On Monday, Jim Miller found a penny on the sidewalk in front of his business, the Lucky Bear’s Basket, in Mt. Pleasant. The penny was head’s up. “Ah,” thought Jim. “Good luck.” He took the penny into his antique store and showed Judy, his wife and co-owner. She put the penny on the counter next to the cash register where it would bring good luck.
The next day, Jim sold a couple of trunks to a mother and daughter from Missouri. The daughter was getting married and they wanted the trunks for background at the wedding. One trunk was smaller than the other, and fit inside the larger trunk. Jim was loading the heavy trunks into the back seat of the ladies’ car. There was barely enough room to squeeze the large trunk into the back seat without tearing the molding on the door seal. (He had no idea how the ladies were going to get the trunks out when they got home.) It was a hot day, and Jim had worked up a sweat. His glasses were slipping from his face, so he took them off and laid them on the roof of the car. He told the mother to not let him forget his glasses. (Famous last words.) He got the trunk into the back seat, and the seat belts fastened around the trunk so that it wouldn’t slam into the ladies’ seat if they came to a sudden stop. He said goodbye, they backed out, and took off for Missouri.
Jim went back into the antique store. Having recently opened the antique mall in downtown Mt. Pleasant, business was booming. He could smell the fragrance of freshly refinished furniture, his famous coffee brewing, and hear the sound of the cash register operating — music to his ears. But something didn’t look right. He felt his face. His glasses were gone. Panicking, he took off like a wild tornado in the direction the car had traveled, passersby staring in wonder at the 6-foot-2-inch, 70-year-old man running down the street. But it was too late. The ladies were nowhere in sight.
He searched up and down the street, looking to see if his glasses had slipped off the roof of the car, fearing that if they had, they would be smashed by now. No glasses.
He went back into the store and told his wife what had happened. Jim cannot see to write an invoice without his glasses. He would have to go home and get an old pair.
He got in his truck and headed home, watching the street closely for any remnants of the traveling glasses.
About three blocks from the store, in front of the Dairy Queen, he saw something between the two lanes of Business 34. As he got closer, sure enough, it was his glasses. He parked his truck over them, turned on his four-way flashers, got out and reached under the truck. Miracle upon miracles, there was nary a scratch. He had left the glasses open when he placed them on the roof of the car, and that’s the way he found them.
When he got back to the store, glasses on his face, he thanked the Man Above, because at Jim’s age, he figures he needs all the breaks he can get. He also figures he used up all the luck that penny had to offer. He and Judy are now keeping there eyes open for a second penny, head side up.
Have a good story? Call or text Curt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-217-0526, email him at curtswarm@yahoo.com, or visit his website at www.empty-nest-words-photos-and-frames.com. Curt also reads his stories at www.lostlakeradio.com.