How to say Yes to Opportunity in your Pajamas
inVintage Collectibles
May 13, 2011 - 1:24pm
A couple of weeks ago I did what I pretty much do everyday. After inhaling some very strong first of the day coffee for me that’s around noon. I dragged myself kicking and screaming into my office. I’m a tough boss to work for relentless and demanding. From my mattress to the office is a grueling 30 second commute. It’s no wonder I arrive in such a bad mood. My work attire consists of whatever over sized T shirt or form of pajama’s I have slept in and if it’s cold a sweat shirt jacket. I turned on the phone and computer checking for shop sales. Nothing much going on. Even the brief 5 minutes has set off my new unwelcomed shoulder issues, they are a hot rod of droning pain. I am now to put it politely so freaken Cranky.
Just then the cell phone rang it’s so loud and the incoming song is set to “And I am telling you” from dream girls. I curse myself for that choice and both begrudgingly and barely in full human vocal range ick out a weak hello. A strong hyper voice is on the other end, she’s back east and has had many coffee’s. I miss the beginning of her introduction and catch the words production company or assistant and there’s a locket in your shop that we have questions about before purchasing. I’m begging my brain cells to kick in while I’m looking up the item number, I promise them they can enjoy a big mush party as soon as the call is done. That however was not to be in the cards. I find the item and here comes the question, by the way this is a 100 percent true story. Can I ship it overnight fed ex for a funeral the next morning? I couldn’t help but visualize some poor dead person’s finishing touches being my pretty locket. As I had yet to even clearly establish who I was talking to thought it best not to go there. Instead I tried to focus on the fed ex problem. I don’t offer it as part of my shipping choices. They have there own account but I have honestly never even been to fed ex. I ask can I get right back to her. I want to call said fed ex and understand what I would be getting into.
I scramble to find Fed Ex info on the pc. Call the closest one. Did you know they won’t even give you a rate over the phone? They have a special dedicated number if you actually would like to know the closely guarded secret of how much does this dam thing cost! I call that number as fast as possible, the dead person’s not getting any younger! My head is now throbbing. I get a great clerk who is extremely helpful. I can’t help but blurt out it’s for a funeral tomorrow morning. There is a brief pause and then laughter and oh, thank god. Like being in church during a serious sermon both the clerk and I have lost it and no matter how hard we try can not make it unfunny. The cost is not in any way amusing over seventy dollars. I know they have a account and now know what that means, as in there account is charged. I know they need it that fast but can’t help being bothered by it.
I call her back explain the rates and try to minimize my concern about zooming it over to fed ex to which even I would not go in my currant state of dress. A wardrobe change would be required. Also the shoulder pain now has me in a vice grip. I’m not Charley Sheen, can’t pop a few Demerol and hop in the car. Wait there’s more, it has to go to New Orleans and not to there address in New York. Now I’m visualizing a crowd of people in ghost costumes playing “and when the saints come marching in” but stopping in there tracks to admirer the locket.
I finally ask her out loud about the Lockets destination even she laughs. Then she says something that snaps me straight into wonder woman mode. The locket is for a little girl who must go to the funeral. Everything changed in that moment. My relentless and demanding boss has never come in so handy. She makes the purchase and gets me all the right info. I print it with my hand waiting to snatch it so I can fly out the door. My pain is told to zip it and next thing I know it is signed sealed and oh please get delivered in time.
I keep her informed, sent the tracking and sincere condolences to this family. Also feel it’s important to let her know what a great job she’s doing and hope that is appreciated. Remember I didn’t catch what company this was for. Only my oldest friends know how much like me that is. Years ago a famous director who I only knew by his nick name would flirt with me at a very Hollywood hang and while I found him unbelievably interesting to talk to, was not only, not attracted to, but it flew over my head he was even interested beyond clever conversation. No, I stuck with the balding guy with his finger up his butt and virtually no sense of humor, why have a great life with a man when you can spin your wheels trying to save some shmuck! Ah, ok back to this day.
The person who put this all in motion is indeed very famous and I most certainly will not name them. However I was informed that they Love Ruby Lane and are frequent shoppers there. There also someone I thought might get a kick out of my blogs for Notes from the Lane and being older, wiser and in a shmuck free zone I did send one. Making this even more special for me then it became the second I knew it was for a young girl, was being told there team selected several Lockets from Lane and sent the photos to the family and mine was selected.
It arrived as promised and I received another e mail of thanks and appreciation. Talk about how crucial it is to get out of your own way. Now, whenever I find myself caught up in ageing issues or life gets thick. I can call up what it felt like to push past myself and the sheer joy of being some small part of a bigger cog that helped to bring a young lady comfort at a difficult time.
By nature vintage jewelry and collectables connect us to our past. I started selling Vintage jewelry because of my own strong sense of identifying with my relatives, some of which had such incredible bad taste. I almost had no choice but to figure out how to get rid of that stuff. Years ago I took the profits of one persons junk, another’s treasure and began investing in pieces I loved. Now I have thousands of beautiful pieces and shops on Lane and plaza which clearly is the very right place to be. While it’s not the first time a buyer has been so deeply effected and took the time to send wonderful e mail about it. Not even the first time I felt grateful. It is the first time I knew in my bones, be them aching or not, how much we are all the same at our core. When we get out of our own ways and allow the message in. We can put even the most complicated puzzles together. Some part of us is all that little girl who needs a string of open hearts to create a small quester that takes us through to a place of comfort.
If you enjoy, my Blogs, for Notes from the Lane, please visit, my blog site: "Vintage Shari Jewelry Sales and Life Tales" http://vintageshari.blogspot.com
Vintage Shari - Shari Basoff
Wear me out Vintage Jewels
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/vintageshari
Wear Me Out Vintage Jewels 2 Now
http://www.rubyplaza.com/shops/vintageshari-rp
