Buried Treasure

Some folks spend their time gathering

stones, hoping to discover silver and

gold. Most find lime stone and granite

instead. Still they keep digging for more.

My father followed that path faithfully

along the way. Got to have a positive

attitude, he would say. My ship is bound

to come in one day.

For years, he scoured the shore through

fair weather and storm. There was only

sand and sea shells to sift through. And

so he considered maybe pearls would do.

One day he pitched his shovel and spade

and walked away, figuring no ship worth

its weight could ever find safe harbor in

such shallow waters anyway.

He saved a fossil with an impression of

a trilobite he had found on one of his digs.

Why, it’s gotta be a couple of hundred mil-

lion years old, he would often claim.

Folks just don’t find stuff like this every day.

Chris Hanch 8-17-19