
You see it was an amethyst stone. Found fallen from a bangle chain.
It must’be been, lying there on the street. When I picked it up as you do, it had small writing on it. I showed it to the seller at the packed flower stall nearby. She took one look at it and said ‘the writing’s too small’ . I asked did she have a magnifying glass.
“no.. It’s the kind of stone that you have to give, it has a message on it, but it cannot be read unless it connects to the heart of the one it is given to.” She said.
” How do you know that ? ” I asked.
“I know that because I had one once. Just like that only bigger. A young man turned up one day and gave it me just on the street nearby. I had been alone for the whole day. Standing round the bus stop, waiting for the bus, he must have been sucked in by the scent of flowers all over me from selling all day. Pink ones they were. I’d got away early because we’d run out of ’em. Tired I was tho. and leaning against the bus stop sign he just walked up and said. I want to give you this, it shoud cheer you up.” “I could read the writing on it then, …but not now – I lost that sudden love unfortunately….”
It was small in my hand purple like amethyst. Perhaps it was, but it had that tiny kind of stone writing on it you know … not in ink, but in different color. But how does that kind of writing get on it I wondered. More to the point, how am I to read the one I just found.
“….Give it to the one you love maybe. Tomorrow would be a good day.” she said.
I didn’t know why tomorrow might be good, but I felt like trying the little rock out. I gave the purplish thing to her, but she said. “No — this is not for me — be patient — your heart is just experimenting I can tell.”
“You’re more curious than in love. You always have been.” she said as she put her right hand on my chest. Startled, I looked down as she carefully placed the little rock back in my hand with her left.
I could read though my salt tears, writing close within a red heart set in the darker cross of the stone.. simply ‘Your Valentine’.