"Putting on the Game Face" |
MOJO My wife, Linda, and I rent a display case at a local antique mall. Today we were in there paying the monthly rent and looking around at some of the other vendors. A dealer, next to us has some really nice things and I was checking out her jewelry. I saw this abalone ring for $15. It fit on my pinky and I told Linda I was going to get it. She told me it was an old Hippy knock-off and a waste of money. I’ll show her I’m somebody who can think for himself!” I decided. In the car ride coming home she apologized. (Well, sort of---.) “I’m really sorry,” she told me. “The ring wasn’t that expensive and I know we can afford it, but I just have to tell you--- when you dropped the twenty on the counter, I felt like watching someone flush the toilet. What ever possessed you?--- Normally you have such good taste. “ “Sweetheart, I know you think I bought it out of spite but I really like it. The abalone has an iridescent glow that reminds me of a meteorite fragment--- like the one that hit Russia last week.” “You’re making fun of me,” she replied , “I hate it when you do that. METEORITE FRAGMENT! Get real and quit acting like a jerk.” “Plus its sterling silver,” I continued. "Look here. Inside the band, it says 925." “Whoppie! A dollar’s worth of silver in a fifteen dollar ring. Go to any flea market and you’ll see display cases full of that junk." “Well, I liked it, Sweetums, and some mysterious force compelled me to buy it.” “You’re impulsive, that’s what you are and whenever I say don’t buy something, you start acting like some all knowing BIG- SHOT.” Your Dad had the big-shot gene, and so do you.” “That’s not true darling, it was a muse, whispering in my ear.” “A muse?” “Yeah, you know, an inexplicable intuitive voice, calling out from the Twilight Zone.” “You're such a Dork!” “Do you think this ring might have a special MOJO?” “Oh I get it. Instead of buyers remorse you want to go purchase a lottery ticket.” “Now that you mention it---.” “OK, we need some cranberry jelly. We’ll get a power ball at the grocery store.” When we got home I went out to the mailbox. I didn’t pay much attention to the mail and laid it on the dining room table. Then I went outside to put wood in the outdoor wood stove. When I returned inside Linda was waiting, eyes wide as saucers. She was holding up an envelope with a look of dismay. It was an unexpected Insurance check for $586.07. |