Liquidity

      Their names were Fernando and Saul - If it had been 60 years ago they would have been selling encyclopedias to white collar suburbanites, reciting prepared speeches about how 28 volumes were going to get the little ones into Harvard. I had the pleasure of running into them at a right-off-the-highway flea market one sunny Sunday morning in the middle of somewhere. Turns out these fellas had recently picked up some work clearing out foreclosed homes from a local bank, $400 a pop, but had discovered a bit late that abandoned homes were generally abandoned in a hurry and with a ton of shit left to clear out. The venture had proven unprofitable so far but Saul (he was the brains) had the bright idea to begin salvaging anything that looked like it could turn a penny, and dragging it to the Sunday off-the-highway flea market to wring out a few more bucks.

     It was the little silver jewelry box sitting on their table of “stuff” that brought me into contact with the brothers. As soon as I saw it I knew it was fate – the curved oxidized lid called out for lifting – its four legs ended in tiny well-crafted paws in the shape of cats or lions, bears or dogs, it was near impossible to say. Far more tantalizing was the rusted little lock that had been inserted in the latch. It had the look of antiquity; of secrets long lost and less looked for.

     “I see you have noticed this fine box” Fernando (he was the charmer) said to me when he noticed me hovering. I nodded agreeably, “40 dollars and it's yours. Pure silver”

     “Why haven't you opened it?” I pointed to the lock “Who's to say there isn't something far more valuable inside?” Saul shot a curious look in our direction from where he sat cross-armed in his flimsy lawn-chair.

      Fernando only paused for a moment to consider the possibility then took off again with: “It is very possible that there is! For 30 dollars you can find out.” You should have seen the smile he gave me – He would have sold so many encyclopedias.

     “Mind if I hold it?”

Another oh-so-brief pause – he lived on instinct it was clear. “By all means” warm smile “you break you buy though”

     “Sure sure” I said as I picked the little blackened silver relic up off the table and put it to my ear gently tilting it forward and backward. The sound of several small objects jingle-jangling about was clear enough to draw a bit more of Saul's attention my way. “My grandmother used to have a box exactly like that – this brings back so many memories” I did my best to mirror Fernando's intoxicating smile “She used to keep everything in hers: her wedding ring, her diamond necklace – there was even a little tray you could lift and underneath she kept all her spending money.” I took a deep sniff “Man, even the smell is bringing her back to me. Damn how I miss her!”

     Fernando chuckled uncomfortably, Saul eyed me with enough interest that he uncrossed his arms and put his fists on his hip.

     “I'll take it for 20 – if you can do that. It's worth that to me just to have a nice memory around.”

     Fernando nodded “Yes absolutely, 20 dollars will do – I am just glad it will go to someone who will love it”

     I diligently plucked that tantalizing little box up off the table and tucked it under my arm so that I could dig my wallet out of my pocket, which turned out to be quite a bit more of a struggle than it really had any right to be. And – I kid you not – before I could even slap a 20 in Fernando's hand Saul was up out of his chair beside him screaming at the both of us in a Spanish dialect I pretended not to understand (it was extremely insulting to the both of us – but there was something about testicle warts even I didn't quite get) Eventually – inevitably – he was sounding off to me, until Fernando had the good sense to step up and address me himself, wearing that same warm smile.

     “My brother says...” and he tried to apologize with his eyes, “that you were told the box is 40 dollars and....”more frenzied jabbering in his ear followed “ And, the price is non-negotiable. So you need to give it back because I was out of line agreeing to that deal” He was literally blushing with embarrassment as his brother ranted continuously in his ear.

     “You're telling me this old silver jewelry box that reminds me of my grandmother, which I just bought for 20 dollars is actually worth forty?” I said incredulously, tilting it back and forth rapidly to create a nice jingling sound effect.

     The barrage of rolling r's and spittle that Fernando was accosted with was genuinely unfair, but after about 10 seconds of it he nodded “Yes sir”

     “I already bought it and you agreed to 20 dollars. So either you let me pay you or you can pay me twenty and you can have it back!” I explained as I began to stuff the mysterious silver box into my satchel.

     “Yah yah, fine – give it back.” Fernando said, trying to ignore his brothers endless rantings. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his wallet and slapped a 20 in my hand “Just give it back now”

     And I did. When I left they were trying to clip the lock off with a pair of garden sheers, but I didn't stick around. I went and got myself a much needed lunch.