When I was still working I received a notice for Jury Duty. Of course it's nice to not have to go to work, but I believe in our system of "peers" and my duty to serve.
I was working downtown anyway...getting off the train for jury duty meant I just had to turn left instead of right.
Here I was, sorta curious how my day would go and hoping to get selected. It was near wintertime and cold, so I took the underground walkway to the courthouse. The same walkway that leads to the courthouse also went by Marshall Fields...a since lost icon of this major city.
The jury system at that time had recently changed from one week to "one day or one jury." I sat in a large area with tvs hanging from the ceiling. I watch but was more interested in watching the people. It was a diverse group. I also read the book I had brought. People other than me were called and disappeared into the legal maze. By lunch time my name remained silent.
Yeah! Marshall Fields was my favorite place to eat as well as shop and that's where I headed. My middle aged, rather large body hit the walkway with determination. At "Fields" there were about 5 or 6 large oval golden sales counters from which jewelery was sold. The different counters pretty much divided the varied categories of jewelery: very cheap, not so cheap, cheap, not so expensive, expensive, very expensive. I usually bought stuff from the "not so expensive" counter. I would however browse the "expensive" counter. I would respond "Oh, just looking" wishing I could one day say "Why yes, you could help me!"
As an aside to this story, I had at that time a wonderful pin or "brooch" collection that often received rave reviews when I wore one. And "Fields" had a pin in the "expensive" area that I would lust over every time I was there. It was an original design of an artist named Judy Something and it was a replication of the famous "Fields' Clock." Gold with colored crystals, the time 3 PM, and priced around $200.
Now Marshall Fields is no more...bought up by different stores at different times. One of our city's many lost Icons that will be remembered, like Riverview Amusement Park, for about the length of the life of the youngest person to ride the "chutes" or eat in the "Walnut Room" at Christmastime under the tree.
Okay, so as I was "counter shopping" my eyes fell upon an amethyst/gold ring. I fell in love. When one is rather large one does not find satisfaction in shopping for clothes. But jewelery is another story. Hence my brooch collection. I love the color of amethyst. And despite being large my fingers were rather small (along with my feet). So, to have a beautiful shining object on my hand would be an ideal purchase.
It was a done deal. I put in on immediately. My walk back to the courthouse was brisk and I was taller and definitely not as large. All due to the ring on my finger. I never did get called for a jury, but I sat looking at my hand, at my beautiful ring, how it shined and had different colors depending on the light. It was not a wasted afternoon.
