For months, I believed I had struck gold with the neighbor’s kids—two adolescents who spent Sunday mornings cleaning the neighborhood as if campaigning for office. But when I saw one of them stashing something beneath a bush, I realized their “good deeds” weren’t what they seemed.

As a woman in my 60s, I’ve witnessed everything in this area, from the wonderful to the horrible. But seeing two kids, just out of middle school, cleaning the sidewalks every Sunday gave me hope for the younger generation.

Every Sunday morning, I’d sit by my window with a cup of tea, watching them work hard—pushing brooms, dragging garbage bags, and keeping the street clean. It was admirable and reminded me of my own children when they were small.

One morning, while watering my plants, I noticed their mother, Grace, rushing out of her house. “Grace!” I called, waving. “Your kids are doing a fantastic job! You must be so proud!”

Kids holding a trash bag | Source: Amomama

Grace paused, giving me a strange look. “Oh, uh… thank you, they’re… good kids.” Her tone was off, but I didn’t think much of it at the time.

Weeks passed, and I continued to see Becky and Sam working diligently. I even offered them lemonade once, but they respectfully declined, saying they had tasks to finish.

Then, last Sunday, I noticed something unusual. While cleaning, Sam crouched by a large oak tree, brushing leaves away and tucking something behind a bush. He looked sneaky, glancing over his shoulder. My curiosity was piqued.

I decided to wait until they left. Once they turned the corner, I donned my gardening gloves and went outside. As I reached the shrub, I felt a chill. I leaned down and pushed aside the leaves. My heart raced—it’s exciting to solve a mystery.

There it was: a small stack of coins. Quarters, dimes, and a few shiny pennies. I grimaced, wondering why they were hiding money instead of cleaning up trash.

I discovered more coins—tucked behind a street sign, squeezed between bricks, and near a storm drain. By the time I finished, I had gathered about $5.

Confused, I later saw Grace unloading groceries from her car. This was my chance for answers. I approached her, jingling the coins in my pocket.

“Grace!” I called, waving her over.

“Hey! Is everything okay?” she asked, surprised.

“I wanted to mention again how thoughtful your kids are,” I said casually.

Grace furrowed her brow. “Cleaning up the street? What do you mean?”

I blinked. “You know, they’re out there every Sunday picking up trash.”

She burst out laughing. “Oh, no! They aren’t cleaning! They’re on a treasure hunt!”

I was shocked. “You’re telling me I thought they were model citizens, and they’ve just been… playing a game?”

Grace nodded, still laughing. “Their grandfather hides coins across the neighborhood every Sunday. They’ve been playing this for years.”

I stood there, dumbfounded. “So all this time, I thought they were responsible kids?”

Grace giggled. “Yep!”

I leaned on the fence, sighing before laughing with her. “I assumed they were doing community service but were just playing pirates!”

Grace laughed harder. “I apologize for the confusion! They look like they’re cleaning.”

I held up the coins I had found. “And this? This is the grand prize I collected!”

Grace’s eyes widened. “Oh no, you found their stash!”

“I couldn’t help it,” I chuckled. “Curiosity got the best of me!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll tell them where their treasure has gone. They’ll find it hilarious.”

As we stood there, the laughter faded into comfortable silence. Grace asked, “So, what did you think they were doing?”

I shrugged and smiled. “Honestly? I thought they were cleaning up as part of community service. I even praised you!”

Grace shook her head, still giggling. “In a way, they are. They’re enjoying fresh air with Grandpa.”

“True,” I replied. “But I must say, you had me going. I thought I was witnessing future city council members at work.”

Grace winked. “Who knows? Maybe they’re learning responsibility, even if it’s for a few cents.”

“Maybe,” I said, smiling. “Next Sunday, I plan to enjoy the show… treasure hunt and all.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Grace said with a smile.