Henry’s Market Change

Henry and Nina were choosing a herb pot at the Saturday market. Mum had given Henry twenty dollars to pay. The pot cost thirteen dollars. “I wonder what change we’ll get,” Nina said. Henry held the note carefully inside his purse.

The seller put the herb pot into a paper bag. Henry showed Nina the price card. “We have twenty, and the pot is thirteen,” he said. “The change is the difference.” He did not want to rush and lose track.

Mum suggested counting up from the price. Henry started at thirteen. “Two more takes us to fifteen,” he said. Nina held up two fingers to remember the first jump. “Then five more takes us from fifteen to twenty.”

Henry put the jumps together. Two and five made seven. “We should get seven dollars back,” he said. Nina checked by starting with thirteen again. She used the same two jumps and reached twenty as well.

The seller counted the change into Henry’s hand. Henry put it in a little tray to check with Mum. “Seven dollars,” he said. “Thirteen for the pot and seven back makes our twenty.” The seller waited while he finished.

Nina carried the herb pot, but the bag felt damp at one corner. They stopped at a bench. Mum found a spare bag, and Henry slipped it around the first one. The pot was safe, and the change stayed inside his zipped purse.

At home, they put the herb near the kitchen window. Nina wanted to add a small label with its name. Henry fetched a pencil. “We can keep our seven dollars for another day,” he said. Mum wrote the amount on their shopping note.

When Dad came home, Henry told him about the market. He explained the two jumps without taking the money out again. “Thirteen to fifteen, then fifteen to twenty.” Nina pointed at the new herb. “And we brought this home safely too.”