Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Stolen

When I turned sixteen, my mother passed on to me a beautiful opal ring that was given to her as a teen.  I loved that ring.  It had one big-ish oval-shaped opal in the middle surrounded by twelve tiny opals in a gold setting.  I loved it because it was pretty and because I loved (even then) anything that held sentimental value.  I’m still crazy about anything that comes attached with sentimentality.  

I didn’t ‘belong’ to any one, particular group while in high school.  My friends all belonged to various cliques from the popular cheerleaders to the kids that hung out in the smoking area between classes.  I didn’t like all the kids from these groups, but I did like the ones I hung out with.  One cheerleader that I was particularly close to (meaning we hung out on weekends and spent the night at each other’s houses) turned out to be a bit on the…odd side.  But she was fun and funny and I enjoyed hanging out with her.  Even our grandmothers were friends.  

One particular weekend, CheerleaderFriend was spending the night at my house.  I told her all about the ring and showed it to her.  She thought it was so pretty and that I was just the luckiest that my mother had handed it down to me.  After a while, she told me she had been having these ‘episodes’ where she would pass out.  They didn’t know what was causing her to pass out and it had just started recently.  We were listening to music and chatting away (probably about boys…or else we were gossiping but I’m darn sure we were NOT studying) when it happened.  CheerleaderFriend passed out.  I tried, unsuccessfully, to wake her up.  The only thing left to do was to get my mother.  Now, one thing my mother is NOT is a fool.  She lifted CheerleaderFriend’s eyelids and said something like, “If she was really passed out her eyes would be rolled back.  I believe what she’s doing is looking for attention.”  Well, alrighty then.  Not two minutes later, CheerleaderFriend was up and about as though nothing at all had happened but felt that she should probably go home.  My mother was speedy quick in agreement.  Whatever dude.  I’m pretty sure that my mother was right on the money with her assessment of the situation.  I’m also pretty sure that CheerleaderFriend was offended by the assessment.  One thing that I was certain of, however, was that after CheerleaderFriend left, my opal ring was MIA.  I looked EVERYWHERE for that thing.  I certainly did not want to share this information with my mother because, sometimes, you might get something back like, “I can’t believe you lost that ring!  I knew I shouldn’t have given it to you!”  And what kid, regardless of age, wants to ask for that kind of wrath?  Not this one, that’s for sure.  (Mother would do just about anything for you but she’s the kind who likes for everything to go smoothly, without a hitch—you know, her way.  When it didn’t, the resulting tongue thrashing was…unpleasant.).  I looked for weeks thinking that the ring would turn up but it never did.  And then my thoughts turned to CheerleaderFriend.  Had she taken my ring?  That had to be the answer!  Unfortunately, once I confronted her with my suspicions, she vehemently denied having done the deed.  I just knew that she was lying but what was I going to do.  As time passed the ring became a periodic thought---I wonder where that thing went?  I wish I knew exactly what happened to the ring.  I hope it didn’t accidentally get thrown away.  I hope Mother didn’t find it and is just waiting for the confession that I lost it.  If CheerleaderFriend DID take it, I hope it brings her bad luck (I was still angry with her)….

If memory serves, and lately I’m not so sure that it does, it was two-three years later when CheerleaderFriend called and asked if she could come over and visit.  I really didn’t want to see her, but I said she could come over.  I still thought she was responsible for the missing ring.  She came in and sat down and started blubbering about the bad path she had been on and how she had started going to church, found Christ, and turned her life around.  She talked about how she was going around to people she had hurt through the years to make amends…to confess and seek forgiveness.  (Wait, isn’t this more like a step in AA, I thought?).   And then she said that she had taken my ring and would not feel right unless she returned it to me.  But first she asked if I would forgive her.  She just wasn’t going to hand over that ring until I said I would.  So, I said it; took my ring; and escorted her to the door.  I don’t know about the Igotmesomereligion issue with her—let’s just say that, if it had been true, it didn’t last long, and leave it at that.  

I was simply very glad to have the ring back in my possession-- where it stayed until I handed it down to Birdie a few years ago (opal is her birthstone.).  So far, there are no stories of further ownership disruption.  I hope there never is.  

This is the 15th day of NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) for the month of March. The theme for this month is: in a word! My chosen word for today is: STOLEN from yesterday's prompt: Have you ever had something stolen from you? Tell us about it.







20 comments:

  1. What a story. I am glad you did get your ring back.
    I can't remember having anything taken except that I had my mothers diamond and my diamond ring combined and I was sure that her diamond was switched out for another one. It was just a feeling, I can't even prove it because the jewelry store closed down. I don't even like to think of it because it is so upsetting to me. So I know what you went through with your ring.
    I know Birdie my really love the ring!

    Susan

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  2. I guess it ended up a positive story....you got your precious ring back.

