Two Dollars in My Pocket: A Founding Memory of Courage

A memory that comes back sometimes. It was a weekend, and I had taken my young son downtown. After walking for a long time, we were hungry. My bank balance was zero, and I had only two dollars in quarters and dimes in my pocket. I had given up on eating, but then I saw a sign at Burger King advertising a special promotion - Whoppers for two dollars. My son and I were so excited as we walked in and placed our order. But I had been living in the United States for almost a year at that point, and in that moment, I had completely forgotten - tax is separate. Standing in front of the cashier, I didn't know what to do, and feeling so ashamed of myself and sorry for my son, tears suddenly streamed down my face. I had been trying to look away from it, but in that moment I was confronted with the reality - a pathetic father in a faraway land with no money, no grasp of the situation, whose family was bearing the burden, and who couldn't even buy his son a hamburger. Thankfully, my son, now a high schooler, doesn't remember that day. After that, I pushed through a period of crying inside while working as hard as I could, until I eventually reached a place where I could eat what I wanted. But whenever difficult moments come, that scene appears in my dreams. And strangely, it gives me courage. There's nothing I can't do. My past self comforts my present self.