Hark, the Herald Angel(fish)!

For as many of my jewelry purchases as possible (not that I have many, by the way), I try to patronize local businesses rather than chain stores. I do confess to heading to Tiffany's to buy a 20th Anniversary present for my wife last May, however; two decades of marriage to me should earn a woman something really special -- combat pay, as it were.

Anyway, this week, I went to to the local "mom and pop" jeweler looking for a holiday pin for my wife for Christmas, a little something festive to go with the requested "pastry cutter." "Mom" promptly directed me to a case on the wall and said, "Here's a Christmas tree!"

Now, this pin was indeed triangular-ish (as my younger daughter might say)...with a stem at the bottom, and I'm thinking, "Hmmm, an interesting Dali-esque wilting tree. The star at the top isn't even at the apex of the triangle. This is quite intriguing. I think I like it!"

Then, of course, I realized it wasn't a Christmas tree at all but rather an angel fish turned on its tail. The "star" was its eye, and the "stem" its tailfin. When I, trying to be helpful, pointed this out to her, she flatly contradicted me and said "No, that's a Christmas tree."

I remain unsure whether a) she took me for a fool (since that's not hard to do), b) she simply assumed I'm the stereotypical male who "doesn't know nothing 'bout buying no jewelry, Miss Scarlett," c) she didn't know her own merchandise, or d) the times are so financially dicey that she'd say anything for a sale.

I still made a purchase (which says far more about my lack of "gifting" imagination than my ability to overlook an insult), but, I assure you, I didn't buy the the "tree."