Misplacement

I’ve misplaced my wedding ring. My thumb keeps rubbing against that fleshy part of my ring finger. I’ve searched jeans pockets and gym bags. No go.

I’d like very much to say that misplacing things is unlike me. Unfortunately it’s entirely like me. So much so that, years ago, I took no pleasure at all in the whole wedding-ring-shopping experience.

The thought of spending so much money on something so small, so easily lost made me so worried I was queasy. Some of my friends discussed various remedies: size the ring small enough that you can’t take it off, take out an insurance rider on the ring, dedicate a spot for every time you take it off to shower or wash dishes. Good advice, all in all, but I work outside sometimes and with enough machinery that I have to take off my jewelry. Also my fingers swell every time I work out so the on-and-off routine with this ring was going to be both frequent and sporadic.

I ended up buying my wedding ring at Shopko. In their clearance bin for $10. I bought four copies of the same ring. (I love Shopko, by the way) So when I say I’ve misplaced my wedding ring, I understate the situation a smidge: I’ve misplaced the last of the back-up copies of my wedding ring.

I'm not a huge shopper so it's seldom I would recall a purchase of any sort. This one though I remember. There was a freakishly long line at the check-out lane so I had a moment to contemplate whether or not it was really necessary to purchase wedding rings in bulk. I wondered if marriage might change me. Make me more responsible, less likely to lose small objects like wallets and keys and jewelry. I tried to envision this transformed, better organized version of myself. Closed my eyes to see it clearly. I was finally brought out of it by the irritated tone of the check-out clerk.

“Can I help you?” the words mumbled from her tongue.

I blushed and stepped forward. Tasked with conjuring a vision of the hypothetical Melissa-who-doesn’t-lose-things my very, very active imagination had drawn a complete blank.

Yep, I thought as I unloaded my basket onto the Shopko counter. I’m going to need these.

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Currently Watching: The Good Wife
Currently Reading: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Recently Enjoyed: Engineering an Empire (Sadly its one and only season on The History Channel)
Excited to Attend: Janet's 40th Surprise Birthday Party in Denver. She's throwing it herself.