John Cornish
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 126
Location: Port Angeles
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 Posted: Oct 31, 2009 09:10 Post subject: Halloween 1: Trick or Treat? |
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Hi Everyone, it's that time again, Halloween, and I've got a little story for you, one I call...
10/31/2009
Trick or Treat?
By John Cornish
I've learned, we all have, though at one time or another, all of us, our enthusiasm just flat got away from us and we just had to reach out and touch. Our senses overwhelmed, and we knew we shouldn't, we just had to go to that next level, we just had to... touch! Our fingers outstretched, our arm moving forward, the grasp, the contact and... Got ya!
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I've smiled over this scenario on many an occasion and depending on what was just touched, I've cried a few times too. An agate or a quartz crystal is one thing, a fuzzy delicate mordenite is quite another!
Over the years, I've had many guests over to see the collection and while always a joy, like a twitch or a tic, in the back of mind I always wonder, what's going to be next? What next was going to overwhelm...
... move forward...
I'd been out collecting in a local quarry and had the good fortune, almost, of collecting a terrific, almost, big pocket of crystals. The problem with my experience, the mineral I'd just found was called laumontite. Laumontite is one of those unfortunate minerals that begins changing soon after it's exposed to the atmosphere. Laumontite begins to release the water within its structure and as it does, it begins to breakdown. When complete, once beautiful glistening prismatic crystals sharp enough to cut, are reduced to a soft pile of white dust. Honest. It's a real bummer, a sad thing in every way and now here before me, my big pocket...
And that's when I got smacked by the BIG IDEA! A devilish smile, wicked in the extreme, curled the corners of my mustached lips and my eyes sparkled with mischievous fires, I collected everything I could...
Fast forward and it's Show and Tell day! I'm excited. There's a group of folks coming by to see the collection. This is always an exciting time and I wanted to make everything perfect. I cleaned up and re-arranged. I turned on the case lights and as a last duty, with devilish-smile-and-mischievous-eye, I set a perfect pristine crystal specimen right near the corner of the table in obvious sight. Out and special, for all the world like a star dancing beneath twirling spotlights, that crystal group just sang! And, with my trap all set, I patiently waited...
You've probably figured it out by now, the crystal group was one of my laumontites! I'd kept them preserved but out now, they were just waiting to fall apart, to collapse under their own weight. As long as no one nudged the table, they'd sit there just perfect, tempting...
... the showing goes well. Everyone is enjoying themselves and the evening is going great and then, that's when it happens... First the crystal group is noticed, appreciated from a' far, and then the temptation begins to grow, the yearning to reach out and touch becomes overwhelming and then... POOF!
One second that crystal group is there and the next it's gone, a white pile of powder miraculously appearing in its place and covering some poor soul's fingers in an unmistakably damning mess. And like a gun shot, like a glass shattering, the room goes silent as all eyes turn, as everyone notices that something has gone dreadfully, dreadfully wrong. And the poor offender, confusion and panic flickering across their unfocusing stare, most of all, they're the one who looks most shell shocked. And the moment... just sort of... hangs on... and lasts... forever...
... until I begin to loose control and I start to snicker and then to snort until eventually, I out and out guffaw raw hysterical emotion. The nervous tension in the room reaches a fever pitch and then completely collapses as my response signals an out-rush of emotion as first one person and then another chimes in and soon smiles and laughter surround. In expiring fits and giggles, it's next my duty, my solemn duty, to confess myself and to ask forgiveness of the offended. And this is when they too get the joke and their own sweet laughter joins the groups.
Trick or treat indeed, trick or treat indeed!
Happy Halloween everyone, but watch out, there may yet be other surprises in store for you....
All the very best, take care,
John
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