Sunday, November 2, 2008

Pinned


The week of the Democratic convention, I was convinced that I was going to receive a gift from the philosopher. I didn't know why I felt that way, but the feeling was clear and solid. On the Tuesday I came home at lunch and saw a large-ish padded bag in the mailbox, but it turned out to be yet another Obama t-shirt as a reward for yet another contribution to the campaign.

That Wednesday there was nothing, and I felt let down.

And then, on the Thursday, the day of Obama's acceptance speech, there it was. A small padded bag this time. Inside was a white cardboard jewelry box. And inside that was The Pin.

I cried.

It was so beautiful.
It was Obama's logo.
And it was a gift from him.

I've worn it nearly every day since.

It arrived a few weeks after the final break-up, perhaps a week and a half after we'd started talking again. He had bought it a while before, having fund it on-line.

It really is beautiful. You may not be able to tell from the picture but it is handmade, pieced together from different kinds of wood, in their natural colors, as if it were a jigsaw puzzle. My office mate informed me that the technique is called intarsia. Whatever it is, it's beautiful, alive, glowing...

I wear it almost every day.

And when the election is over...
it will still be beautiful
it will still be a gift
how long do you think can I keep wearing it?

8 comments:

Paul said...

Oatmeal Girl, for as long as you wish, for his entire term 4<8 years.
Warm hugs,
Paul.

Anonymous said...

It's beautiful, and I really hope that you will soon be wearing it with triumph :)

Louise said...

I think forever.

Anonymous said...

I think for the rest of your life? {{hugs}}

(today's word verification: manisted -- which is almost like manifested, isn't it? That's a good omen, right? I'm beginning to feel really nervous).

Alice said...

It's beautiful! I am very jealous.

k said...

Thank you for that comment you left me. No matter how much I think I'm getting over all this mess, I still find myself stuck in the land of feeling like there is something wrong with me. But distance really did play a major roll in what happened between Irch and I. And it's good to be reminded of that from time to time.

mamacrow said...

forever (((hugs)))

oatmeal girl said...

Not only am I still wearing my beautiful gift, but I am also still wearing my campaign button and my "I voted" sticker. As a similarly bedecked twenty-something commented when we spied each other in the Arboretum, "we worked to hard to get him elected to take it off now."

The campaign button might come off after the inauguration. But my beautiful gift could just stick around for the next 8 years.