Personalities.

We all knew at work that I remove my ring every time I washed up, I then put the ring in the same place on the window sill, then after I have finished washing up I do the same routine, I pat dry my hands with the soft white paper towel and apply my favourite Aveeno moisturising lotion, suitable for sensitive skin on my hands, then I put my ring back on, but on this particular day I was distracted by a phone call, my Manager he’d informed me earlier, “I’m expecting an important phone call at midday, if I don’t get to answer it by the third ring, please answer it for me, so I don’t miss the call.”

The phone rang at midday, I looked at the time, it rang a second time I was ready, would he be in his office next door to pick up, I wondered and then the phone rang again, I rushed over to it and picked it up, I answered, “Hello, this is Ambitious speaking, how can I help you?” He replied, “Hello my name is Honest, can I speak to Hardworking please, he is expecting my call,” I replied, “Just one moment, I’ll let him know.” I put the phone down on his desk and went outside, on the yard, as I thought he was having a cigarette there, I hadn’t gone far when I saw Hardworking coming towards me, before I could say anymore, he said, “Is Honest on the line?” I said, “Yes,” Hardworking said, “There was an emergency in the warehouse, and I thought I’d be back in time for midday.” Hardworking went into his office and closed the door.

I went back into the kitchen to get my ring from the window sill but it was gone!

I was mortified, where could it have gone, and who would have taken it? Everyone there knew the platinum ring with peridot stone belonged to me, it had under the peridot stone a small letter A in onyx. This was a one-off ring that had been made especially for me, by my Nanna and now it was gone!

There were not a lot of people around me that day, Observant was there, he misses nothing, but although we don’t see eye to eye, surely, he wouldn’t have been that silly as to take it.

An hour later when Hardworking had finished his phone call I added to his woes, and told him about my missing ring. Together we looked for it, even looking outside to see it if was there. It wasn’t how could it be; rings don’t walk from window sills to the yard.

Hardworking put up a hand written note on our small notice board, for all the workers to see, he said to me, “Try not to worry, I’m sure it will turn up.” That was NO comfort to me at all. I was 100% sure it could only be Observant who had taken it, for he is cold hearted and mean.

I didn’t tell my sick Nanna; it would break her heart.

That was three months ago, then two months ago, Diligent was vacuuming and he moved the heavy desk in the smallest office, and there it was by the wall in the corner, he picked it up, it had been bent ever so slightly, he brought it straight to me, I cried and I hugged him and said, “Where was it?” Diligent replied, “In the smallest office, by the wall, I saw it when I moved the desk so I could vacuum,” I said, “I’m so glad you didn’t vacuum it up, or it would have been gone forever, but how did it end up there?” No one had used that office for over four months since Trustworthy was off, on her maternity leave, it was a mystery. I took my ring to Cavendish Jewellers and they did a fantastic job, it looked like new.

This morning I went out to breakfast at the Harvester with Polite from work, as I’d promised to take her there for her Birthday, and then she told me, “I know who took your ring and dented it, it was Observant,” I said, “I knew it was him.” I went on, “But how did you know who took it?” Polite said, “I worked with Extraordinary recently and she had told me that Observant had confided in her and Extraordinary had confided in Genuine and she had told me.

I knew my gut instinct, was right, it usually is. Since it happened, for one month I left it at home, for safe keeping but this is not why my Nanna gave it to me, it’s meant to be enjoyed so I started to wear it again, but now I never take it off.

RIP to my Nanna.