Bracelet

I wear the same two chain bracelets on the same wrist every day. One was given to me by my college-attending son when he was in elementary school (it's silver) and the other was a Christmas gift from around the same time from my husband, daughter and son (it's gold). The only time I don't wear them is when I'm having a "don't leave the house" day. Last Spring, we went to Princeton's Communiversity Day and almost immediately after we arrived, I bought a black, copper and gold bangle bracelet from an organization raising money to help prevent river blindness in Africa. The bracelet is just my style - understated, very earthy, and meaningful. I wore it all the rest of the day, then tucked it into a drawer. I have not worn it since. It's not because I don't want to, but because I'm just so used to my two favorites that I can't bring myself to switch. Imagine my surprise when I opened the drawer this morning while getting ready for work and a lyrically melodious voice greeted me with these words: "Will you wear me today?" Somehow I knew it wasn't my perfume or a headband speaking.

Well, um, you see, today I thought....

Oh, I see. Another day you will choose not to wear me. (It sounded so dejected.)

Oh please don't think of it that way. I admire you every time I open this drawer (which was true!). I just imagine the clinking and clanging of your hitting my desk while I'm at work all day and then, oh dear, I...uh...I choose not to wear you. Oh, geez, I am sorry.

Quite right. But what about when you weren't going to work? What about when you went to New York to see "The 39 Steps" off-Broadway? (How did it know that?) Or when you went to Olive Garden for your daughter's birthday?

Hey, wait a second. How do you know about that stuff?

This is a drawer, remember? You put your theater stubs in and you took out the "Buy One Get One Free" coupon. And, not to be bold or presumptuous, but you could easily choose to wear me when you decide to use your Panera gift card, you know.

(My bracelet was absolutely correct. I had had many opportunities to proudly wear it, but instead chose not to. I decided then and there that at the next non-work opportunity, I would most definitely choose to wear that bracelet.) You are so right! How do you feel about a trip to the veterinarian on Thursday evening? And then maybe to drop my son off at school? Oh, this is going to be such fun!

(Maybe it was just the shape of the bangle, but I could have sworn that bracelet smiled. One thing, though, that I can't quite figure out is where the two tiny voices I heard in the car all the way to work that morning were coming from...one kept saying, "No, she won't" and the other kept rebutting, "Oh yes, she will." Oh well.)