Friday, January 06, 2012

Class ring

I saw a blurb on the news today where a diver found a class ring that had been lost in 1930. The story said the diver reunited the ring with the owner's grandson.
As I read the piece, I remembered the day in 1972 when I lost my high school class ring. It was in Panama when I was in the Army. I didn't weigh much to start with, but the Army grub, as well as the heat and humidity were brutal.
When I deplaned on that first day down there I thought to myself, this jet wash feels like an oven. I came to understand, it wasn't the heat from the jet engines, it was the normal temperature for mid afternoon in the tropics. ....but I digress.
When I got to Panama, I lost weight. I looked like a scarecrow in my jungle fatigues. One weekend several of us went out to Tobago, which is a small island in the Pacific off the coast of the Isthmus. The water was as clear as an aquarium.
We lunched on fresh mangos, coconut, and shrimp. Of course we had a couple buckets of rum to wash all that down and afterwards we headed for the beach to snorkel, and hang out.
We decided to play football in the surf. I was the quarterback and my friend Dave went long for a pass. I had to step into the throw to get the distance I needed. And it was at that moment I saw the golden glint of my class ring arcing long and high above the football.
OHHHH SH*********** I said.  All guys came over and we spent hours looking without success for the ring. For all I know, the current could have taken it to Hawaii.
Even though I don't know where it is now, I'll aways remember where I put it.


9 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:47 PM

    Well then, it's not lost.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ah, yes, and I remember where I left a watch on the beach in Coco Cay, Bahamas.... :\

    ReplyDelete
  3. Somewhere in a little bay off of Maui, is my husband's backpack and wallet. A wave snatched it.

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  4. Maybe one day it will return :)

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  5. Now that is a positive way to look at it!!!:)

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  6. I wish I had your upbeat attitude :)

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  7. Perhaps one of these days you will be in the news because a diver or some sea creature found your ring.

    I would really like it if you and Jilda would join my private blog. I've gone underground to help the French resistance fight the Nazis.

    I found Jilda's email address and sent an invitation to her, but if your address is on your profile, my eyes aren't working well enough to find it. If you will please send your email address to dumpedfirstwife@gmail.com, I shall send you a coveted invitation.

    Love,
    Janie "Lola"

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jewelry and I don't get along too great. I've lost more earrings than I care to count and I even lost my wedding ring, only to have someone find it, only to have someone steal it..all within a 24hr. period. I feel your pain.

    ReplyDelete

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