Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Shards


Even before the crash I knew the vase was a gonner…I had caught it with my sleeve and nothing ceramic that hits a tile floor has a chance of survival. As I picked up the shards, I was picking up my history.

I saw the vase in the small, multi-framed window of Weston’s Greenhouse in Reading. We went to the weathered shingled florist’s building whenever we bought flowers for the family grave, as gifts or plants for the house.

I loved its egg shape with the ragged, guilt-edge, and the design that was atypical for New England in the 1950s. I wanted to give it to my mother.

To pay for it I saved up my milk money, which was not a sacrifice. Milk was delivered to the school each morning in eight-ounce glass bottles. A small paper lid with a lip sealed in the milk. Now before anyone thinks, what a sacrifice, I should say despite putting ice on the milk bottles in the hall between the first and second grade classrooms didn't keep it cold or even cool. By the time we had to drink the milk it was warm and even more repulsive than if it were cold. If I had either a chocolate swirl cookie or wafer rectangle cookie, I could choke down some of the milk. In saving my milk money, I never went without the cookies.

My mother loved the vase and saved it even when we had our troublesome moments. After she died I reclaimed it and took it first to Switzerland then to Argelés where it rested in a place of honour. Each morning it was one of the first things I saw.

I swept up the vase and was about to throw it out. Instead I put it in a bag. Maybe someday I will be able to find someone to restore it. Or maybe Joseph and Rosella could recreate, which might not be the same. Maybe not but I am not ready to part with it.


4 comments:

Melissa Miller said...

I see a beautiful mosaic something-or-other in your future. With all the artists in Argeles, surely someone can create something new from the shards. A picture frame? Hmmm... It still wouldn't be the same, though.
M

Mai Daader said...

I know how exactly do you feel, losing something dear to your heart and reminds you of a lot of memories is not an easy thing, if i were you i would do the same and i wouldn´t have threw it.

sorry for what happened :)

Sue Guiney said...

A lovely post. Please do keep the shards. You'll do something with it some day. It will be different, sure, but still wonderful and a beautiful reminder!

DL NELSON said...

I love the idea of having something made out of it. Thank you thank you thank you