When The Answer Is No
In the early fifties, my dad and my stepmother were deeply involved in raising chinchillas. So much so that, Dad became the president of the chinchilla association. One summer while visiting them in College Station, Texas, I asked if I could have a collar made from the fur to wear with my cardigan sweater. To me it would have been something different, and something I could enjoy and maybe brag about. My stepmother answered in a stern voice, "No, it would devalue it." Her response hurt my feelings and left me wondering why something that seemed so special wasn't allowed. Even though I didn't get what I asked for that summer, I walked away with something far better. While I was there, we visited a fellow chinchilla enthusiast. He lived in a rundown shotgun house. Its walls were covered with all kinds of pictures and handwritten sayings. As we sat in the living room, one in particular caught my attention. Even though ...