Saga of the Garrigus Stamp Debacle - Part 2

Dear W,
I left a letter for you in my mailbox, and, as the mailman took it, he left your card. Thank you so much. It was very dear of you. I noticed the stamp on it was of Scott Joplin, the master (and, I guess inventor) of "ragtime". One of my favorite forms of music which I just love. A month or so ago, there was a movie of his life and music on at 3:05 a.m. which I stayed up to watch. It sure was worth it. and then your lovely newsy note arrived. Your letters are just great!

Guess what I'm going to do! I shall finish up my "Stamp Collection Saga" - and not tease you anymore.

Though I didn't lose interest in my stamps, I wasn't as actively involved with them as I had been. I kept on buying sheets of each new commemorative - groaning as the price went up, actually from three cents to twenty - as they are now.

When I came over here to Hawaii, I knew I'd be too interested in seeing all the sights and starting my new job at the University of Hawaii to pore over them. So, I wrapped those I already had very carefully, and kept them in the good old steamer trunk. Because I had to go to the neighboring Islands so often, I found a charming little elderly man who owned a stamp store (really a tiny hole in the wall) to get my commemoratives for me. In the course of time, he and I became good friends and often talked of my collection. (He literally drooled over some old stamps he knew I had). I promised if I ever were to sell it, I'd give him first choice. He often asked if I were sure I had all the stamps well protected, and I always answered "yes" very casually.

At this time, we were living on the top of Diamond Head in a lovely broken-down old "mansion" which we rented very cheap because of its condition (someday I'll tell you about this dead volcano). Well, one day the owner sold our home to the "Wendy" hamburg people. (Do you have Wendy's? It's like McDonald's and Burger King). They were intrigued with the location and had millions of dollars to tear down our house (and two others) and erect a wonderful new town house. So we had to move - from nine large rooms to five smaller ones so I decided to get rid of my stamp collection. I phoned my stamp man to tell him and make an appointment in a week or so. He was so excited. He begged me not to wait - to bring the whole trunk over right then. So I agreed.

He met me in the parking lot and carried it into his store. He locked the door so we wouldn't be disturbed. He said the whole thing was probably worth $10,000. (I figured $8,000, but hoped he was right!) We raised the lid of the trunk and smiled at each other in anticipation. The first thing he wanted to see was my original book of my great grandparents' very old stamps. I took the cover off it. And we both stared at it in perfect horror. Bookworms, silver fish, droppings of roaches and other bugs! How they got there, I'll never know. But I'll never underestimate what tropical weather can accomplish. For instance, the large sheets held together with paper clips - they had rusted through all the pages. I won't dwell on how loathsome everything looked. Even the stamps put so carefully in the glassine envelopes were stuck to each other. He and I were too heartsick to say anything. We hurriedly looked through everything else to see if anything could be saved. Nothing could be. We silently packed everything back in the trunk, and he put it in my car. There had been tears in his eyes as he looked at the remains of the stamps he had looked forward so long to see. Of course, I too was disappointed. I rescued quite a few - even if they had to be glued onto letters. I think the ones on this envelope are about the last I have that were any good. I am inclined to be a fatalist. Que sera sera! (What shall be, shall be). Now you have the full story of my stamp disaster. Learn from it! Find out from someone experienced on how to care the best way for your stamps. (And be sure to ask your grandparents for their old stamps).

Love,
Elizabeth Garrigus