Dale continues operating his repair shop.
But he’s made some important changes.
He now offers health insurance to his employees.
And every September, he helps organize another Penny Saturday.
The event has become a community tradition, raising money to support students with unpaid meal balances.
They even established a fund named after Irene Bauer, the cafeteria worker who quietly helped Dale when he was a child.
One afternoon, I stopped by the repair shop to collect a part for my husband’s truck.
Everything looked familiar.
The gray building.
The mechanics working in the service bays.
The strong coffee near the counter.
But one thing was different.
Beside the register stood a large glass jar filled with shiny pennies.
A handwritten sign was attached to the front.
FOR THE LUNCH KIDS. EVERY PENNY COUNTS.
I smiled.
For years, I’d believed the only thing that mattered about my final paycheck was how badly Dale had treated me.
