Saturday, January 22, 2011

SOCK MONKEY SAGA

I'm sitting here feeling stunned to have learned I won Cyndy Weeks (Country Stitchers) giveaway today. She was offering a darling handmade sock monkey and I had signed up on her blog, hoping, but not thinking I'd actually win him. THANK YOU CYNDY!

Here's a background story -

Last Saturday, after attending our granddaughter's indoor soccer game, Spouse and I had lunch at a restaurant. We'd invited Daughter and Granddaughter to go along, but they had other things they needed to do. After lunch, he and I stopped at a nearby Goodwill store. Spouse looked at the books while I browsed everything else. He found a few books he wanted and as he stood in line to pay for them, I went to the back room where the restroom was located. There was a sign beside the restroom door that read: "PLEASE DO NOT BROWSE THROUGH BOXES OR TOUCH ITEMS". It was tempting to ignore the sign since there were lots of boxes full of recently donated items and all of them looked interesting, but I obeyed and didn't browse or touch anything. I couldn't help noticing, though, on the very top of one of the piles of donated things lay a handmade sock monkey. I wanted him so badly, but didn't pick him up or even touch him. I did, however, mention him to the clerk as I was leaving the store. I asked if it might be possible for me to leave my name and have a clerk call me when the sock monkey was priced and available. She flatly said, "No, we can't do that".

Actually, I think "they" could have done it had they wanted to, afterall, I'd been obedient and I'd asked very politely. I was very disappointed, especially since I'd discovered the sock monkey before anyone else had. We left the store and I resolved to go back there on Monday, which I did. We don't live very close to that particular Goodwill store, so it was a bit of a trek, but I went anyway, thinking the sock monkey surely would have been priced and displayed by that time.

The sock monkey wasn't there on Monday morning. I asked the clerk (a different one that time) about the monkey and was told she had no idea. I asked if she might be able to go to the back room and simply check to see if he was still there. She said, "no". I left the store, again feeling disappointed, but also a bit irritated. I had visited the store twice, followed the rules, and asked politely, but I was still "monkeyless". Is that a word? I decided to not waste time and gas to keep driving down there to see if the monkey was available.

Today we attended another soccer game and treated our daughter and granddaughter to lunch after the game. I asked Spouse if he'd mind stopping at that Goodwill store once more, since it's just down the road from the restaurant. He said that was fine. Once there, I went inside and looked, but there was no sock monkey to be found and the clerk didn't know anything about one. As I left, I decided I wasn't meant to have that little monkey.

Why do I like sock monkeys so much? I don't really know, but my siblings and I each had one when were young. We dragged them everywhere with us and slept with them, but at some point between the time I left home for college and the time I married, all of our sock monkeys (along with baby dolls and other playthings) disappeared. I think it's possible they were sold in one of Mom's garage sales, though she claims to not remember any such thing. All I know is that none of us has a childhood sock monkey now. I won't assign blame to anyone because I really don't know what happened to my little Jocko. Yes, that was his name. I just know it would have been nice to have him and be able to show him to my granddaughter.

Perhaps I was being silly about the Goodwill sock monkey, but I really wanted it. Sock monkeys were part of my childhood and evoke such fond memories. Thank you Cyndy, for offering that little sock monkey in your giveaway. Maybe I was meant to have one after all.

7 comments:

Cat Nap Inn Primitives said...

loved the story Kady and you would think they would want the sale...or possibly one of the clerks took it home.:) glad you won..will this be Jocko the second?

Debbie said...

It just shows that good things come to those who wait. :) Congratulations for winning!

*hugs*
Debbie

Sherry said...

What a great story. The sock monkey you won is adorable. I too have a fond remembrence of sock monkeys. Happy that you won one!

Merilyn said...

Some things are just meant to be Kady!, you really wanted a sock monkey and the universe made sure you got one, even though it came from a quite different and surprising source - good for you!!!

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

Hi Kady--loved the story--and am glad that you won one instead--just think this one will have some neat memories with it!!!
You want to hear something funny???
I have never really liked the looks of the sock monkey--until recently--now I want one--have no idea why--just do---seen some at christmas --but they weren't the real looking ones like what you won!!!
so when you get your monkey--give it a hug from me!!!
Hugs, Di and miss gracie

CRAFTY STITCHERS said...

Hi, I am so glad that you won, I just sent you an email, I need your address, little "Jocko" the second, is waiting on my couch, he wants to head to his new home. Thanks, Cyndy

Linda ★ Parker's General said...

You are a fabulous story teller. You should submit to some magazines!
I'm glad you got your sock monkey. I found mine the other day and put it out where I could see it.
Have a great week!
★Linda★