Papa had always been sort of set in his ways.  Some might even say he’d become much too old-fashioned, but he took pride in being thrifty with a dollar.

My brother, Nick, walked up to Papa one afternoon and explained his dilemma, “My old, worn-out phone needs to be replaced.  All of the guys at school own a way better one than mine.”

Looking up from his magazine, Papa firmly replied, “Ain’t broke yet!”

A few days later, Mama called out to her husband in a voice filled with distress.  Her washing machine was on the fritz . . . again.  Papa made a couple of quick fixes, and then told Mama, “Ain’t broke yet!”

Mama always told me, “Papa has always been a penny pincher, just like his dear ol’ Papa.” 

A couple of weeks later, the zipper on my outdated winter coat was stuck.  Running to Papa, I tried to convince him to buy me a new coat, “Papa, this old coat is just worn out.  Don’t you think it’s time to buy me a new one?”

Papa took my coat.  After fiddling with the zipper for a couple of minutes, he brought it back to me with a proud smile on his face, “Ain’t broke yet!”

The next morning, Papa was sitting at the breakfast table, and he was looking over the advertisements in the newspaper.  A dashing, new pick-up truck caught his eye, and he imagined himself driving it down the street for everyone to see.  With his usual humble confidence, he announced to the rest of us, “I am thinking of trading in the ol’ truck for a brand new one.  She has quite a few miles on her.”

In unison, we all shouted, “Ain’t broke yet!”