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  3. Great story. One of my friends dolls got mixed into my doll house once and my parents accused me of stealing it. I was devastated that they would think that. It wasn't true. So that's the flip side of being accused of something you didn't do. So glad you got your ring back.

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  4. So glad you got your ring back...it sounds beautiful.
    Cheers for your Mom's ability to see through the behavior. I'll bet she was taken in, like you, when she was younger. And probably had a wiser Mom do the same for her. I know my Mom would have said the same.

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  5. Great story. It's very interesting that she wouldn't hand it back until you forgave her.

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  6. I felt I was with you all the way in this. I'd have never admitted that I'd lost something to my mother either and I was pretty good at losing stuff. I am so glad you got your ring back though. I love happy endings.
    I've had various things stolen over the years...my handbag containg my passport, personal stereo and a ring I had been given for my 19th birthday present by my parents - it was a pale blue sapphire. I'd taken it off because it was a bit loose on my finger and I hadn't wanted to lose it. I looked in jewellers shop windows for years afterwards hoping to see it turn up again and reading this story reminded me of it.
    Of course the most important thing I had stolen was about 23 years ago...my heart...stolen by Hubby (bleurgh - pause while you are all quietly sick!)

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  7. Susan- Oh NO! If your intuition is like mine, you're probably right about the diamond. I hate that for you! I don't understand dishonest people. I really don't.

    Jules- Positive on getting the ring back...maybe not so much with CheerleaderFriend. That whole scene was a little sketchy but I am glad she returned the ring.

    Barb- Oh, I've lived on that side too. I tend to get very defensive when someone falsely accuses me of anything because of it too!

    Stephanie- There were times when that ability of hers was very annoying! LOL

    Mimi- I found that on the interesting side also--never could figure out why she did that.

    Carol-I wish you could find your ring! I was thinking of continuing the stolen theme with a twist and here you've already produced one! LOL Of course, great minds and all that....Bwahahahahahaha!!!

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  8. That's Amazing!!!!

    I'm so glad you got the ring back!

    (and so proud of you for not knocking her silly when she confessed to stealing it ;-)

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  9. Donna- LOL- You have me all figured out! I'm proud of me for not cleaning her clock too! LOL

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  10. I enjoyed the story. It's a miracle she still had the ring, but I'm glad you got it back.
    When I was in first grade, I had a tiny set of Hansel and Gretel figurines, and I took them to school. End of story! I was so upset as I didn't have that many toys, and I did love those things. Lesson learned the hard way.

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  11. I'm with you on this one. I would never have admitted to my mother that I didn't have the ring any more! I am SO glad that she came and gave it back to you.

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  12. Betty- Yes, especially since the ending is a good one. Oh no! You're right, it IS hard to let the things go.

    Shirley- Learned the hard was at such an early age.

    This- I'm glad too. Yeah, mother always wonders why we don't tell her stuff...duh. LOL

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  13. Great story! For me to read, I mean..not for you to live through.

    I don't remember anything like this with any normal friends.
    I was engaged to a sociopath who lied to me about every single piece of information I had about him-even his name was spelled different (ending in a K vs a C). He stole from me...like my heart, my time, my energy, my love, my good credit rating, my mail, etc....

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  14. Kaylen- YIKES! DD1 and DD3 each had a boytoy like the one you describe but luckily it was early enough (high school) so that not as much damage was done. I seriously hate guys like that. Seriously.

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  15. That was a bloody interesting story - thanks ever so much. Your Cheerleading mate sounds like a bit of an attention-seeking loon and you are better off without her!

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  16. Wow, what a crazy story! So glad you got your ring back.

    It sounds exactly like a opal ring my mother has... it brings back all sorts of happy childhood memories. I always loved that ring.

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  17. Annie- Amen Sista! LOL

    Jessica- I love this one too! So glad the post brought fond memories your way!

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  18. I am glad you got it back. That was the most important thing. I'm glad birdie has it now. My mama bought me a ring last year and I wear it a lot of times but am so worried I'm going to lose it. It's so important I don't lose it and so important I wear it. I'm thinking one day I'm going to have it buy me another one so just in case, I'll have another one. Stupid I know but so important to me.
    Take care my friend. Have a blessed weekend.

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  19. What a miracle that you got your ring back. Crazy Cheerleader must have been in a 12 step program..but I say good for her!
    We have had so many family rings "lost" it just turns my stomach to think about it.
    After my Great Aunt died her large diamond ring, which she hid in an old douche bag, turned up missing.
    My Mom had a topaz with a diamond..Gone!
    My grandmother had a diamond band...missing!
    Luckily, I found Grandma's good rings and gave my Dad's ring to my brother!

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  20. Julie-Not stupid at all! Everything that we have that holds sentimental value is very important to me.

    Shawn- It was a miracle! OMG, I can't believe all of those rings just GONE. Glad you found you grandma's anyway!

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