Secret Keeper

Fibers of coppice, intertwined and handcrafted into an octagonal shape sit on my dresser. A golden clasp proudly stands guard causing top and bottom to tightly clinch. My fingers unconsciously slide over eight sharp yet smooth ridges; my secret keeper is now reverently in my grasp. The hard surface glides under the stroke of my hands, wet and silky to the touch. About the size of a birds nest, it has swirls the color of rain swept cocoa shining in the light, telling stories of decades and times of nature gone by. All openings and edges are artfully sealed, like the vessels of the brother of Jared, a sea worthy craft. With care and reverence, I slowly undo the stalwart guard. Scents and nostalgia swiftly hit me as the well oiled hinge slides open; times of youth. Times of climbing onto my stool in the shop, legs swinging and hands under my chin, mesmerized as my idol created a masterpiece. I’d sit there for hours and with complete and total adoration watch as precise incisions formed a chair, a dresser, a car, a puzzle, a wand. These are my happy memories, prized memories of times less complicated. The finely textured inside suddenly draws me from my reverie, pulling me into the rich, velvety interior; a perfect place to hold my secrets. Tenderly, I clinch the top and body together. Time to inspect the bottom. It is on here that I find my favorite part. The words seared on the bottom show the value of my secret keeper. Words that illustrate the time and love that is the true foundation of my treasure. They say HANDCRAFTED BY LEE GIFFORD. With a content smile, I replace my icon of love back onto its home. There it proudly stands; a dignified piece of art full of secrets. Yes, a keeper of my treasures, yet most importantly a symbol of my most prized possession: the love of my Grandfather.