Pandemic Special: A story of dark times and enlightenment. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born just outside Madrid in 1547 – about a half century after the discovery of the New World – when Spain was fighting numerous enemies. For part of his life he was a sailor on board…

This is the story of the very unlucky penny. Sometime long ago, it must have fallen out of someone’s pocket near the top of our front stairs. It probably rolled around on the floor, or got kicked once or twice, before coming to rest in a large crack between two…