LOST AND FOUND

Yesterday when playing bridge my partner noticed I was wearing only one earring. Before leaving we searched the building’s carpeted floor and lobby but couldn’t find the missing one. I was very distressed because although it cost me only a few dollars, it went so beautifully with a necklace given to me by my eldest daughter. My friends all started talking about having a box at home containing only single earrings. I have one too.

I started to remember another gift I had received from the same daughter when she was in college. In the 1970’s, she spent the winter quarter of her junior year abroad studying art in Bordeaux, France.  After finishing her studies, she met with a group of her fellow students to tour Europe, and while in Italy she bought for me a pair of beautiful elephant skin gloves. They were so precious to me that on a winter day in downtown Pittsburgh when I lost one, I was absolutely heartbroken. I went up and down the street in the slush trying to find it but never did. I still have the mate in a drawer and when I see it I still remember that day which was very sad for me.

(I did find the lost earring at home where I had removed it to answer the phone earlier)