The Vase

Life and writing about it is an adventure. Writing this unique type of book is even more fun because there is little that happens that doesn’t fit. I’m writing and watching/listening to the Georgia vs. LSU football game.

As I finished editing my road trip e-mail I glanced over at our vase on the coffee table. A vase I bought for Marilyn on my last day of the road trip; it always makes me smile when I see it. It was an incredible experience at the time. It took me months after the fact to tell anyone but Marilyn because I felt it was self serving. Now I believe the story has the possibility of inspiring others.

I had been away for over two weeks; I was about six hours away from home and had yet to purchase a gift for my lovely wife. I know many men; I don’t know very many who could go off on a two week adventure alone without catching a bunch of grief from the lady of the house. Marilyn is so very, very, very good to me.

I was winding through the mountains of southern West Virginia, it was so incredibly beautiful and the convertible enhanced the ride tenfold. I spotted a sign for a West Virginia crafts pavilion where I could purchase something appropriate for Marilyn.

The circular pavilion sat high on a hill top and is a modern structure. Every vendor and store in the building were local craftsman and artists. The place had an incredible atmosphere with an open air court yard in the center.

Most of what was available was kind of country style oriented and the wife is anything but country. As I wondered around I spied a glass-blower with an extensive gallery of glass on display. Marilyn had recently become infatuated with varieties of vases, so I looked for a piece that was really different from what we had at the house. It was difficult to choose, the guys work was all so beautifully crafted.

Amazingly there were a few with both humming birds and Iris flower designs on them; Marilyn’s favorite bird and favorite flower. There were varied sizes and designs. As I was choosing which one to purchase an elderly lady and her middle aged daughter came a long side of me looking at the vases.

The daughter picked one humming bird vases up and her mom was ouhhing and ahhing about how beautiful they were and how wonderful it would be to have it in her home. The daughter suggested she get the vase but mom said; “I can buy a pair of shoes and a dress for what that cost.” They returned the vase to the shelf and went on their way.

I choose the one that I liked for Marilyn and started for the counter. I passed the one the two ladies were looking at and smiled remembering their conversation. I grabbed the second vase and took both to the counter. The counter person asked if they were gifts and asked if I would like them wrapped; separately I requested and in individual bags.

I circled the entire building looking for mom and her daughter. I thought they had left the building and was thinking about how happy Marilyn would be with the two vases; one chosen by her husband and one by a stranger from West Virginia. I started for my car. Just before I reached an exit I saw mom and her daughter looking through some linens.

I approached them and said something about the linens they were eyeing. I asked; “Wasn’t it you two who were looking at the humming bird vases back at the glass blower?” The older lady smiled the biggest smile and went on and on about how wonderful delicate looking they were and how she loved humming birds. I handed her the bag and said; “Here you’re supposed to have this.” She looked at me quizzically and then looked at her daughter. She very slowly opened the bag, and as I walked quickly away I looked back and they were both staring into the bag with their mouths hanging wide open. I will never forget the glorious look on their faces.

As I hit the parking lot I was crying and skip jumping and laughing; people were looking at me like I was a crazy man; I was, I was crazy happy. I felt like the Long Ranger (“Who was that masked man?”), Santa Clause and the tooth fairy all rolled into one.

The rest of my ride home I was singing, crying and laughing. Each time I remember I can see the looks on their faces and their expressions I begin to smile and many times, like now, tears of happiness appear in my eyes. It was absolutely the most invigorating way to end the trip. I recommend it to anyone.

CW