The one dollar bill. A benchmark for the world to gauge the worth of each country’s monetary systems. A virtual symbol of America and her strength, the dollar was king of the hill, when it came to its popularity around the world. I remember the dollar well. I can recall how strong it was and what you could buy with it.

My mom would send me to the corner store. For a dollar, I could get her a pack of smokes, and a 16 oz Pepsi. In the glass bottle mind you. I would get 35 cents in change from that one dollar. In which, I get to keep for my trouble. Yes, you read right. A 13-year-old kid could buy cigarettes in the seventies, no problem. I would run back up to the store and buy five candy bars with the change from that one dollar. Today, those same items would cost me almost ten dollars.

I did not realize, when I was a kid, the purchasing power of my 1970’s dollar. All I cared about was that you could buy many things with it. Especially when you grouped a few dollars together. Man, you could live high on the hog. As a kid, that is. Today’s dollar is, well, it is hanging in there, barely. Starting in 1980, the dollar has been falling like the first drop of the roller coaster ride. With the shape of our economy in near shambles, the dollar may be in a perpetual free-fall into devaluation.

We were spoiled leading up to the eighties. Then, the consumer price index started to rise from the increases in products and services. To adjust, America gave raises to its employees. The national minimum wage raised some. We managed for a few decades, but now, it tough out there. Our dollar isn’t worth squat anymore as far as what we can buy with it. It is only going to get worse folks and good luck to our kids in the future. They might not have a dollar to buy things with. The only thing I could see it used for is a replacement for Charmin.

If we apply what goods cost then, what they cost now, and how much they might be in the years to come, it doesn’t look good. Can you imagine four dollars for a loaf of bread? Thirty dollars for a movie ticket? People in low-income housing will be paying eight hundred dollar monthly rents. Minimum wage will be 10.50 an hour. A Big Mac for six bucks, for crying out loud. You see what I mean? Like I said, good luck kids of today.

What I would really like is an apology from someone. Someone who was an adult back when I was a carefree kid. When all seemed good in the world of consumerism. They are thirty years older now, but I want one of them to say they’re sorry. They allowed things to get like the way it is today and I get the impression I am getting a big, ’Oh well’ from them. Well, not me. I am going to apologize to these kids today. I want to say sorry for what lies ahead for them. It doesn’t look good and I am kind of glad that I might not be around to see the worst.

On behalf of some who cares, I give a shout out to the dollar I once knew. A strong and proud dollar that, at one time, could buy the world. Alas, no more for now you can barely serve my bathroom needs. Here is a holler for the dollar.

Jeff Payne

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