All That Glitters

All That Glitters

Jane Scoggins

When Mandy Steele got home from seeing a film at the Odeon in Camden Town she could not believe her eyes when she opened the door of her flat in Kensal Rise.  When she put her key in the lock at 11.15 pm she had been thinking of Richard Gere and the film she had just seen, Gravity. It had been exciting and scary. The realisation had been instantaneous. She had been burgled. Mandy stepped cautiously across the carpeted sitting room floor and then froze. First, she surveyed the mess and then she panicked and held her breath trying not to make a sound. What if the intruder were still in the flat? All was silent. Mandy exhaled and as carefully and quietly as she could in her high heels she walked around her flat, surveyed the trashed room, and her belongings in a mess. She scrabbled in her handbag for her mobile phone and for the first time in her life dialled 999.

‘Fire, police or ambulance?’ said a woman’s voice.

‘Police’ said Mandy.

'Putting you through' came back and within a couple of seconds, a man's voice said.

'You are through to the police' Mandy hurriedly started to explain, but was cut short by the man saying

‘Anyone hurt, or injured?

‘No’ said Mandy.

‘Anyone in danger?’

‘No’ said Mandy, I have been burgled, but whoever it was has gone’

The man gave his name and asked Mandy for hers together with her address and phone number before he allowed her to continue with the details of the burglary. Having established that she was OK and in no danger, the man confirmed that a police car was on its way.

It was nearly midnight before the police car drew up outside and two police officers, one male, one female got out the car. Mandy was relieved to see them and something in her gave way to her emotions. The sight of the two officers in their navy uniforms with crisp white shirts and all the bits of police paraphernalia hung about their belts gave her confidence to surrender her bravado and acknowledge upset and fear. The officers, used to this reaction were sympathetic but crisp and entirely professional, and immediately started to check out the flat and question Mandy about the time she had gone out, time of return, any suspicious looking people about, anything out of the ordinary, anyone with access to here flat, any unbolted windows? The female officer asked the questions and wrote notes in her notebook whilst the male officer looked around the flat, presumably for clues. It was a small flat so it did not take long and within 30 seconds he was back with the news that the intruder had apparently got in through the bathroom window around the back of the property. The female police officer asked her to check what she thought was missing. Despite the mess, the only things missing were the contents of her jewellery box and a diamond ring on her dressing table.

Mandy was glad that she had gone out wearing her watch, and opal ring. At least they were safe. The Opal ring had belonged to her mum and she wore it a lot. The watch had been a twenty first birthday present.

After the police had left and she was alone again, Mandy made a big mug of hot chocolate, added a handful of marshmallows and sat on the sofa to think. She sipped from the mug and thought about the stolen jewellery. She knew exactly what had gone and had given the details to the police. They had said they would do all they could to catch the thief or thieves if fingerprinting was successful, but as the pieces of jewellery were not particularly distinctive they were a bit doubtful as to their recovery.

A sapphire ring set in a gold band

A 3 gold twisted bracelet

A gold locket

A pair of gold hoop earrings

A diamond ring in a platinum setting

It is distressing enough to be burgled and have your possessions stolen but for a woman to have her jewellery taken is heartbreaking, as each piece usually has a story to tell and is connected to a significant relationship. Mandy considered her emotions as she thought about the significance to her of each piece of jewellery.

The sapphire ring and the 3 gold bracelet had been presents from her grandmother.

The gold locket had been a present from a boyfriend.

The gold hoop earrings she had bought herself from her first wage packet.

The diamond and platinum ring had been her engagement ring.

 

Mandy wept as she finished her hot chocolate and then she got ready for bed.

The next morning was Saturday and Mandy was glad she didn’t have to go to work. She sat in her pyjamas drinking coffee and eating toast and strawberry jam.

Looking at the copy of the list of stolen pieces of jewellery she had given the police, she took stock of her feelings and again thought about each piece and its importance to her. She re-framed in her mind her feelings of loss and came to a conclusion.

The feelings of loss were not for the actual items but for the loss of a different kind. The loss of a relationship.

Grandma had been a strict parent and grandparent with rules and expectations hard for her mother and her. She had been demanding and at times a bully. Mandy had rarely worn the two pieces of jewellery bestowed on her by her Grandmother. The sapphire ring had been a bribe to get Mandy to stay with her and look after her following a fall. She had been a hard taskmaster with a cruel tongue. Still at school, Mandy had been exhausted by her grandmother’s demands before and after school but too intimidated to complain.

The gold bracelet had been another bribe to get Mandy to change her mind about applying for Art college. 'That will get you nowhere she had sneered, get a proper job' her grandmother had insisted. Mandy has always resented not having the chance to fulfil her dream. Grandma had since died and Mandy didn’t miss her very much at all.

The gold locket had been a present from a boyfriend who had treated her badly and it had taken some courage to stop going out with him. She had recognised in time that like Grandma he was a bully, although when he was nice to her she really thought she loved him. The huge gold hoop earrings that she had bought herself out of her first pay packet had been a real joy to her and Mandy had worn them day in and day out for the first year. As time past and she grew more mature and fashions changed she wore them less and less and she progressed to a more discreet grown-up type of earrings. She had outgrown them in every way, and Grandma had said they looked ridiculous. Besides, the catch on one was broken so couldn’t be worn now anyhow.

The diamond ring had been the most recent of her possessions and the most beautiful thing Mandy had ever owned. It was not only beautiful but very expensive. It was her engagement ring. She thought about Jamie and touched the ring finger of her left hand where an engagement ring should be.

 Mandy had not worn the engagement ring for the last three weeks since she split up with Jamie. These last weeks had been tough and she still felt upset and tearful at times. Jamie worked in the city, earned lots of money, had a sports car and was charming beyond anything Mandy had known in her life. She had fallen for him and he for her. It had been a whirlwind romance. She had thought that at last, this was to be her Happy Ever After. Jamie planned to buy a house and settle down with her, or so she thought. It took some time for Mandy to find out and then accept that Jamie had been two or possibly three-timing her. It took her more time and a lot of courage to confront him. When she did he laughed at her and adopted a 'so what' attitude. Mandy thought her world had come to an end. She threw the ring at him, but rather sheepishly he had asked her to keep it.

When Mandy was showered and dressed and with her favourite CD playing in the background, she made a fresh cup of coffee and took stock.

 By the time she had finished her coffee, Mandy was much happier. She had a plan.

If the jewellery was found she would sell it, if not she would claim on the insurance. She reckoned on £5000. What good had the jewellery, except the hoop earrings been to her?

 'All that glitters'... she said to herself and smiled. None of it held happy memories, nor of the people who had given it to her. She was better off without it. It was a way of erasing the past and starting again. Mandy still loved art, and with the money from the jewellery, and a bit extra from her savings, she planned to visit art galleries across Europe, and have a holiday at the same time. Monet's house and garden, The Prada in Madrid, Michaelangelo frescos in Venice, the Uffizi in Florence. Maybe even as far as The Hermitage in St Petersburg. She would have the time of her life and in the meantime, she would sign up for an art class. She may not now be good enough or have the qualifications for Art college, but it was a start, and maybe, just maybe it could lead to something in the future. Whatever happened she was resolved to take this opportunity and take charge of her own destiny with the spoils of her past.

Copyright Jane Scoggins