Buried Treasure

I was sitting in my living room the other day reading and my mind kept drifting. It felt like I had read the same page about twenty straight times, and I was not getting much out of the book. When I’m reading, I do a mental exercise at the end of each page and quickly quiz myself to what I just read. If I can’t recall, then I try again. I think the problem was the overcast gloomy day and that my inner beach bum was yearning to be at a warm sunny beach listening to the surf roll in. I put the book down and just sat there thinking about all the great times at the beach and trying to pick a story to share with you all today. A real cool one came to mind, and I hope you like it.

But first you need a little back story for today’s trip back into Mark’s fuzzy memory.

I met my late wife Michelle when I was in 10th grade and she was in 9th back in the early 1970’s at school. To be honest, I was looking for a date to go to the upcoming Valentine’s Day dance at school. I called her up randomly and asked her to go to the dance and after I met her parents we were allowed to go. It kicked off a life-long romance and my life was never quite the same.

After high school was over her parents moved to south Florida and she decided to stay in Akron and move out on her own at 17. Her dad was NOT A FAN of the decision but relented. Michelle moved into a small apartment with a few friends, and they made it. She found a job to support herself in downtown Akron at the Akron Bar Association and later at the Probate Court.

I was putting myself through college and was living at my parent’s house. Our relationship continued to mature, and it seemed pretty obvious that we were going to get married, the only question left to answer was when. I had very little and was not ready to take on the financial responsibility of leading a family but I loved that woman with everything I had. We talked a lot about it, prayed about it, talked with others for advice and started to believe we might be able to get by until I graduated from school and was able to find real work and get our life together going.

One day in 1980 a peace came over me about this and I headed up to the local mall to look at engagement/wedding rings. My total life savings at the time was $300 (about $1,000 in today’s money). I had less than zero idea about buying jewelry, especially this kind. I found a nice saleswoman and told her my story. I was honest and said “I have $300 and that’s it. Not $302 or $395…$300.” So, if you’re going to try and upsell me, you are wasting your time. She grinned and took me to the far end of the counter to have a look. I eventually picked one out and if you held it just right in the bright sun you MIGHT be able to get a reflection off the incredibly small diamond in the setting. I think it was rated as a .00000001 karat!

When I got home I called Michelle and told her I wanted to pick her up and go for a hike in Goodyear Metro Park. This is where we hung out a lot and I thought it would be a great place to propose. She was indifferent about going so I had to do a hard sales job to get her to go but I think she was wondering what was up.

As I headed out the door my mom was in the kitchen and asked, “Where are you going?” I told her “To propose to Michelle, be back later!”  She nearly fainted and grabbed me and started asking me a ton of questions that I had given very little thought to like, “How are you going to provide?”  We talked it out and I told her that “it was time” and I thought it would work out.

I put this big ring box in my shorts and tried to keep to the right of Michelle when we were walking so she wouldn’t notice. We sat down at this bench inside the park, and I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. I was hoping she would like the ring since we did not discuss it beforehand. I knew it wasn’t the biggest or best, so I was a little apprehensive. When she saw it, you would have thought it was worth a million bucks! She said yes (spoiler alert), and we were one step closer to being an official couple.

We were married in August of 1982 as I finished up my last year of school. I moved into her duplex, and we started the newest version of Rutmachines! Best decision I ever made.  I always thought that once we got going and had some money saved back that I would buy her the ring she deserved.

Today’s blog is about that journey and how we found buried treasure in a pretty unbelievable way several years down the road.

But First…A Joke:

A psychiatrist had to have a talk with his receptionist recently after overhearing some conversations in the lobby. “Just say that we’re very busy, “he said. “Please stop telling people that it is a madhouse in here.”

A Verse to Contemplate:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness - 1 John 1:9

Have I Told You This One?

My new bride wore her new ring proudly and it made me proud that she didn’t complain when others would show their rings which were obviously bigger, better and more expensive. She would show hers off with the same intensity. But I knew she deserved better and was trying to get her an upgrade. 

If you have ever been married for any length of time and have kids, you know that there is always something that needs to be addressed financially and there isn’t always “extra” money for things like ring upgrades. The transmission goes out on the car, the kid’s tuition is due, the washer and dryer need replaced, you get the idea. My heart was there but the checkbook was not. Time flies by when you’re having fun!

