finders keepers, losers weepers.

throughout the course of my life, people have been griping at me to stop walking with my eyes on the ground. various reasons have been given, but the favorite seems to be that i am ruining my posture. i expect that these folks imagined i would grow up with some massive poor-posture-induced deformity. i saw no reason to follow the advice to lift my eyes from the ground. after all i could stare my fellows in the face and wander about with my head in the clouds OR i could keep my eyes on the prize...the coins that mysteriously find their way to sidewalks. yup, i am the kid who picked up coins. i still am. perhaps some see this as a sad existence..eyeing endless avenues of cement in the hopes of finding two or three cents, but i find absolute delight in the discovery of FREE money. typically my finds are pennies, but as any coin-picker-upper knows, there are occasional nickels and dimes and even the rare quarter. i have been duped by random bits of metal and even once in south beach, a nickel glued to the ground (sob!), but most of my finds are a financial boost.

two sundays ago (valentine's day to be exact) i wandered to the grocery store in the evening. i stepped out of my car and as per usual had my eyes on the ground. i started walking to the store when a glint on the ground caught my eye. yesssss! and then i looked closer. this was not a coin. no sireee bob, it was a bracelet. a sort of gaudy silver bracelet with a heart. not exactly my style, but i pick it up and drop it in my pocket. i figure i might as well take it home, because i can dismantle it and use the bits and pieces to create new jewelry. perhaps i should think about the person who lost the bracelet, but no. i am a horrible wench. i have absolutely no sympathy. i find the purty bauble, and you cry. too bad, so sad. i did my grocery shopping and headed home. by the time i arrived home i would have forgotten about the bracelet if it was not banging around in my pocket.

 

just for kicks i take it out and give it a cursory glance to check for the tell-tale "925" designating it as sterling silver. needless to say i was completely shocked to find "tiffany & co. 925." uh. wow. suddenly the bracelet seems rather stylish! i might have limp-noodle posture, but i am now the proud owner of a tiffany bracelet. happy valentine's day to me!!!!!