Tuesday, March 25, 2008

The Ring

When Eddie and the grandchildren were here visiting this week I was reminded of one of many unexplained (shhhh...do you hear the Twilight Zone theme music??) things that have happened to us over the years. My mother passed away in 1991 and left one of her cocktail rings to Eddie. The ring is made up of six small diamonds from family jewelry that had been passed down for several generations and the ring looks almost like a flower or small tree branch with leaves. Eddie and I are horrible (but still not as bad as Polly) about losing jewelry and we won't talk about my grandmothers ruby and opal ring that I am willing to bet is still in a sandbox in Terre Haute, IN. I'm over that...really I am, well someday I MIGHT be able to discuss the ring (or lack of) without having a melt down, but probably not. Anyway, on to the story about Eddie's ring. Eddie had worn the ring to a company party but instead of putting the ring back in her jewelry box at the end of the evening LIKE HER MOTHER TOLD HER TO ALWAYS DO she put the ring on her night stand. Several days go by and she remembered that the ring needed to be put away but now it was nowhere on or around her night stand. Eddie moved furniture, shook the sheets and comforter, looked under the bed, inside shoes....every possible nook and cranny but no ring. A week or two went by (she had confided in her sister but neither one of them had been brave enough to tell me yet) and it was time for another evening event. Eddie was talking with a lady she had never met before and happened to glance at the womans hand. The lady was wearing a beautiful antique ring and Eddie shared the story about her grandmother, the missing ring and the ongoing search. The lady laughed and told Eddie that the ring she was wearing was also a gift from her grandmother and she too had misplaced the ring a few months ago. After a week of searching she decided the ring was gone for good and filed an insurance claim. A few days later she emptied the bathroom trash and heard a strange clunk. Upon closer investigation lo and behold the missing ring was found. After the party Eddie could not get her grandmothers ring off her mind and once again searched all around the nightstand and bed, still no ring. As she was brushing her teeth she felt really silly but decided what the heck and picked up her bathroom trash basket even though she KNEW she had left the ring on her nightstand. Yep, you guessed right..the missing ring was in the trash basket in a wad of Kleenex. We feel certain Eddie accidentally picked the ring up with the used tissue when she was cleaning her room but can you explain the conversation with the stranger at the party? Coincidence? Maybe. Grandma helping her find her ring? That's what we choose to believe. OK Mom....helping Eddie find that ring was a super nice thing for you to do and something we will never forget but I really really wish you would help me find the missing ruby and opal ring. Hmmmm, come to think of it...Eddie lost that ring too but at least I'm not bitter.

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