Photo by: N.L. Belardes
One Bakersfield Woman's Blog to Mankind
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Identity Bracelet
Yesterday I lost my bracelet. I had put it on in the morning like I always do and later in the afternoon I looked down at my wrist and it was gone. I was immediately heartbroken.
It was my wearable typewriter jewelry letter M bracelet that I bought at the Yosemite Writer’s Conference last August. It was my ‘Matildakay’ bracelet. It was the bracelet I identified with being a writer. I loved this bracelet.
“I lost my bracelet!” I told my friends.
We had just eaten lunch at Baja Fresh at the Marketplace.
“When was the last time you remember seeing it?”
“At my massage appointment this morning.” I said.
“Well just retrace your steps from the last time you remember seeing it.”
I searched the car. No bracelet. I called Baja Fresh. No bracelet.
I sat with my friends while they talked and laughed and all I could do was think about my bracelet. The longer I sat there the sadder I got. I had lost my writing bracelet. I had lost the piece of jewelry that belonged to ‘Matildakay’. I had lost me. In that moment I knew exactly how Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City felt in the American Girl in Paris Part Une episode where she lost her ‘Carrie’ necklace. Without her identity necklace she was lost. And so was I.
“I’m going to go look for my bracelet.” I got up to leave.
“Just retrace your steps, you’ll find it.”
“I hope so.”
I drove out to the Marketplace and parked near Baja Fresh. I walked around the parking lot looking for my bracelet. And then I called my massage therapist to see if I might have lost it at the salon. I got her voice mail and left a message. I was walking towards Baja Fresh when she called me back.
“They have your bracelet at the salon.” She said.
“They do!”
“Yes, but they just closed.”
“Thanks so much! I’m at the Marketplace now, I’ll go see if they’ll let me in to get it.”
I hung up the phone as my heart soared into my throat. I hurried over to The Cutting Edge salon where I had been earlier that day. The door was locked but a girl was standing behind the front desk closing out the register. I knocked on the door and motioned for the girl to come over.
“I’m the one who lost the bracelet.” I explained.
She went back to the front desk and pulled my bracelet out of a drawer. Oh thank God! I thought. I watched her put my bracelet in her hand and walk back towards me. And then she handed my bracelet back to me.
“Thanks so much.” I looked down at my bracelet in my hand.
I felt like me again.
“I found my bracelet!” I called my friends to let them know.
“I knew you’d find it if you just retraced your steps.”
“I was going to cry if I didn’t find it.” I said.
“You’re so attached to your jewelry.”
“I know.”
The funny thing is, every piece of jewelry I own tells a story of my life and means so much to me, but the wearable typewriter jewelry bracelet is the only piece of jewelry that talks of Matildakay and writing. And I didn’t want to lose her.
Yesterday I lost my bracelet. I had put it on in the morning like I always do and later in the afternoon I looked down at my wrist and it was gone. I was immediately heartbroken.
It was my wearable typewriter jewelry letter M bracelet that I bought at the Yosemite Writer’s Conference last August. It was my ‘Matildakay’ bracelet. It was the bracelet I identified with being a writer. I loved this bracelet.
“I lost my bracelet!” I told my friends.
We had just eaten lunch at Baja Fresh at the Marketplace.
“When was the last time you remember seeing it?”
“At my massage appointment this morning.” I said.
“Well just retrace your steps from the last time you remember seeing it.”
I searched the car. No bracelet. I called Baja Fresh. No bracelet.
I sat with my friends while they talked and laughed and all I could do was think about my bracelet. The longer I sat there the sadder I got. I had lost my writing bracelet. I had lost the piece of jewelry that belonged to ‘Matildakay’. I had lost me. In that moment I knew exactly how Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City felt in the American Girl in Paris Part Une episode where she lost her ‘Carrie’ necklace. Without her identity necklace she was lost. And so was I.
“I’m going to go look for my bracelet.” I got up to leave.
“Just retrace your steps, you’ll find it.”
“I hope so.”
I drove out to the Marketplace and parked near Baja Fresh. I walked around the parking lot looking for my bracelet. And then I called my massage therapist to see if I might have lost it at the salon. I got her voice mail and left a message. I was walking towards Baja Fresh when she called me back.
“They have your bracelet at the salon.” She said.
“They do!”
“Yes, but they just closed.”
“Thanks so much! I’m at the Marketplace now, I’ll go see if they’ll let me in to get it.”
I hung up the phone as my heart soared into my throat. I hurried over to The Cutting Edge salon where I had been earlier that day. The door was locked but a girl was standing behind the front desk closing out the register. I knocked on the door and motioned for the girl to come over.
“I’m the one who lost the bracelet.” I explained.
She went back to the front desk and pulled my bracelet out of a drawer. Oh thank God! I thought. I watched her put my bracelet in her hand and walk back towards me. And then she handed my bracelet back to me.
“Thanks so much.” I looked down at my bracelet in my hand.
I felt like me again.
“I found my bracelet!” I called my friends to let them know.
“I knew you’d find it if you just retraced your steps.”
“I was going to cry if I didn’t find it.” I said.
“You’re so attached to your jewelry.”
“I know.”
The funny thing is, every piece of jewelry I own tells a story of my life and means so much to me, but the wearable typewriter jewelry bracelet is the only piece of jewelry that talks of Matildakay and writing. And I didn’t want to lose her.
I would turn that thing into a necklace. Or I'd put it on a keychain. That is, if you aren't prone to losing your car keys.
I remember when you got that bracelet! :) I'm glad you found it.
*slapping forehead
I know EXACTLY how you feel. I've got a lucky silver and blue beaded necklace that I always wear ... my best girlfriend Angela gave it to me years ago, and I wear it to remind me to behave myself.
(I can just hear her voice in my head ..."JEN. STOP. Don't do THAT.")
I lost it one night after a show and I had no idea where it was ...I was really messed up about it and feeling weird without it there, and freaking out. I was on my hands and knees in the grass, in the dark, searching for it ... Several friends joined the search with flashlights ... And then Todd found it (between the seats in the car!) and I was crying like a loon and hugging everyone who'd helped to look for it. So relieved! It's crazy how we get attached to little things like that!
i'm so glad you found it. i saw how sad you were and was happy when i found out you reunited with your treasure...
That reminds me, I have a bag full of typewriter keys (minus the 'G') that I need to figure out what to do with.
S.R., I'm more prone to locking myself out of the house than I am losing my car keys... but I like it as a bracelet just fine.
Norma, I'm glad to have it back!
NL, Women are attached to jewelry. :)
Jenraven, I'm glad you found your lucky bracelet! It's hard to lose jewelry you love and are attached to. :)
Chingpea, I'm glad I found it too. :)
Mel, You should make typewriter jewelry! What happened to the 'G'?