Day 10: Stepping back in time on a mission to find a timeless piece to hold my treasures from this journey.
“Our admiration of the antique is not admiration of the old, but of the natural.”
The new experience today was two-fold… I needed to find a box to put all my treasures in from my adventures and what better place to look for one, than in the past. I have never been to an antique store. But I thought this would be a great place to find a unique box that had some history.
I made my way to the antique store downtown and right before stepping in, I remember thinking, “I hope I find what I am looking for.” The store had their antiques nicely displayed in the window and I was excited to see what I might find inside. As I opened the door, I immediately picked up on the scent that was reminiscent of my Grandmother’s closet that held priceless treasures from her past. The kind of treasures she would say in a gentle but firm voice, “You can look, but don’t touch, we wouldn’t want anything to break.” I was overwhelmed by the amount of antiques in this store. There was so much to take in and yet, I had to remind myself I was on a mission.
I came across old cameras, typewriters, clothes, china, books… wondering all the while, who had parted with these once precious items. If the antiques could talk, what would they say? I picked up one box, but it was too small. I found a second, and it was not that durable. I continued the search… I came across a rather large stamp collection I found interesting… Then, I found some crazy looking stuffed animals that someone may have once loved, and now they sat on a shelf, perhaps hoping to find a home. As I continued to walk through this larger than anticipated antique shop, I found an original WWII trunk in fantastic condition that was calling my name. But alas, I resisted and stayed on my mission!
I continued on, starting to lose some hope that I would find the perfect box/chest to hold my treasures. When just then, I came upon a set of stairs leading to yet a floor below. I made my way down the stairs and was in awe at what I found… Horse bridles, old typewriters, colored glass, pictures, old records, guns, swords, baby items, and costumes. I continued to walk with hope in my heart and a feeling what I needed to find was still in the store. As I turned the corner and looked down, there it was, a perfect wooden box, just the right size and in good shape. I picked it up and noticed the brass emblem on the top, “Piffers Khyber Pass 1880”. It appeared to be a keepsake box and perfect for what I needed. The price was $16 and the box was in good shape. I wondered who had owned it and why they parted with it? I wondered what the box once contained. Were the contents valuable to the person that possessed it? I wondered… I came to the quick realization that the story of who owned this box may never be known. What will be known is the new owner will place treasures inside that will serve as priceless memories and evidence of this amazing Quest!
I am not sure why I never had the “antiquing” experience before. Moving forward, I cannot wait to return, look into the past, and pick-up another treasure.
Absolutely smiling from my find…. and wondering what tomorrow will bring…. 🙂
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