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It was the Chinese New Year. The metal
pan was light, shiny, and round. It was about 12 inches across. It was perfect
for burning paper. She put the pan on the hardwood floor. She opened a package
of paper money. It wasn't real money. "We burn the money for our
ancestors," she said. "Then maybe money will come to us this
year." She took out some paper bills. She lit them. She dropped them into
the pan. She lit more bills and dropped them into the pan. The living room got
smoky. Finally she stopped lighting the money. It finished burning in the pan.
The pan of ashes cooled. She picked it up. "Oh," she said. He looked
at the floor. A dark ring was burned into the wood. "Well, I hope your
ancestors send us money this year," he said. "We'll need it to pay
for the floor." |
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