Before I knew it our twentieth wedding anniversary was coming up in 2002 and I was determined to fulfill the promise to myself and surprise her with that new ring. This time I went to a swanky jewelry store and bought her a nice ring that took up most of her finger! I did get upsold this time and I was glad it happened. The lady salesperson even kept apologizing to ME. I told her to relax and that I was happy with my purchase. Somehow, she could tell I couldn’t afford it.

Being a hopeless romantic I thought I would give it to her where I proposed to her, at Goodyear Metro. I told her that I had a trip planned for our 20th, but I wasn’t going to tell her where it was and to pack a bag and if she needed anything we would buy it there. My idea was to make a stop in Akron and then we would jump on another plane to New Orleans. I had the ring mailed to my dad in Akron. When we got to the airport she was all excited about the trip but it was killing her that she didn’t know where we were going. Once we got to the gate and the sign said Akron, Ohio she kind of side-eyed me. Well, to be truthful she hit me and called me names. But ever the trooper, she got on the plane and we were off to the Rubber City!

Once we got to Ohio, we stopped and sat with my parents for a tick and then I told her that I wanted to go the park. Reluctantly she went and at the top of hill on the bench I got back down on my much older knees and asked her if she would marry me again. It turned out great and she was happy. She was even more happy when I told her we had to go to the airport in the morning for our trip to the Big Easy. We had a bunch of fun in New Orleans and her ring glistened in the neon. I felt great because I finally got her the upgrade she deserved. But to be clear, she would have worn the original her entire life and been happy as well. I don’t know what I did to deserve her but if I ever find out I’m writing a book.

Once we got back to Atlanta, life started happening quickly once again and the years seemed to be blowing by like a twister. Her dad passed away in 1991 and he had his ashes placed in the Gulf of Mexico just off of Pensacola Beach. She hadn’t been back down there for a while, and we decided to take a weekend and go to our favorite beach for some “r n’ r.” It was an absolutely perfect weekend, and she was enjoying the sun in her chair. She wanted to get a tan on her back so she took the towel she was laying on and placed it on the sand so she could lay down.

A few minutes in I hear, “Where’s my ring?” Her voice was very troubled, so I knew there was a problem. She remembered too late that she had taken the ring off because she was concerned that it might slip off due to the suntan lotion and put it on the towel. When she got up and shook the sand off the towel, she simultaneously sent the ring flying and we had no idea where it was. We rooted through the sand in the immediate area with no luck. I went to some people around us and asked to use their sand toys to sift through the sand. We did this for what seemed like hours, but still no luck. I looked up and there was a bad storm headed our way which put more stress into the situation. I told Michelle I would look for someone with a metal detector and started searching up and down the beach. I couldn’t find anyone. I came back and she was distraught. I put my arm around her and told her that I was sorry and that I would get another one once we got back to Atlanta.

She snaps up and looked at me and said “I am finding this ring, I don’t want to come back here with another sad memory.” “Okay sweetie, I hear you.” So I headed the other way down the beach looking for a metal detector. As I was about to turn around and head back again, I spot this young man that was there with two lady friends. I walk over to him and ask, “Hey my friend, would you like to be a hero today?” He asked, “What do you mean?” I told him the situation and he told me that he had just got this detector and was trying to figure out to work it. What a better way to start! Thankfully, he came back with me and by the time we reached Michelle she had half the beach digging for that ring. I introduced her to my new best friends and they started searching for it. We expanded the search area a little bit and after a few false alarms with pop can tops and other non-ring material, we hear, “I think I found it!” I was skeptical but sure enough there it was! Michelle broke down and hugged and kissed this young guy and cried. Poor kid didn’t know what to do next, so I rescued him and thanked him. I got his address and sent him some gifts and money for his help in finding the Buried Treasure!

That ring meant a lot of all of us but especially Michelle. More than I thought, actually.

After she passed away the hospital returned the ring to me along with a few other personal items. The ring was in a small Ziplock bag. I took my wedding band off and placed it in there with her ring where they will be until it’s my time to go.

A Prayer:

Heavenly Father, it’s hard to believe that You are always available. Thank You for allowing me to come to You with the same requests over and over. Give me faith to trust You even when I don’t understand.

Book Recommendation:

12 Strong (Horse Soldiers) by Doug Stanton (2009)

Music Recommendation:

Framed by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (1973)