DR Jose: I can top that mom story, I think.
This year's visit included trips down memory lane. As always, mention of spending time in Asheville NC with my Aunt Belle and Uncle George Pulliam was among the fondest memories. My Aunt Belle was a hell of a cook and you always felt at home at 26 First Street, Biltmore NC (adjacent to Asheville, but a community unto itself).
While both my aunt and uncle are deceased, I have strong memories of my last visit with my Uncle George who was gravely ill. He would sit in his recliner, blankets wrapped around him, oxygen tube in his nose, and he would converse. He also took in my aunt's high-pitched, near-hysteria jags over how traumatic it all was for her. My uncle died without a will as did my aunt. Most of their property went over to the state, sorry to say, even though my father had once offered to buy the house and land from my aunt, completely maintain it and alllow her to live there the rest of her days. She declined.
Over the 20-plus years since my uncle's death, I've lamented I had no remembrance of him. This past Christmas, while my mom and I were recalling the good times, I voiced my wonder over what had become of my uncle's tiger-eye ring. He always wore it, and I figured he'd have left it to someone, possibly my dad.
My mom looked at me rather strangely and said, "I have it. George gave it to me to give to you." I was flabbergasted. And only that incredulous expression was on my face. "I told you I had it for you, but you expressed no interest in having it!" my mother exclaimed.
More flabbergasted astonishment on my face.
"I would never have turned down that ring. I've wished I had it since Uncle George died. When is it you 'think' you told me about it."
My mother was stunned. "It was when I wanted to give you your dad's pocket watch", she declared. I thought about that...there was a gold watch my dad received from GE when he retired and my mom tried to give it to me after his death.
"I asked you to keep the watch 'for' me...safe here", I said. "I won't use it at work, and I'd rather know it was safe here."
But, I said, "you never said one word to me about that ring."
She was flabbergasted, got up, went to her safe and retrieved it.
I now have my Uncle George's tiger-eye ring. It needs resizing, but I'm over the moon about it.
