Panic and White Knuckles
I don't know if I should title this entry, "Panic" or "White Knuckles".
After falling asleep while trying to watch the National Finals Rodeo... I awoke to a dog's snuffling nose at my bedside.
Grabbing ten more seconds of warmth, I tossed back the covers and glanced at my windows. No rim of frost. Good. That meant it was a "warm" winter day... 20 or 30. Ten and below decorated the windows on those "cold" winter days.
I needed to be off to Worland, grabbing the Festival of Trees wreath from the Ten Sleep library.
Coffee-ed.
Showered.
Dressed.
Packed.
A last minute glance in the mirror, and I reached for some different earrings. And my mom's diamond ring.
While I love jewelry, I tend to stick to some basic ones around here. Not overly expensive, but tending to match the blues and greens I find myself wearing these days. I switched to silver hoop style earrings of my mom's. And I reached for the ring.
I grabbed a gold hoop earring instead.
Laughing at my poor eyesight, I squinted into the box where I ALWAYS store the ring.
The ring.
A band of gold nuggets... bought when we lived in Alaska. I remember the nuggets originally being rough and uneven, now worn smooth from years and years and years of wear. Welded to it, a thin simple band, purchased years later, holding a one carat diamond that sparkled over the nuggets.
I remember the phone call from my mom.
"You'll NEVER guess what your dad just bought me."
Now a junior in college, I had a pretty good idea of what my dad considered impractical. "Well," I wrinkled my brow, "It's either a brand new car or a diamond. I'm guessing... a car?"
"You'd be wrong!" I could hear the smile in her voice. The sincere LOVE that she had for my dad.
"Really? A DIAMOND?"
"YES!"
"So, like, is it big?"
"Oh, my. Very. Probably too big."
Then a sigh, that told me more volumes about their Love.
That ring.
The ring that was no longer in my jewelry box.
A twinge built in my gut, but I forced it down. It had to be there. I'm so paranoid about losing it, I wear it only to town and take it off when I walk back in my own door. I check it constantly in town to make sure it's there on my finger.
I grabbed the box, which holds my favorites and dumped it on the bed.
Earring.
Earring.
Necklace.
Necklace.
Bracelet.
No ring.
"Oh, God."
Panic.
I looked again.
"Oh, God."
That was it. I was in full panic. I looked on my desk and moved items. Tossed papers. Moved a pile of junk. I found an earring. What? Then I noticed an earring on the floor. Had someone knocked my box off my desk? I slid my chair away from my desk and saw another earring. Then to the left... a glimpse of gold.
With tears streaming down my face, I reached and grabbed what my heart had feared was lost. I know it's just a ring. It's not Mom... it's not Daddy... it's just metal and a memory, but it is a gold and diamond link to my past.
I thanked God and slid it onto my finger and wiped my face and headed into town.
The roads were NASTY.
Since the guys kidnapped my Durango, I had to use Daniel's Firebird.
Not really an all weather vehicle.
I drove 45 mph. In snow and ice and slush. And I hoped I hadn't used up all my "Oh, God"s for one day! I arrived, white knuckled, and cranked down the level of tunes... the Casey Donahew Band had tried their best to distract my worries.
But I was safe, and with a sparkling ring on my finger, I set up our wreath display.
****
December 3, 2009 Too Close to the Action
December 3, 2008 December's First Snow
Love your stories. When my girls were little, I'd print Jan Brett pictures off the internet for them to color - we must have had all her books.. your wreath display brought back a lot of memories. Funny what triggers memories, isn't it ?
Reply to this
I can really understand the panic over the loss even if the ring was only lost for a bit. Thank Heavens it turned up.
Reply to this
Beautiful! The wreath, the display, and that you're safe and found the ring.
Reply to this
Glad the ring was found and you made it safely.
Reply to this
so glad you found your ring. i completely understand how much that ring means to you. some things are just metal or wood or glass, but it is all the things which go with that piece of metal or wood or glass which is so special to you and only you. it is what makes you unique.
Reply to this
What a relief you found your mom's ring!! I understand the sentiment.
Reply to this