The Jade Dragon
When ever we visit the mall, we also visit a special shop keeper. This shop keeper has a history with us and our relationship. Before Angel and I had married, she wore a necklace from another friend of hers. I was there to help her get through some of the pain that he caused her.
We once got lost traveling around Alexandria and ended up at Fair Oaks mall. This special shop keeper was in there selling Jade jewelry and trinkets such as buddhas, dragons, and three headed frogs. I don’t know who picked it out, but a very beautiful, tiny green necklace was picked out. It was a ring of jade, with a silver leaf in the middle.
Our shop keeper put it around her neck and we were sold. This shop keeper was so nice that she wanted to give us a discount. While putting the one necklace on her, she took the other necklace off to clean it. Angel didn’t say anything, but I knew she was freaking out inside her head. The original necklace was very dear to her.
I watched closely and alert to Angel as the shopkeeper got out a cloth and cleaning solution to clean up the chain. She then promptly showed Angel her results with a shiny necklace. I’m thinking here that Angel was still shocked - she is a very distinguished person, and it wasn’t just “dirt” that was wiped away. I don’t know how to explain further of what I am saying, other then the essence of her friend was no longer with her.
A year or two had passed. Angel and I were now married. The jade from Angels necklace had fallen off a while back while she was sleeping. I had searched the internet and many stores for jade. I continued to come up with nothing. One day, while I was at Potomac Mills, I had found a booth with many items that were similar.
“I remember you!”, she would say. “Where have you been? How are you doing?”. Wow, I was a little impressed. I had carried a picture of the jade necklace with me and showed it to her and told her my problem in locating the necklace. She explained that her grandfather makes the necklaces and that only she is authorized to sell Jade.
She didn’t have any more necklaces there that looked like the picture, but she would send a request to her grand father for me. I wrote my name and phone number on the paper along with my email and left it with her.
I spent the next six months to a year checking up on her every two to four weeks to see if she had received the necklace yet. Finally, one day, she had the necklace and I was delighted. She was amazed at my determination to make my wife happy. The necklace is very special not only to my wife, but also to me. It’s a symbol of our love.
Angel we delighted to receive the necklace and couldn’t believe my story. She has since gotten to know the lady at The Jade Dragon as very good friends and stops by every time we go to the mall for something. She always gives us a discount and Angel has a hard time saying no when she receives a complementary gift on the side.
Once, Angel tried to give her a shawl as a gift and it back-fired on her, because the lady still gave angel a gift in return. I usually hear her words of encouragement to live a simple life. Little does she know how complex my life is.
I usually stand there and smile as Angel and her carry on and catch up. I’ll look over at the little buddhas and dragons and such, just wondering where they will end up. I actually have many buddhas of different sizes in my room. I like them because they are so happy. I don’t know much about the culture around them though.