A Penny Saved

You might think there's not much you can do with one American cent these days. But I discovered today that one of those things you actually can do is completely destroy your paper shredder. It being January, it's time to collect and collate the papers for the last year. Also to shred duplicated info so we're not swimming in paperwork like one of those geriatrics you read about who die when a ten foot stack of newspapers from 1956 fall on them. Anyway, a penny must have slipped in the midst of the sheaf of papers, because next thing I knew the poor little machine was bucking and spitting like a cat in a bath. I found the remarkably undamaged penny, removed it, and went on about my shredding. Except the machine was straining. I pulled the lid and the rollers were completely jammed with paper. So I got out the screwdriver and did a more in-depth analysis. The shredder is utterly unsalvagable. The blades on both gears are destroyed for a solid inch of their length. They must be made of the cheapest metal ever. Which is funny, because you'd think that would be what was used for the penny. Good thing I managed to save that anyway, because I have to put it toward a new shredder tomorrow.

Comments

[Sean]

Your shredder is weak. We used to shred pennies and tokens for fun in the shredder at the arcade. That thing was unbustable.

[Stephanie]

I admit it, I"m way too cheap for a commercial shredder. My new one is yet another $30 model. Hopefully, it will last longer than the last one. (Which, to be fair, was ten years.)

Now get back to studying! ;)