I found this train case last weekend at an estate sale in my neighborhood. It's in great shape and was $2.00. I discovered a real treat when I brought it home and opened it.
Inside, a tray held leftovers from a journey taken a few decades ago. There was a blue colored pencil, a golf ball tee, 2 keys ~ one attached to a green string, a couple of safety pins and a small glistening rock. There was also a 1967 penny, carried ~ I presume ~ for good luck. Even though the original mirror is attached to the lid of the case, she also carried a small hand mirror for surreptitiously checking her lipstick.
This was the best part. A typed shipping tag:
Prater Bonnie Mrs.
Grewe-Johnson-Schimschock
6-15-72 3 - 15 PM
NORTHEAST
Was she going to New York for a job interview? To Boston to see her sister? To Philly for a golf tournament? Was this her first trip away from home? Was she nervous? Excited? What was the key with the green string for? A borrowed apartment? A lover's pied-a-terre? And what color was her lipstick?
There's more....The name Grewe got my attention. Twelve years ago, my husband had neck surgery. His surgeon? Dr. Ray Grewe.
So, I googled Grewe, Johnson, Schimschock. All three are or were doctors affiliated with Oregon Health Sciences University. They were mentioned in a paper on Neurotransmitters and Synaptic Transmission. The same guy that fixed my husband's ruptured disks! How's that for a co-ink-e-dink?.....And what was Bonnie's connection to the good doctors?
Then I googled Bonnie Prater. She teaches Tango and Ballroom Dancing on the Oregon Coast. Do you think she wants her train case back?
8 comments:
You should of been a detective! Great find!
What a great story, it just made me smile. Thank you! jojo
So glad you dropped in! I love finding old luggage...they're great for storing stuff...like dvds in the family room.
Thank you for your sweet comments. I have been really busy lately...need to get my camera out and catch up a bit!
xo
Oh, you should contact her! I doubt she wants it back... but would probably adore knowing that it has made it into such loving hands! I'm sure she could tell you all about that trip she took!
Forget any other career path...you are now Detective Dot! Good price to boot on the train case!
Love the word co-ink-a-dink!
xo
ethel
What a cool find!
I have the tooled leather case that belonged to my hubby's grandmother. I love that thing and actually used to use it when I went to a local art retreat (Menucha).
I got an old suitcase from a local Goodwill for a couple of bucks not too long ago. They don't make suitcases like that any more.
what a treasure! i wonder why anyone would ever sell that.
I'm the Bonnie Prater that teaches dance on the Oregon Coast and I'm sorry to say it's not my case.
But isn't it fun to find something like this and wonder about the original owner? Neat coincidence about the doctors. Fun blog.
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