5. The Money Tree

Sure you’ve seen trees, but have you ever seen a Money Tree?! In this episode, a couple of elementary school kids introduce us to this rare species.

Transcripts may not appear in their final version and are subject to change.

Cold open: Money Tree: :01-:04 Why is there a stick in the money tree?

Fade down

I’m Nora McInerny, and it’s going to be okay.

Money tree: :05-:09 Q repeats himself…

And more importantly, why IS there a stick in the money tree?

THEME MUSIC

Maybe most importantly…what is the money tree?

The money tree is really just a tree. A palm tree. A palm tree that we pass every day, twice a day, on our walk to and from school. A palm tree filled with indents from woodpeckers who are looking for a little snack. Some of these indents are larger than you might imagine a woodpecker hole to be, which gives this tree almost a polka dot pattern.

We walk to and from school with anywhere from 3-5 kids, and at some point, one of the kids – and they’ll all claim it was them who started it – discovered that the holes in the tree were the right size in which to slip a penny. It fit in perfectly, and it was so satisfying to see it just pop in there. The kids all agreed that it was a great spot for a penny, and that by the time we walked by the tree again, the penny would obviously be gone.

Except it wasn’t gone. And they slipped in another penny. And another. And a dime. And also the wheel from a tiny toy skateboard. Which brings us to our original question: 

Money tree: :10 -21

Every time we walk by, the kids swear there are MORE pennies, that the money tree is catching on. 

Fade up: 

Money Tree March Update: :06-20

Someday the tree is going to be just another tree to them, like it is to most people who pass it. But to these kids – and the strangers they SWEAR are slipping their own loose change into the holes – it is, for now, the money tree. It’s a source of delight and wonder that makes a kindergartner wonder how the heck a STICK got onto a tree! And you know what? We still don’t have an answer for him. If you know who put a STICK on a TREE? You better let me know right now. 

I’m Nora McInerny and it’s going to be okay. That’s a tough thing for a depressed person to believe sometimes, so finding a little bitty okay thing in the world is my way of not falling down into the depths of all my worst thoughts. The IT in it’s going to be okay is highly subjective and changes every day, and I’d love to hear yours. You can send us a voice memo by email – IGTBO at feelings and dot co – or by leainvg us a voicemail at 612.568.4441. I am especially interested in knowing if you yourself have ever seen a money tree, or created one, or if you know who put a stick in the money tree. We still don’t have an answer.