The Twenty Dollar Bill

by: Elmore Hammes

Published by: Kanopolis Fog Publishing Emporium

Reviewed by C. L. Rossman

The storyline of this novel is unique: it follows an ordinary twenty dollar bill around as it is passed from person to person, and gives us a sample of all the lives it touches. Through the bill’s travels we meet Claire, the romantic waitress, who impulsively gives her last $20 to a homeless man; then three punks bent on robbery; and Darrell the night club bouncer; along with Jay-23 the drug seller and gangster (and his younger brother David) until it finally comes full circle round to Claire again.

The chapters are like snapshots, showing us a bit of each character and his or her dreams, desires and work. There are a number of stops for the bill which you might expect, such as a bank, a car wash, and a couple of restaurants, but there are a few surprises too—like a rural doctor and a charity homebuilding team—and for all of them, you get a snippet of their lives and see what kind of people they are. Often enough, the author gives you an idea of where his latest character is going, or hints at what is to come next in his or her life.

But sometimes you’re left hanging and find yourself wishing you knew more. I wondered what would happen next to Jerome, the barber’s assistant, who was invited to Gee’s notorious nightclub, and to David, Jay-23’s younger brother, who denied he was related to the gangster. Other characters like Ferdinand the water-seller and Donald the barber are just there to move the story along, although the author does a credible job of giving each person a separate identity. My only complaint is that a few of the characters’ stories were too abrupt for my taste.

Armchair Interviews says: This is a first novel, well-written and different than most of what you’ll find on the shelves today.