I bought a peanut butter cracker for $2 today.

Two saltines. Crunchcrackery peanut butter sandwiched in between.

Two bucks.

I was mowing my front yard when two little girls walked up along the sidewalk. They looked to be about 9 or 10 years old. One was holding a paper plate loaded with peanut butter crackers. The duo stopped and stood in front of my house, watching me mow expectantly.

I shut down the mower.

“What can I do for you young ladies?”

“Would you like to buy a peanut butter cracker?” one of the pigtailed girls asked, holding out the plate for inspection.

“Hmmmm. How much?”

“Two dollars,” the second girl said confidently.

I don’t think I hid my sticker-shock very well.

“Wow,” I said. “Pretty pricey for a peanut butter cracker.”

Without missing a beat, the girl holding the plate said, “But they’re really good!”

How can you argue with really good?

I went inside and scrounged up eight quarters. When I handed the girls the money and picked out my snack, they both smiled and gave me a great big “thank you” in unison. Then they bounded off toward my neighbor’s house.

Did I overpay?

Maybe.

But I’d like to think I  made a little investment into two young lives. I hope they learned some valuable lessons. Hard work pays off. Courage is rewarded. And earning something from your efforts is fun.

And you know what? After 90 minutes of mowing, that cracker was, “Really good!”