The....Chandelier... Story....oh my....

As I strolled through the house...this morn....The Old Chandelier caught my eye....

I will say, often...if this, or that...could only speak...what stories...it may tell...

I can speak, for one story this Old Darling has experienced....oh my...

I remember the first time I saw it....my friend, Allen had called...he was a 'Hauler'... and was paid to haul rubbish away....The Old Chandelier, was rubbish, to someone.... It had been hanging in a prominent home, then, when that home was sold, it was remodeled, and the Old Chandelier, was pitched....

Allen knew my Love for this old stuff....and called me...right away... I drove right over, that evening, and and purchased it, from him....

I thought....what a Treasure...I wondered...is it Silver.... or Silver plate...{I would know, today....20 years ago....I had no idea....}The Very Prominent Home it came from, could have easily had Sterling in it.... So...I called Jewelers...and asked what to look for...no one seemed to know anything.... so...I kept searching through the Yellow Pages...until I found a business, that actually makes and repairs Sterling Jewelry....I excitedly called the number...

It was Winter...and getting dark outside....late, in the afternoon...there were no set hours, in the advertisement, in the phone book... it said, simply..."by appointment".... so...I called....

The man who answered said, he would be there, that evening, and was sure he could answer all of my questions....

The kids were little...and John had just gotten home...so, I grabbed the massive Chandelier...said, I had to run into town...and I'd be back in a couple of hours....and whisked out the door...

I was so eager to find if this Beauty...was a Priceless Treasure...

When the man rattled off his address, I knew it was in a rough neighborhood.... Once...a very Wealthy area...but...no matter...I was on a Mission...a Greedy...Mission...seeing dollar signs....

The man had his porch light on...and I found his home, with no problem....

I wrestled the 40 pound, octopus, of Chandelier, out of the car....

He was waiting for me, at the door...

An attractive man...well dressed...shirt tucked in...belt...6 feet tall...blond...nice smile...welcomed me with a nice.."Hello"...

{he immediately..reminded me, of someone...but...at the moment..I couldn't think who...did I know him? }

He opened the Entry door, that led into a narrow hallway...then told me to take a right, through the next doorway...he was right behind me....

as I stepped through the second doorway....I took three steps....and stopped...{froze}....my mind....racing.....holding the Massive Chandelier in my arms....

The walls were all painted Black...with dead animal skulls...{not taxidermy...'skulls'...}hanging like a border...around the room...and a massive trunk...that I was positively sure...held a body...{my mind...was racing....I'm pretty sure, there was no body...but...you couldn't have convinced me of that...at that moment....} My heart was pounding....

The man...was still at my back...and I knew... I was in trouble...

I knew...in a split second...I'd have to face that man.... I also knew...I could never let him see...the terror...that was racing through my head....that I was sure was written all over my face...

and I didn't....

I  turned...and faced him...with the most calm...and collected demeanor, I could muster...and smiled...

His first words to me...

"I can't believe you would would come here...to this neighborhood... at night...all alone"....with a gaze...that burned into my eyes....his whole being, had changed...he was very cold....wanting...to see fear....

I smiled...and said..."Why not?...I have friends who live, just  down the street..{not}...and my husband knows where I am...always...{not}...and, I think this neighborhood has a bad rap...I Love all of the Old Houses....and I actually lived just down the street, when I was a child..{true}..."

There was...no way...he was going to rattle me...no..way....Like...he so wanted...

I'm still holding the Chandelier...he offered to take it from me...said it must be heavy....

I said..."No....it's not that heavy...I was fine..." {If I had to run...that Chandelier was coming with me!...oh my...}

We started talking...about everything...He said, he had killed his cat....accidentally...when he bombed his house...for Roaches...the house was horribly infested...{ I wondered which skull...belonged, to that poor cat....being careful...not to lose my composure....}

"How sad".... I said..."accidents...they do happen"...

We talked politics...{Clinton was running...and we were, on the same side of the isle...I would have switched sides...if I had too...that's how trapped I was...oh my...}

We talked about the Old Houses...and the Beautiful Architecture...in that neighborhood....for over an hour...me....holding that Chandelier...and...only...looking at him...he...only looking...at me...

I said, finally...I had better get on my way...so, he looked at the Chandelier...in my arms...and said, "It's Silver plate".... I thanked him...offered him money, for his opinion....he declined....

He opened the door.... I walked out...and then through the second....he offered to open my car door...I said, "Thanks! but I Got It!"...all the way...walking to my car...thinking about Roach eggs...that may be on my shoes...

When I got in the car...and started it...my foot was shaking, on the gas petal....

at that very moment...I realised...who I thought that man was...Jeffery Dahmer....He had just been on the news...for killing all of those people...This man, could have been his brother...

I got home...and was sooooo shook...John Roared....he said.." You got exactly what you deserved....You take off...never say where you are going...to people's houses...you don't know....I hope you have learned a lesson here..."....{this was long before cell phones...tho...one wouldn't have helped in this instance...}

Oh yes...I had learned...I had nightmares....for days...all over greed...and thinking I had a real Treasure...

I wouldn't go on a house call...for months..after that...alone...

I was going to sell the Beautiful Chandelier...prior to this event.... but...instead had it installed...in the kitchen...as a reminder....of how dangerous...greed can be....

Everything...has a story...

I could go on...and on....

what a journey...

Love to You...

Barb C.