In memory of Nick and all of the sunflowers he left.

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I noticed it one afternoon after school- the big leather box my mommy keeps under her bed. Brother and I were playing catch inside when he threw a little too hard and it rolled into her room.

At first I looked right past it- I coughed and sneezed when the dust clouds welled up around me. I pushed aside the old box of socks and the little container of papers and saw it sitting there all by itself. The big leather chest.

I noticed right away that it had no dust on it- almost like it had just been looked at. It looked old and worn- it’s edges were dented and the little golden clasp had lots of scratches.

I wondered what could be inside “I bet it’s a treasure map!” I said to myself. “Or stacks of money from…. From a secret job Mommy’s doing…. Maybe she’s a bank robber on the weekends!” I shook my head. “No…. the box isn’t heavy enough… maybe it’s a magic love potion or a magical hairbrush that turns her hair gold when she uses it!” But again, I knew it couldn’t be those things- when I shook the chest, I didn’t hear a loud noise from a potion bottle or golden hair brush hitting the inside walls. I only heard a muffled sound of the boxes’ contents shifting around.

However, when I held my ear up to its leather siding, I accidentally dropped it to the floor! It hit so hard that somehow the rusty old latch threw back in the process and the old lid popped open.

I covered my eyes, waiting for a giant beast to pop out or for something to fly out. However, when I looked down, I was greeted by a colorful assortment of items- red polka dots belonging to a shiny, silken fabric, a bright yellow bouquet of dried daisies and sunflowers, the shiny white of a long strand of perfectly- rounded pearls, the cool brown of an old pair of leather penny loafers, and much much more.

Immediately I dove in, throwing beautiful ornate scarves all around me until all I saw were blurs of fantastic hues. I danced in their whirling rainbow as I opened the old, lacy parasol and twirled it into the air.

Carefully I laid out the bouquets of dried flowers- daisies, sunflowers, baby’s breathe all surrounded me in a dreamy whirl of sunshiny yellow and dazzling white. I put my little feet into the enormous leather loafers and draped myself in the silky white dress with red polka dots. I looked into the mirror, with my lacy parasol, old, leather loafers and beautiful sundress and suddenly felt warm. I looked myself up and down, and truly felt beautiful- special.

Just then, I heard the familiar sound of my mother’s minivan pulling into the gravel driveway. Quickly I threw off my newfound treasures, gathered everything into a great big pile, shoved it back into the giant leather chest, threw down the great golden latch and whizzed out of the room. Completely undetected.

The next week to follow, I would spend every afternoon losing myself in the world of treasures that the big leather chest held. One day I set up a tea party with the delicate porcelain tea set I found and invited all of my old friends.

Another I spent hours playing with the glass marbles I found in the little velvet, draw string bag. Sometimes I would dress up in the silky dresses and robes and long, pearly necklaces and pretend I was the queen of a magic land.

Sometimes though, I would empty all of the contents onto the floor and wonder where each thing came from; the painted, porcelain tea set to the little, glass marbles. “I wonder what all of these things mean to my mother? Why she keeps them together?” Whenever I opened the golden latch and looked at its contents, I felt warm. Wanted. I could lose myself and forget about the outside world for a little while, playing with the chest. Although it’s objects were relatively ordinary- they felt like the most expensive, luxurious treasures to me.

?????

One day, I went about my usual after- school routine. I rushed off the bus into my mother’s room, and retrieved the familiar old chest from the familiar old spot from underneath the bed. I paraded myself around the room, whirling my fine silken scarves and lacy parasol into the air until I heard the door behind me open.

Instantly I stopped and the world of dancing colors and blurry wonder stopped around me and fell to the floor. I looked to the now open doorway and saw my smiling mother.

“I see you’ve found my little leather box”, my mother said sweetly. I nodded and stared blankly at my mother’s happy face. “Which item is your favorite?” my mother asked as she sat criss-cross applesauce on the old, wooden floor. She patted her legs like she always did when she wanted me to come and sit on her lap.

“I really like the pretty parasol,” I said, carefully sitting on her warm, tan legs. “Or maybe the glass marbles… I can spend hours playing with those!” “What about the tea set?” she asked giggling. “Oh!” I replied, “how could I forget the tea set! It’s so beautiful!” My mother smiled even bigger. “Or the dried daisies and sunflowers? Aren’t they so delicate and pretty?”

We giggled and smiled and looked over every item that had been placed across the floor around us. Again I felt warm, wanted. There among the treasures I had so well acquainted myself, in the safety of my mother’s soft arms, I felt wholly loved.

“Momma,” I said shyly, “what exactly are all of these wonderful things? Where did they come from?” My mother got quiet all of a sudden… not the bad, empty quiet you get when you read a sad story but instead a happy, still kind of quiet. She looked across the room of treasures and grabbed the dried bouquet of daisies and sunflowers and handed them to me. “These, my love, are my favorite things given to me by one of my favorite people.”

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In memory of Nick and all of the sunflowers he left.

Preview audio:

storyj.mp/absa2hu4hriv

I noticed it one afternoon after school- the big leather box my mommy keeps under her bed. Brother and I were playing catch inside when he threw a little too hard and it rolled into her room.

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"The Big Leather Chest"

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A young girl discovers her mother's treasure chest filled with items from around the world. Each item has a story, and they all connect to her grandfather who fought in a war. The most precious item is a bouquet of dried flowers, symbolizing love and closeness despite distance.

(57 pages)

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