Treasures

For Christmas, my parents got me a Pandora bead for my "Italy" bracelet.  I had so far collected a tiny silver passport and a jazzy red Vespa like the ones we'd seen all over Naples.  My parents got me the gondola bead, which was so special since I'd gotten Mom one last Christmas, and now we could be twinkies.

When I'm depressed, I don't take the time or care to put on much jewelry.  Since I'd just went through a pretty bad bout, my bracelet needed a good cleaning.  I hunted all through my jewelry chest and couldn't find a single polishing cloth.  Oh...I suddenly remembered where they were.  I'd made one drawer, nearest my bed, for her things.  Reluctantly, I opened it, and, shaking, pawed past some of the funeral memorabilia.  Unable to help myself, my hand went to her Hello Kitty shoe.  Still tied.  Still tied!  I picked it up and hugged it, that shoe, tears streaming down my face.  Tim walked in just as I began to sniff it.

He took in the scene- sobbing wife smelling a shoe- and spoke gently, "What's it smell like?"

"A foot."  I answered, still crying.

"Yeah, Cory's foot."  He smiled just a little.

I put the shoe back in its place in the drawer, and carefully lifted out the frames of her glasses, carressed them a bit, and handed them to Tim.

"Oh boy..." he said, bowing his head.