Backstory – Collector
This story was part of a recording that did not get edited for the radio. There is no music intro and you won’t hear Alan Arehart introduce me. I wanted to share it with the special listeners who receive our Sunday stories. Those of you who collect any kind of themed treasure will relate, I believe. Let me know what you think.
Consider This Show – Collector
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I am known to be a collector. How about you? Does everyone know you are enamored of frogs or cute little mice? Does your head turn for giraffes or red poppies? Do they shower you with towels, scarves, cups and toilet seats – all emblazed with grapes?
If you are a collector, how did that come about? Why did you buy the first item in your collection? Your second?
I seem to be a volunteer collector – like those flowers in your garden that sprout up without your planting them. Something comes into my possession. Someone sees that I have that thing, so I must like that, So, they buy me another version – for my birthday, for Christmas, for Kwanzaa, to help me get well. Soon I have a dozen things with the same theme.
By now, any observer can see that I am obsessed with this collection with which I have been showered.
I do admit to deliberately collecting teapots. I look for unusual designs at auctions and yard sales and have some real finds. There are over 30 of them in the kitchen now.
But how about the butterflies? And the miniature shoes? Those just kind of fell into my lap.
And there they are – official collections, ready or not. I enjoy them every day and give thanks for friends and family who gifted me with so many of them that I became their collector.
[Show #341]
I too have more teapots than anyone needs. My favorite is a Belleek pot that I bought to replace the broken old one in my great aunt’s tea service. The new one is serviceable; the old pieces are gorgeous! But my real “collection” is the thousands a cookbooks and food stories I have acquired over the years. I even bought some of Wilford Butler’s books from his local library, hoping to resell them for donations to the ASAE Foundation. Unfortunately, there were not enough of them of any value. I gave away all those that were duplicates and kept a couple of special volumes. I think fondly of Mr Butler when I use his books. Can’t imagine what will happen to all these books when I can no longer read or cook.