My nickname is Madam cash

"Is it okay to be away this long? What if a thief comes?"

"It’s okay. There’s nothing to steal. Only things to take are our two sons and me."

This was a conversation I had with my husband early in the morning while waiting for a taxi to the airport. My father-in-law, who lives in LA, feels sorry for our children working hard in cold New York. So once a year, he sends us plane tickets to visit.

In LA, I was lying in the backyard surrounded by palm trees under the warm sun. A phone call came from New York. It was the mother who lives upstairs. She said our house was broken into.

"Did they steal anything?"

My mother-in-law asked, surprised.

"There’s nothing to steal."

"You’re right. They can’t steal what isn’t there."

Everyone looked relieved.

After resting well in warm LA, we came back home. The door was slightly open. A few pieces of furniture were knocked over, and empty beer cans were on the floor. Maybe the thief got frustrated because there was nothing to steal, so they drank the beer in the fridge.

There are many good things about having few things at home. It always looks clean even without much cleaning. I don’t go shopping, so I save time and money. Over time, things become boring and hard to keep, and they turn into trash. But money in the bank is safe, and I can use it to buy something when I really want it.

My nickname used to be “Mrs. Dumpling.” Every time I went to LA, my mother-in-law would say:

"We should make dumplings! I saved leftover ingredients in the freezer just for when you come."

Then she’d bring out a big mixing bowl. I could make hundreds of dumplings fast, like a dumpling business! As long as I had dumpling wrappers, I could make dumplings from leftover meat and vegetables and clean out the fridge at the same time.

These days, my nickname is “Mrs. Cash.” When I visit my parents in Seoul and come back, my father gives me his old antiques, saying it’s time to pass them on. I feel bad taking them because I want him to live a long time. And they are heavy!

"Dad, instead of giving me heavy antiques, can you give me light cash? It’s easier to carry."

My father laughed and gave me the nickname “Mrs. Cash.”

I really do like cash. But to have cash, I need to earn money. I’m not good at making money, but because I don’t buy things, I slowly save money. That’s fun for me.