Kelsey smiled when she saw it. There was the CD with the soundtrack of her favorite movie. She had been searching for weeks, now she finally saw it. She couldn't see a price tag anywhere, but she recalled the stores ad saying it was 9.68 or something like that. Anyway, she had a ten dollar bill with her.
Kelsey grabbed the CD off the rack and rushed to the counter without hesatation. She got in line at the express lane and waited anxiously while the man infront of her payed for his shaving cream and razors.
Finally it was her turn. Kelsey handed the CD over to the sales clerk, who scanned the bar code.
"Your total is ten dollars and eleven cents."
Kelsey instantly handed over her ten dollar bill. The clerk took it and continued to stare at her as if her was expecting more. Kelsey glanced at the screen by the register.
$10.11? What? Kelsey had a ten dollar bill, that was it. She frantically searched her pockects. Nothing.
The clerck glared at her. Heat rose to her cheeks. Kelsey knew that they must be beat-red. She would have to face the embarassment of admitting she didn't have enough money. Why didn't she have any change? Her mom always carried loose change, but she wasn't here.
Kelsey couldn't stall any longer. She could feel the impatience of the shoppers behind her. It seemed to rise like a thick fog, suffocating her and making her cheeks even redder.
Kelsey stared down at her feet, ready to utter the words of surrender. Then she saw it. There was a dime lying on the ground, shinning like silver amoung the wreckage of a sunken ship.
Kelsey bent down and lifted up her 10 cent treasure triumphantly. She passed it over to the clerk who took a penny from the small cup sitting on the counter.
Finally Kelsey's order was rang up. She breathed a sigh of relief as the clerk handed over the bag holding her CD and the reciept. She walked out of the store with her purchase, eager to go home and listen to the music on the CD.