Coronavirus cheer for the Stock Market - true story
It was 1987 and I was filling in for an estate admin for some very special clients of the staffing agency I worked for at the time, mostly because I had the security clearance, grew up on Connecticut, had training and skills experience and loved it.
The home was lovely and the home office near the front entrance was serving as a mini hospital for the dying Wall Street magnate. He was one of those who rescued the Stock Market after “The Crash of ‘29” and we loved him very much. A patriot forever. This time it was another crash and he couldn’t go out in the street and lapel and compel people to reinvest in America!
His adoring wife was being brave and good but it was not easy. I had lost my beloved husband a few years before and knew her sorrow. I was just staff and best to keep going with my duties.
It was day’s end and the ailing man had been ushered on his stair lift to a fine night’s rest, and I was doing the last tidying for my own goodnight.
I liked the people and I wondered what else I might do to maybe bring a smile to challenging times.
The place was elegant, tasteful, sophisticated but not overdone and I really wanted to do something and found a few things i might shine up, without upsetting he status quo in the kitchen.
I found my challenge:
Baccarat world-class crystal, had made a huge Crystal bull - the size of an infant of about three months. It was worth around twenty thousand they said, at that time. They still sell variations on it. The bull reigned on a low shelf in the Breakfast room where the morning light striking it made actual rays of light emanate in all directions. However, like our economy in 1987, it was all fogged up - dimmed.
One of my college professors was expert in restoration and had done for the White House . I saved all my notes. Care and process plan was the the thing. And it went like this: 1.2.3.
1. waited for all to tuck up for the night and then collected the classic willow laundry basket and several nice bath towels. I filled two kitchen sinks with wash and rinse water, and lined them with two more large towels.
2. took the basket , lined with the towels by its two sturdy handles, and carefully set the darling safely in and back to the kitchen sinks. I did not sing rubber ducky but did coo to it.
3. With the bull still in he sink, i drained the water, to make the lift out to the counter more stable, and another dry towel for dry and buffing and then into the basket and back onto the shelf for tweaking - one last goodnight moon cooing and off to sleep.
The next morning was the BEST - I was called to the Breakfast Room and the lady of the house was smiling and eyes twinkling- and I saw why - one crystal Baccarat Bull, radiant once more - she laughed “You just HAD to shine the bull!” , wished Wall Street might soon be radiant again, as well. Such delight in pleasing only happens in such scenarios and thiry-three years later, it’s as good in memory as ever!
I can’t help this time, but I think our President is in his element and we will be pleased with a new radiance on Wall Street soon!
