Looking Daggers

Hot day today!  It’s so perfect to be sitting here, propped up on the bed with a cool breeze coming in from the balcony and tickling my toes.

I don’t have much time.  I need to get to bed because I have to get up at 5:00 AM tomorrow, in order to get Sara to her first cross country practice.  Since I am training for a race myself, I figure I will use the time to get my 8-mile run done, and then come home to get breakfast and get on with my day.

I made homemade ice cream today, and went with Chuck to the Brighton High School parking lot so I could practice using my new bike shoes with pedal clips.  I imagined it being hard, further complicated by my notoriously poor balance, so I was blissed out to discover that it is easy.   

I had an odd moment last night that I am struggling to comprehend.   I was wearing my favorite bracelet, as always, and Sara noticed it.

 “Huh.  How long have you had that?”

“Your dad gave it to me for our tenth anniversary.”

 “That’s where I’ve seen it before.”  

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, Dad gave an identical one to Leanne for Christmas this year. And when she unwrapped it, I thought I had seen one like it before, and I said, ‘That looks really familiar.’  And Dad looked daggers at me!”

That exchange ruined the rest of my evening, but I don’t know why.  What do I care if Si gives his girlfriend the same gift he gave me?  It may be that it was one of only a few anniversary gifts that he gave me… or even the ONLY anniversary gift he gave me… during the 19 years that we were married, and I loved it.  It was expensive and distinctive, made by Hansen and Company Jewelers here in Salt Lake, and I have worn it every day since I got it.  And I guess I thought that it was supposed to symbolize something, like his love for me or whatever.  This is the danger of ever thinking that material objects convey message or meaning. 

However, he will have to sweat this one eventually.  I wear that bracelet constantly, and eventually I will meet Leanne.  When we do meet, she will say, “Wow!  Where did you get this bracelet?  I have one just like it.”  And I will say, “Oh, Si gave his to me for our tenth anniversary.”  And she will look daggers at him.