Your story should include “a pickup truck, lipstick, and a silver earring.”

The Silver Earring

©2005 by Mae Ondracek

Mary was very sad because her silver earring was missing. She had looked all over the house and it wasn’t there. Where could it be, she wondered? It was the only pair of silver earrings she had and she thought about keeping them forever. Now one was missing.

She dialed Joan’s number and when she didn’t answer she hung up and dialed Jean’s number. Jean answered on the first ring, saying, “Hel……lo. Who might be calling me this fine morning?”

Mary couldn’t help but laugh at her and said, “It is just me calling you this fine morning,” and they both broke up.

Then Mary said, “Jean, I didn’t happen to loose one of my silver earrings at your house last night, did I? I’ve lost it and just became aware of it this morning.”

Jean said, “Gosh, Mary, I haven’t seen it this morning but I’ll do a real good job of sweeping the floor now. If I find it, I’ll call you back.”

Mary said, “Jean, I sure hope you do find it, I can’t think of anyplace else I’ve been. Talk to you later, bye.”

Mary hung up the phone and her eyes just glanced about the floor. It’s no use looking here anymore, she thought as she flung on her coat to go for a walk. She put her hand in her pocket to pull out her lipstick and it wasn’t there. She always put her lipstick in her jacket pocket and now that was missing, too. She went to her bedroom and found another lipstick and put some on, then she went out the door, so mad that she could have spit nails.

“Hi, Mary,” someone said and she turned around to see Mike standing there.

“Hi, Mike,” Mary said. “What are you up to this fine morning/”

“Oh, nothing. I just finished cleaning out my new pickup this morning and wondered if you’d like a ride?” Mike said.

“Well, that is one nice pickup you have there, Mike. When did you get that?” Mary said.

“Well, I’ve had it two weeks, now. Don’t it look great?’ and Mary could see he was bursting with pride.

“It is a great pickup. Well, I better be going now,” she said as she turned away.

“No, Mary, I’d like to give you a ride to where you’re going this nice morning,” Mike said. “Wouldn’t you like to ride in my new pickup this morning?”

Mary had to laugh at his insistence and she finally said, “Okay, I’d like to go to Kramer’s this morning.”

“Hop in, Mary, and I’ll take you there,” Mike said. He held the door open for Mary and she tried to climb up.

“Now how am I supposed to get in there?” Mary laughed and said, “I can get one leg up but not the other. Maybe you’ll have to help me.”

Without thinking, he said, “Well, Betty made it up there without any trouble. Whoops, I’m sorry I said that, Mary,” he looked embarrassed and said, “I’ll give you a hand.”

Mike helped Mary into the cab and he went around and got in. “Well, how do you like the inside, Mary?”

“Oh, Mike, it sure is pretty, and look at all the room you have. I’ll bet the girls will flock to your side now,” Mary said with a laugh.

“There is only one girl I’m interested in,” and he looked down at the keys in his hands. “Shall we?”

Mary didn’t know what to make of that, but now she was sure he had been hoping to find her outside. She didn’t say anything while he started the pickup. It was very quiet for a truck, she thought, then said, “It sure sounds quiet, don’t it?”

Mike grinned and said, “It sure is. I really like it,” and he pulled away from the curb. “I know Kramer’s isn’t to far away but can I give you a ride around to see some of the sights?”

“Okay, Mike, for me not being able to get into your pickup, I’ll go for a ride,” Mary laughed. “Well, it looks like you’ll plow everyone over with this thing. Why did you want something so high?”

“I don’t know. I thought having my girl up above the rest of the world would be great,” he said. “Do you like it, Mary?”

“I think it’s marvelous, Mike. Really great,” Mary said.

They turned onto the highway and he pushed it for a few minutes until Mary said, “Whoa, you better slow down or you’ll get stopped by the police.”

He laughed and said, “I’ve tried this every day since I’ve had it and yesterday, Betty just caught me as I was about t o pull away from Jerry’s. She wanted to ride in my pickup. I told her, if you can get in, I’ll take you for a ride; and by golly, if she didn’t get up here. She’s not too nice a person, you know.”

“I know she isn’t. That is why I’m surprised you took her for a ride,” Mary said. “She came over for a few minutes yesterday morning while I was cleaning house and I told her I had to clean, so she only stayed a few minutes. She is weird.”

“Boy, don’t I know it,” Mike answered. “Do you like being so high, Mary?”

“Yes, it is sort of fun looking down on all the cars, but I think I’d much rather be in a car. If you don’t mind my saying so. I’d just rather be in a car,” Mary said.

Back in town, Mike said, “So, you want to go to Kramer’s now? I think I can handle that,” and he turned at the next corner. “Be there in a minute.”

Mary laughed because she was having fun but something kept bobbing between her feet. She reached down and picked up a tube of lipstick. “Well, what do you know, a tube of lipstick and I know it isn’t Betty’s.” She looked at it closely and took the cover off, “Why, Mike, how did you get my lipstick in here?”

“Darned if I know,” he said. “Are you sure it is yours? Wait until I stop and show me.”

“Who else has been riding with you?” Mary asked.

“No one, I promise you. Why?” Mike said as he stopped the pickup.

“Well, I’m the only one that does this to a new lipstick and I’d sure like to know how it got in here?” Mary said.

“So would I, the only one who has been in here is Betty and I wouldn’t put it past her to do something like that,” Mike said. “Say, didn’t you say your lipstick was missing this morning?”

“Yes, I did and I find it in your pickup.” Mary thought this over for a minute, then said, “That damn Betty. I’ll bet she did this to get even with me for not letting her stay yesterday morning.”

“Hey, there she is right now, just coming out of Kramer’s. Get her good,” Mike said as he got down from the pickup.

“You bet I’ll get her good,” Mary said. “Hello, Betty. Just a minute while Mike helps me down,” and she got down with ease and walked up to Betty and slapped her across the face.

“Why’d you do that?” Betty screamed. “I didn’t hurt you.”

“You took my lipstick out of my jacket pocket yesterday morning and I’ll bet you took my other earring, too,” Mary said.

“I didn’t take anything of yours. I didn’t,” Betty cried.

“Oh, yes you did, Betty. See this line way down here? That means it is mine,” Mary said. “Why was it in Mike’s pickup? Huh, tell me, why was it in Mike’s pickup? Is my earring in there, too?” Mary could have cried.

“Alright, they are in the pickup. I wanted to get even with you for not letting me stay yesterday morning,” Betty cried, “I took the two things and put them under the seat.”

“You terrible, terrible person. Do you realize they were part of my birthday present from my grandmother and cost a lot of money,” Mary said. “Boy, that earring had better be in there, that’s for sure.”

Betty was backing away from Mary and said, “I’m really sorry, Mary, I didn’t know they were that expensive. Really I didn’t.”

Mary took a couple of steps towards her, when Betty turned around and ran. She looked up into the cab to see Mike grinning at her. He said, “Boy, was she scared. She ran like a scared rabbit.”

“Oh, Mike,” Mary said, “Did you find my earring?”

Mike jumped down and opened his hand and Mary screamed, “Oh, Mike, you found it. I’m so happy,” and she reached up and gave him a big hug.

They both turned red until Mary said, “Oh, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

Mike gulped and said, “Well, I’m sure glad I found your earring. Now, let’s go in Kramer’s and get something to eat.”