The fourth graders in Penny Saver’s class had been extremely restless that day. She’d issued six demerits for bad behavior and sent two children to the office. She was in no mood for surprises when she pulled into the driveway that afternoon.

“What is that ECE truck doing here?” she thought.

With a puzzled frown firmly in place, she opened the door to see two men carrying a new hot water heater down the stairs. Bill was cheerfully urging them to be careful.

“What’s going on?” Penny asked in alarm. “Did our water heater break?”

“It’s working great,” Bill replied, “but this new 80-gallon, high-efficiency unit will work even better. We’re getting a rebate from ECE to help pay for it, and by joining the co-op’s Storage Water Heating program, we can have plenty of hot water at the special low rate of 4.2 cents per kilowatt hour.

“Yes!” Penny squealed, and she launched into her signature Saver dance around the kitchen. “We’re going to save to the max.”

“Once again, I think you read my mind,” said Bill.