Today's Sermon--Three Coins in a Fountain

I'd like to speak today on one of my pet peeves--the habit Americans have of throwing coins in fountains, wells.... Hell, any still body of water short of a puddle in the street is likely to have been infested with hundreds of idly tossed coins. Malls, plazas, hotels, hospitals, parks, lobbies, train stations, airports, palazzos, winter gardens, libraries, colleges, museums--it doesn't matter the context, if there is a man-made body of water in it, some moron will throw a coin into it.

Case in point--the Egypt exhibit at the Field Museum features a small mock-up of the Nile, used to educate viewers on the role the Nile played in Egyptian culture and farming habits. It is clearly not a fountain or wishing well. Nonetheless, it usually sports a thick bed of American coins, nestled among the faux-papyrus and stuffed waterfowl. This monetary refuse does not add to the ambiance.

Why do people do this? When I've asked I've received answers such as "It goes to charity, doesn't it?" (How would you know?) "The {fill in the name of the location victimized here} takes them as a donation, I think..." (I have to believe that a lot of places pay more money to clean this crap up than they get from the pennies you've just flung from your meaty, sweaty hand into that fountain.) It seems to be some gut-level instinctual response, much like the post-mortem jerking of a frog's leg. I know Americans hate change, but does it really need to go to this level? If you were at Trevi Fountain trying to ensure your return to Rome, I could understand it, but who needs to ensure that they will return to Oak Brook Mall?

Moral: Please people, keep your damn coins in your damn pocket.

Further, deponent sayeth not. Go forth and sin no more.