My good friend Jerry Keuper and I spent three weeks traveling from Shanghai to Bejing, China, via, remote out-of-the-way places.
Jerry had suggested I carry a roll or two of new pennies with me to give to children we might meet in China. Jerry said the children enjoyed gifts of coins that were new and sparkling.
In Jiuhua, a small mountain town, we visited a Budhist "Temple of Ten Thousand Steps". T'was a long, long hike up the steps to the Temple and back. Picture #1.
In the "town square" we met a young man and his son. We talked to the father at length and were pleased when he said we could photograph him and his son. Picture #2.
While Jerry and I talked to the young man about the town, the surrounding mountains, the Budhist Temple and the "town square", I asked if I could offer a coin to his son. He agreed. I handed a penny to his son who accepted it and began to carefully examine both sides of the coin. Then, suddenly, a big smile appeared on the boy's face. He looked at us and stated in perfect English, "Abraham Lincoln! The Great Emancipator!"
© 2007 EHChandler
