My Cameo Addiction

It's a sad but true story.....
When I was a little girl (yes I can remember that far back) and my mother would dress for a formal occasion I would eagerly await the opening of her jewelry box.As she would reach for her favorite necklace I would reach for the one thing in her box that I adored and that was her beautiful cameo ring.Oh how I loved it.I would put it on and look at it on my hand in the mirror like I was doing a commercial for Tiffany's.The Cameo was a side profile of a classic grecian woman.She was hand carved ivory floating on a background of swirled caramel and cream set into a 18kt gold filigreed ring setting in an Art Deco style .She was a gift from my grandmother to my mother and that made it all the more precious to me.When my Mother had dressed and was ready to leave she would point to the jewelry box .Nothing more had to be said.I had to put it back and wait for the next formal affair.There were the times in between when she wasn't busy and I wasn't outside playing she would let me open the box and hold it for a little while.Oh how I loved that ring.Has anyone seen my Sweet sixteen on MTV? If you haven't, it's a reality series based on how extravagant Sweet 16 parties have become from teenage guests arriving in stretch limos to Beyonce performing at the event.I'm here to tell you my Sweet 16 was a far more wonderful affair.My party was held in a fold down camper with a guest list of six, complete with the Beatles (on my cake).When I opened my presents (which were 6 different Beatle albums) I was overjoyed.My mother cut the cake and served ice cream all around and as we were eating the Beat in Beatles she took from her apron pocket a box wrapped in party balloons and handed it to me. I was somewhat surprised as the party was the gift she had gotten me.I set down my fork and took off the wrapping.It appeared to be a jewelry box,a ring box to be exact.When I opened it there it was in all it's glory my beautiful ,wonderful, Cameo ring.A gift from my mother to me on my 16th birthday.I don't think I had loved my mother so much as the day she handed me my precious Cameo ring that had been handed down from my grandmother to my mother and on that day to me.My friends just kind of looked at it their faces full of cake and they nodded.(well it wasn't a Beatle album,what can I say) But to me my mother had just given me the moon.As we cleared away the party hats,spoons,cups and had wrapped the leftover cake which now only consisted of LES in Beatles.I hugged my mother the hug of a lifetime.She told us to take the party to the corner playground and she would clear away the fun of the day and have lunch ready when we returned.As we went to the park chattering away and laughing (probably about the Beatles and which were are favorite)(Paul was and still is mine)I couldn't help to steal glances of the cameo ring that was no longer hidden in a jewelry box.When we got to the park we were met by more friends(Boys) and soon forgot about the party.I excused myself to go to the bathroom and upon completing natures call I took off the ring and put it on the bathroom sink to wash my hands.Someone stuck their head in and said for me to hurry. Jimmy just showed up .Jimmy was my boyfriend and I hadn't seen him all day! I quickly dried my hands and floated out to the playground to see Jimmy.After all it had been a whole day since I had seen him.After meeting up with him we all started back to my house for a birthday lunch.I wanted to show Jimmy my ring but when I looked at my hand it was gone.I had forgotten it in the bathroom when I washed my hands.I turned around and took off running back towards the park.I could have beaten the Roadrunner if it were a race.I flung open the bathroom door and slid towards the sink and it was gone.I was frantic.I looked under the sink,on the sink,in the sink but it wasn't there.I looked in all of the stalls,under the soap it was nowhere.I had lost it.I had it all of 2 hours and now it was gone.My beautiful Art Deco Cameo ring was gone.I really don't remember the rest of the day.I'm sure my mom wasn't too happy,I can't remember what I did or who was there afterward.I went back to the park the next day to see if it had magically appeared but it hadn't.I can still see the ring on my hand but I never did find it.Even today I look in Antique stores hoping that maybe someday I'll find it. Stranger things have happened.So now I sell cameos in my little Etsy shop.I haven't ever bought another Cameo ring.But I do keep searching for the one I lost.