My grandmother’s bakery was well known in France. Early in the morning, people would line up outside and wait. No one wanted to miss the chance to buy their favorite pastry. She loved baking for her customers. Some of her customers bought pastries several times a week for years. 

Mama Juliette was a giver. She always made extra bread to give to the homeless shelters. "They should get to eat warm bread, too," she would say. She knew most of the homeless people by name. They loved her because she first loved them. 

There was a sign just above her ovens. It read, "Bread nourishes the body and the soul." Her bread, made with love, nourished many people. 

My mom was heartbroken when Mama Juliette passed away. 

Mama Juliette was alone at the bakery late on a Sunday night. She had more baking to finish. A large order was due Monday morning. A teenage boy, desperate for money, robbed her bakery. 

The police officers investigated and discovered what happened. She didn't get the money out of the safe fast enough. The teenage boy shot her. 

He got away with fifty dollars. The police caught him several days later. His mother was horrified when she learned of his crimes. 

The judge was tired of all the violence. The teenage boy was sentenced to prison for twenty years. 

My parents had a hard time losing Mama Juliette. My mom flew to France to run her bakery. She liked baking again, but she missed my dad. 

Nine months later, she sold the bakery. 

I was born almost seven years after Mama Juliette passed away. I was born on her birthday. My parents wanted to name me Juliette. But my cousin was born two days before me. And my aunt and uncle named her Juliette. So my parents named me Penelope. 

If I would have had a vote, I would have said Greta. I even like Rose. Jill isn't bad, either. But I got stuck with the name Penelope. Everyone just calls me Penny. 

I didn't get to meet Mama Juliette. But I have the best of her gifts. I have her recipes. I also inherited her love for baking. But baking is not as easy for me as it was for her. 

Let me tell you my story, and you'll understand. Catchy phrases have followed me my whole life. All because my name is Penny. My kindergarten teacher took us on a field trip to the zoo. I remember watching the giraffes eat leaves from the tallest trees. The lion roared just as we walked by. It scared me so much I almost peed in my pants.  

What I remember most is my teacher calling me to the front. She pointed to the ground. "Penny, do you see that penny on the ground?" 

I nodded because I did see it. "Now, class, listen to me. Remember our friend Penny when you see pennies and say this: ‘Find a penny, pick it up. All day long you'll have good luck!’! 

The whole class pointed at me and laughed. From then on, kids would give me a penny. They would sing that saying and run away laughing. It happened once a day for the rest of the year. 

At kindergarten graduation, I found a pile of pennies in my seat. I burst into tears. My mom tried to comfort me. All I could say was, "I hate pennies!" 

My dad is a banker, which means I learned to save money. When I did my chores, I earned an allowance. I was allowed to keep some money. But I had to give some to God. And some had to be saved. 

I didn't like saving money. I wanted to spend it. My dad would quote Benjamin Franklin. Franklin said, "A penny saved is a penny earned." Except Dad would say, "A penny saved is a penny earned, Penny." He would pinch my cheek and chuckle.  

But my dad wasn't the only one to use this phrase. My mom opened a bakery in our town when I was eight. After school, I would help roll the dough. It was hard work, and she would pay me. "Remember Penny, a penny saved is a penny earned. Save some for a rainy day," she said. 

As much as I liked earning money, I hated hearing that saying. My parents weren't the only ones to say it. My grandparents on my dad's side would say it. Just after giving me money for my birthday. 

I would walk away before getting my change at the candy store. And the guy at the register would say it. 

It followed me everywhere.