A Hundred Years Ago was a poem written by Rodrick Heffley for an essay that Mr. Huff, the history teacher at Westmore Middle School, assigned. When the power went out at the Heffley residence, Rodrick sold this poem for $20,000 in Mom Bucks or $200 in real money. Unfortunately, this trade had two consequences; the first was that Rodrick failed the essay due to it being a poem, not an essay, and the second was that Greg paid Rodrick in "fake" Mom Bucks money he stole from a board game at Rowley's house rather than money he earned.