The Wedding Ring

The Mama's Losin' It prompt I choose for this week is:

**Tell about a time you stole something.

THE WEDDING RING

What child - at one time or another - has not stolen something and then been caught by an adult? Most times, it just takes once to cure a child of stealing. This is what happened to me when I was 8 years old.

I loved visiting my grandparents farm in Bohon - a rural community in Kentucky. There ere fields to run through and outbuilding to play in, always something to do. We would visit the farm at least once a week, but during the summer, my brother, sister and I would get to spend an entire week on the farm while our parents went on vacation.

It was during one of our summers at the farm that my little fingers became sticky. It was a rainy day and we were stuck inside to play. The back room where we slept had a bed with a thick fluffy feather mattress. I loved jumping onto that mattress, hitting the fluffiness and then sinking down into the cozy comfort.

Because this room was right off the kitchen and lead right into the backyard, Granny had a hook for hanging her sun bonnet and a little shelf where she kept her wedding ring when she was going to be working in the garden. Of course, at 8, I didn't realize that Granny would take her ring off before working outdoors.

At the time I found Granny's wedding ring, I didn't know it was a wedding ring. I just knew it was a pretty gold ring and I put it in my pocket to take home with me. I don't remember when Granny missed her ring because she never said anything to us kids.

It was a week later after Mom and Dad were back home that I realized what I had done. I was coming down the hallway when I heard Mom and Dad talking.

"She said she's looked everywhere for it," my Mom said.

"Well, it's got to be somewhere," said my Dad. "Is she sure she didn't lose it in the garden?"

"No - she thinks she left it on the shelf in the back room."

Shelf in the back room - as soon as I heard those words, I knew what they were talking about.

"Wh ... at's wrong?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing sweetheart," said my Mom. "Granny Sallee has misplaced her wedding ring."

All the rest of that day, I was sick to my stomach. I hadn't meant to steal Granny's wedding ring - I thought it was just a pretty gold ring. I remember not sleeping well that night, worried about what my parents would say when they found out. Because yes, I knew I was going to have to tell them.

The next day - with the ring gripped tightly in my hand - I went to my Mom. I told here I knew where Granny's ring was and I took my hand from behind my back and showed her the shiny gold ring. Even though I was only 8, I can still remember the look of disappointment on my Mom's face.

She called Granny and told her the ring had been found. Later that night, Daddy drove me to the farm to return Granny's wedding ring. I had to give it back to her and apologize, and at the time, it was the hardest thing I had ever done.

It's amazing how one thing can effect the course of your life. I never stole anything after that one incident. I couldn't stand the look of disappointment from my parents and grandparents.