Heineken

I had just spent all morning doing what I hate. 

Shopping.

I had been to five different stores from Nordstroms to Marsh, when I realized something was missing.

As I was driving through the last parking lot, my left hand flew to grab my right wrist.  I realize it's missing.  My left hand becomes panicked.  Grasping over and over along my wrist.

I have on my favorite red jacket since it's a bit chilly on that November Saturday.  I throw the car in park and like a mad man, I rip off my red jacket in hopes that what I cannot find on my wrist could have fallen safely into the elastic sleeve of red. 

Turning the jacket inside out, frantically looking over the car seats, floor boards, between the seat and console.

Nothing. 

It's gone.

While my stomach lurches and I throw the car into drive retracing every single step I have taken that morning, I remember the first time I tasted a Heineken.

We had stopped at the island a few years before.  St. Marten or St. Maartin depending upon whether you are French or Dutch.  Six of one, half dozen of the other.

As the ship docked, we watched from our balcony the scattered storms that had just passed through.  I went back into the tiny cabin to finish getting ready for a quick breakfast and then out to replace the tennis bracelet we had bought three years previously.  We traded the bracelet at a hometown jewelry store when we got a "upgrade" (ahem) wedding band. 

Of course I loved the ring, but I also missed the bracelet.  Bob had promised that we would replace the tennis bracelet on our next cruise that returned to the island where we bought it.

Bob yelled at me from the balcony to come back out.  Out to sea was a beautiful double rainbow tossed between the storm clouds.  It was just beautiful.

Unlike other ports, we enjoy the shopping at Saint Maarten.  Our first visit found us at a very nice jewelry store where we bought the first tennis bracelet.  On our second visit we knew where we were heading.

We were strolling along the village streets when another warm downpour moved in.  We tucked under a shallow awning right next to a street vender.  Among his cart were ice cold Heinekens buried in ice.  It was barely noon.  There was no where to go and nothing else to do so Bob buys a couple of Heinekens from the street vendor while we wait out the short rainstorm.

Isn't it funny how plans being interrupted can suddenly become the best part of the memory?

I'm fairly certain that whole day would have been less memorable had it just been another sunny day.

We sipped our Heinekens along the street.  Looking back I remember how free I felt.  No work, no worries, no timeclock, no rules.  No reason not to have a Heineken with our backs along the warm bricked walls of local stores until the rain subsided.

It was the first time I had ever tasted one.  The rain made it taste wonderful.

As the rain abated, we made our way down the street to the store.  The store was narrow.  All the stores are narrow in this little village.  The salesman spotted the easy marks.  But because of our previous purchase we also knew we could get a great deal.  As we were eyeing the nicer bracelets, our slick sales guy was able to locate our previous purchase in their little handwritten book. 

Great touch.  It makes you feel important.  Rich. 

They are slick.  We kept looking over the bracelets and wavered a little when he tells us to take the bracelet out to the sidewalk to see it in the in-and-out sun.

That seems so odd, doesn't it?  Take a four caret diamond tennis bracelet outside the store without buying it first?  Yikes.  But we did.  And he was right.  The sparkle was VERY convincing.

When we came back inside, we saw two couples at the back of the store having a great time with the owner.  They were being given the royal treatment.  As Bob was haggling over the price another quick thunderstorm crops up.

We agree on a price, they are fitting the bracelet to my weakling wrist and so we wait.

We pick up on the conversation with the two couples.  Since it's pouring outside, we talk with them as they take another swig on their Heinekens that the store owner had brought them.

They are friends that have booked back-to-back 7 day cruises with Royal Caribbean.  14 days total was cheaper than a 10 day cruise.  They had shopped here several times, hence the royal treatment.

As we chat, the owner grabs a couple more beers and hand them to us while we wait for the bracelet.

Back to that November Saturday.

I retraced every single step in reverse.  Every step in the parking lots, into the stores, up the aisles, under the shelves, at the lost and found, leaving my name and number.  All the way back to my driveway and through the house. 

It was just gone.

And I wonder today just who is wearing my bracelet.  Since I left my name and number at every location, they never turned it in. 

So do they put it on in the morning and think they won the lottery or do they have just a little bit of guilt knowing that someone else lost it?

Either way, their memory is finding a bit of luck in a parking lot.  Mine is one of rain, beer, double rainbows, running outside to see the diamonds sparkle in the sun and another swig of Heineken back in the office with two other couples laughing a gorgeous St. Martin afternoon away.