Like Glitter and Gold

Becoming a Brownie was the gold standard for my girlhood. For children of limited means this status was unattainable.  Although I was able to borrow a Brownie uniform, there were organization fees and monthly dues that my mom had not counted on. Patches, after earning them, had to be purchased. My time as a Brownie was very short lived.

 

A similar lesson came later... in high school. Three girls were admiring the the pennies they had gilded, genuine golden pennies that they had placed in their penny loafers. One girl was still waiting for her pennies to be picked-up from the jeweler. This was a revelation to me... in my well-scuffed Keds... from Kmart.