they’re cleaning, but really, it’s all about the treasure.”
I pulled out the coins I’d collected. “And this? I found it under the bushes today!”
Grace gasped. “Oh no, you found their stash!”
“I couldn’t help it,” I admitted, chuckling. “I saw them hiding something and thought they were being sneaky.”
Grace shrugged with a smile. “No worries. I’ll let them know where their treasure went—they’ll love it!”
We shared a good laugh, and then Grace asked, “So, what did you think they were doing?”
Feeling a bit sheepish, I shrugged
“Honestly? I thought they were doing some sort of community service. I even told you how responsible they are!”
Grace shook her head, still laughing. “Well, in a way, they are. They’re keeping Grandpa happy and getting some fresh air, right?”
“True,” I said, smiling. “But next Sunday, I think I’ll just sit back and enjoy the treasure hunt.”
Grace winked. “Sounds like a plan!”
