Mysteries

While recently going through some of my mother's things, I delightedly and excitedly stumbled on what I thought had to be a gold Clemson 'College' class ring my father had given my mother. What a treasure! What a significant piece of my heritage and my past, an appropo emblem of the courtship and love of my parents and their mutual love for Clemson! I quickly scooped it up and claimed it for my own before my likewise treasure hunting sisters could stake their claims.

As I donned my 150 reading glasses and gave a closer look, I was thrilled to find the ring was inscribed. As I squinted to make out the tiny etching, I found myself predicting what meaningful profession of love might be there....For Pat...Love Always, Bick......Tiger By Marriage.....Winthrop Girl, Tiger Heart..... okay maybe I am stretching it just a little. As I finally made out the inscription, much to my surprise, it read Julie - Olin. What? Perhaps I really needed those 250 strength readers I've been considering lately, those that pride and vanity have not yet allowed me to purchase. I looked again, and there it was again.... Julie - Olin. As you already have no doubt correctly surmised, my recently deceased mother's given name was Patricia, Pat to those who knew and loved her; my father Billy, or more often Bick. So.....who is this Julie.....who is Olin? Someone of less decorum might say, "What the......!"

My father cannot recall or is not sharing (hmmmmm....) anyone of either name with whom his or my mother's path may have crossed. So, again, who is Julie? Who is Olin? Or is it Julie Olin (one name, one person)? And why was this ring carefully tucked away with my mother's things? Did my mom date Olin? Did my father court Julie? Did my mom and Julie vie for the affection of the decidedly debonair (he must have been so, right) Olin? Much less interestingly, did my mother meet Julie at Winthrop, and perhaps on a sorority week-end they somehow got their rings mixed up? If that's the case, will Julie please come forward and give me my mom's ring?

Did my mother for some reason lust after this ring until desire overtook her and defeated her usually quite stalwart integrity and she finally stole it? I most certainly hope not.

Who is Julie? Who is Olin? How did this ring come to be in my mother's possession? Did my dad simply receive a ring ordered for my mother but incorrectly engraved and they never realized? Unlikely, wouldn't you think?

There is a story here. Do you know it? I wonder if Julie or Olin or even Julie Olin might on occasion read Definitely Dee....