TREASURE HUNT

Many of us like to bring home a token when we travel. I know I do.

A souvenir is a tangible reminder of an event or place, something we can hold in our hands to conjure happy memories of a particular time or place. Ready-made souvenirs are easy to find at shops along the road. You can pick up a t-shirt, a coffee mug or other items that are produced for just that purpose. But if you’re like me, that kind of memento won’t do.

I want something different. Something I can use, or enjoy all the more because I discovered it along the way. So, when I travel I like to look in unusual places for a keepsake. My favorite haunts, in towns across the country, are the thrift stores. And, occasionally, I find a little jewel.

I just returned from a few days on the Oregon coast. Most of my time there was spent devouring a stack of books. But I did take a day to go souvenir hunting. I knew there was a thrift store in one of the nearby small towns, so I headed there first.

The store was cluttered, as such places often are, full of basic household items; pots and pans, clothing and furniture. But, the shelves along the back wall were stuffed with odds and ends like Christmas ornaments, linens, knick-knacks and baskets. Looking at the baskets, I noticed that one was full of interesting little things.

Apparently, as the items were priced, they had been dropped into the basket and then put away on the shelf. In it were a bag of buttons, a roll of thread with a hook and several inches of crochet trim still attached and several small perfume bottles.

Digging a little deeper, I found a pair of Czechoslovakian cut glass salt and pepper shakers and a tarnished silver filigree object.

Looking closer at the silver item, I discovered it was a delicate sterling holder for a small demitasse cup or liqueur glass. It was marked $2. The salt and pepper shakers were $1 for the pair.

I held the silver cup, mulling over a way it could be useful again, and continued to dig through the basket. I found a small glass votive candle holder with a price sticker that said twenty cents. It was small enough to slip easily into the silver filigree cup and it occurred to me that I might be able to combine the two pieces.

I brought my treasures home, washed and put away the shakers and gently buffed the silver cup. I dropped the votive into it and added a tea light. When I lit the wick the little flame danced and shone through the delicate filigree of the cup.

Now the pretty silver cup, reborn as a candle holder, sits on the table beside my bed. I added a small mirror to reflect the light, and a few of the stones I found on the beach to remind me of a few peaceful days spent in a place I love.

My favorite souvenirs, like the silver candle holder, are one-of-a-kind and fit me better than any t-shirt ever could.