I was thinking back on things that people do with chutzpah
(gall). The definition of the word is that a boy says he is an orphan and
pleads this before the court after he has slain his parents. So I encountered
chutzpah about twenty years ago when the cardiologist I was going to sent me at
about 6 pm one wintery and dark evening to go across the way from his medical
office to get a blood test in the hospital there. He said they were open until
seven and he would have the results immediately.
So I went across the street to the hospital, had to go down
in the basement for the blood lab.When I got there, two women were sitting at
the desk eating, chatting and ignoring me. Finally, I said that Dr. Cummings
wanted me to get this blood test immediately. The older woman looked at me like
I was asking for her to fly me in an airplane at once. She finally looked up at
me as if I was disturbing her Thanksgiving feast and said “if you want me to
take your blood during my supper time, give me that pretty opal bracelet you
are wearing.” I thought it a joke and smiled. She said “well?” I quickly
realized I was by myself in a basement on a dreary wintery and dark evening. No
one at home knew where I was and guess what, there were no cell phones to use
then, they had not been invented yet.
I gathered my nervous wits and responded. I said “My mom
gave this to me, she is gone now. I cannot part with it.However, you can go to
a store in the mall called Impostors and they have the same bracelet as this.
This is not expensive jewelry, it is what they call imitation and the store
there sells them for about twenty dollars. Everyone will think as you did, that
it is real opals and real diamonds. No way, they are impostors.” “Well, she said, wow, that is great, I shall
go there tonight when I get done your blood work, and I am finished.”
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She took my blood, I scampered as fast as my 60 year old
feet and legs could run and ran to my car. Wow, it was good this was not a
heart test, I would have failed it and they would have put me in the hospital
for sure.
My bracelet was real, my story was not. It saved me.I knew
of this Impostor store because my friend Celeste who was unmarried then,
visited with me and I saw her wearing a gorgeous diamond solitaire on her left
fourth finger. I said congratulations, when is the wedding? She laughed at that
time and said it was fake and she bought it for herself.Now Celeste was use to
wearing real diamonds, pearls and etc. This one was not. That is how I knew of
the store called Impostors.They had gorgeous jewelry made to look real and
authentic. They were a busy store with many well to do people buying copies and
imitation jewels. Actually, they looked almost like the real ones.
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So sometimes in life, imitation can be better in some
circumstances than genuine and bona fide objects. I usually do not lie, only
now and then about my weight, I never lie about my age, I am proud of it and me
for being here and looking pretty good. I lied that wintery, dark,scary
Thursday evening of about six p.m. to save myself and my jewelry piece.
Actually my husband bought it for me and it keeps me safe when I am out and
about. If I do not wear it, something bad will happen to me
Once several years ago, I had a stomach MRI and you are not
allowed to wear jewelry or metal objects. I gave it to my husband to keep it in
his pocket while I was in the testing place. I knew everything would turn out
fine; as long as it was nearby.
When I ballroom danced in competitions many years ago, I
always wore it as I danced. So far, every time I wore it, I won a placement,
first, second, or third in the event. I guess you could say I am superstitious,
maybe so, I wore it when my grandchildren were born all the way through the
mothers’ labor. It was for good luck and it worked. I wore it when I typed
resumes to get the job of writing these articles and even though it was in the
way when I typed my submitted stories; I wore it.
Once an opal fell out and l lost it. I had to leave it at
the jewelry store to be replaced and they had to order the right size opal. The
manager let me take the bracelet minus the missing stone home, called me when
the new stone arrived and I brought the bracelet back there and they installed
the new one in the missing spot. Therefore, I did not encounter any bad luck by
not having it.
Dr. Wayne Dyer said “ beautiful thoughts build a beautiful
soul.” It can be said that beautiful jewelry, genuine or fake, can keep you
alive and healthy. When we had our auto accident June 18. 2008, five years ago, my opal bracelet saved
our lives. I truly believe that.
Silly old senior is entitled to believe in an innocuous
piece of jewelry; that is perfectly fine. You are never too old to believe,
believe with all your heart and dream as big as you can. Age does not stop
that.
Sometimes you need to use your wits, your good chutzpah to be bold in accomplishing something worthwhile to help your self out. You will know when to do so. Also your good luck piece, it does not need to be an opal bracelet, anything that is good luck for you will do.
ELITA SOHMER CLAYMAN FAIRFAX STATION PATCH
