The Jeweler

Today, we have a great little love story from the very talented Randee Ketzel. Her talent has been long in the making, as we can see from the story. She also sent a wonderful not-so-very-ordinary mokume “Crazy Heart” to accompany. She has this and other beautiful hearts, as well as a wide range of her lovely work in her Etsy shop.

The Jeweler

In 1981, I was working at Wilson’s Jewelers in Tampa, Florida as one of the first women jewelers in the  Southeastern  US.  My own office.  My own rules.  Creative control (within a big box jeweler’s parameters, of course.)  I was fiercely proud of my work to get there–a medieval apprenticeship, years of self-training with very few resources and I had finally arrived.

So one day, this incredibly attractive, well-dressed man walks up to my counter and proffers me a watch for repair. The office next door was the horologist’s. (Watchmaker–it’s a sister profession.)  As Julio was out to lunch, I graciously deigned to fill out the paperwork. The man looks me over–dust mask around my neck, nerdy magnifying headset on my head, fireproof apron on–tilts his head, and says,  “Oh, you must be the watchmaker’s assistant, right?” I stop writing. I lift my head and stare him right in the eye.

“I am the JEWELER,”  I say. “He works for ME.” (Okay, it was the eighties.)  The attractive man blushed, mumbled something and retreated with claim ticket in hand. Three days later, he returned. With another watch. A week later, another. As he came to pick them all up, he cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and asked, would I possibly be available for dinner, maybe, sometime …?

I coolly answered yes–then went around the corner of my office and exploded into an insane happy dance.  That was 34 years, 2 children, 4 houses, and 5 states ago.  He is still incredibly attractive and well-dressed.  And occasionally says the most bone-headed things.

Don’t ever change, baby.

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