The main reason I love my new kingfisher necklace and earring set so much is because the style of the kingfisher reminds me of this painting.
It must've been 7 or 8 years ago. Certainly a year or two before we got married. We took a summer drive to Whidbey Island -- to Langley, which we'd heard had some interesting shops. JDub and I wandered into a bookstore to browse, and the store was called "The Kingfisher". And here on a shelf in a back room featuring Pacific Northwest writers, sat this frame with this kingfisher watercolor, signed by the artist. We both immediately fell in love with it. So simple, and so perfect! JDub picked it up and peered all over for a price tag -- there was none. So he carried it up to the counter.
"How much is this?" he asked.
The grumpy old guy pretty much glared at him, which I remember thinking, That's no way to run your business!
"It's not for sale. It's just for display."
We were crestfallen! One of us said (me?), "Oh, please? We really would like to buy this."
The grumpy guy just shook his head and that was that. We walked out of there with an ache in our hearts. Time passed, and I pretty much forgot about that perfect kingfisher watercolor.
I recalled JDub teasing me one week-day in November in a sing-song voice, "I got your Christmas present today!" I'd said, "Today? A work day? How did you do that?" He replied, "It's a long story."
Then Christmas arrived, and I opened it up and about fell on my face. My mouth was hanging open so far and so wide that I'm surprised it ever went back to normal again. Yes, wrapped carefully in tissue paper, was the framed kingfisher watercolor. The very one.
"How in the hell.....?"
And then I heard the story.
He'd taken a day off from work and drove all the way to Whidbey Island (actually took the ferry). Then he drove to Langley, found "The Kingfisher" bookstore, and went to the back room where the Pacific Northwest writers were featured, and grabbed the painting.
"How much?" he asked the clerk. (I'm not certain if it was the same grumpy guy or not. Probably).
"It's not for sale," was the reply. "It's for display."
"Hey," said JDub, "Everything is for sale."
And so they negotiated. It must've been intense. I've never heard (nor do I want to hear) what the agreed-to price was. It was likely a lot. I don't care.
It's the best present I've ever received. And this watercolor kingfisher will be prominently displayed wherever I live. It's just perfect.
And it's NOT for sale.
Not for any price!
