Thursday, December 17, 2009

A Treasure

I am one of those people who believes in signs. Not like signs from another planet because well, uber creepy and so very unwelcome here. I'm also not talking supernatural things although I'm sure there are people who could make an excellent case they exist (Mom!). What I'm talking about are personal signs letting me know I am on the right track, or simply where I'm supposed to be in my life.

These signs seem to visit, like an old boyfriend (damn you facebook), when I'm no longer looking for them. They can come in the form of finding a picture of someone in an old metal Sucret's box when you've given up hope of ever coming across it, or getting into a conversation with a stranger at a thrift store who helps you slow down by talking of her impatient wait for grandchildren because her oldest (of three) is now 34 and married. "It goes so fast," she says more to herself than to me.

"I know. I am you in just a few years," I tell her with my eyes but she doesn't hear me and she doesn't say goodbye. I busy myself with keys, children, receipt and walk away before she notices us again.

Maybe she was the real sign but I had a bonus one yesterday too. It also came from that same thrift store I took the kids to yesterday but came in the form of this gorgeous crimson handbag. I fell in love right there between the dust particles and snowglobes. There she was perched awkwardly next to some other pale and understated yayas when I spotted her. "You're here!" I whispered as we shuffled our way over to her highness.


















Just so you know, she is every bit as delicious as she looks with enough room to fit all the essentials and perhaps a bag or two of fruit chews. Better still? Five dollars. Booyah.

Just the presence of this little beauty let me know I had come to the right place at the right time. May seem silly but it is exactly the thing I've been looking for lately and I'm almost never "looking" for anything in stores. Although I do like to shop for my kids, I am not a woman who spends her money on the newest fashion. Just one look into my closet and you'll see I really should devote more energy in that department. When I was younger, in fact, I often wondered if something was wrong with me because I did not follow, hell I didn't even recognize or appreciate trends. One could even say I had some sort of pervasive clothing disorder. I love clothes as much as the next girl, don't get me wrong. It's just that my definition of what's "in" or "hip" usually deviates from the norm. I'm going to assume it's because I grew up looking into my grandmother's closet and when I wasn't borrowing her stuff (for the record, she was the freaking Jackie O of fashion in her time) I was making off with my uncle's sweaters and turning them into sweater dresses with boots (probably also his-I had no shame). *funny aside- There was one time a bajillion years ago when my uncle had an interview and was frantically running around the house looking for something. "Where is my tie? Where is my yellow and blue diamond tie?" he asked everyone who crossed his path. I remembered "borrowing" this to put around my waist as a belt and returned it to him post haste. Moments later he couldn't find his other brown shoe. "Where the hell is my shoe? Did you take my effing shoe too, Honey?" I didn't. He found it under a stack of Playboys minutes later but you can understand his aggravation.

So yesterday's signs were doubled which has to mean I'm good until well after Christmas. Nice to have such an early Christmas gift and feel I'm still exactly where I'm supposed to be. Who am I to argue with this ruby starlet?