Bob

 

Several weeks ago, the doorbell rang and I answered it finding Bob standing outside. I never really knew Bob until about a year ago and it was more of a locality connection than anything. When we purchased this home but before we moved in, our neighbor's husband died. Bob worked for him part time and also worked part time as a carpet installer. In fact, I realized that we had crossed paths at our previous house when we had some carpet installed by him. Anyway, after the neighbor's husband died, Bob sort of adopted his widow and would stop in from time to time to do general handyman things for her.

Eventually, our neighbor's mental issues (severe dementia) started worrying Bob and he knocked on our front door, to give us his phone number in case things happened while he wasn't there. I'm not sure we ever called him, but we saw him from time to time and would always wave across our property border at him. Our neighbor's daughter moved in to help take care of our neighbor but she died unexpectedly last year. We then learned that our neighbors disease had progresses so much that she couldn't realistically take care of herself, Bob was too old and couldn't do it either and so for the last year, two or three full time nurses have assumed that duty around the clock and I thought that would be the end of it.

But Bob continues to give us gifts. Last summer, he gave us an antique wall mounted clock and then several weeks ago, it was a 9x13 pan of brownies and some "shell bracelets" for our girls. I chatted with Bob for a few minutes and then we parted ways. I went inside and put the brownies on the counter but became curious about the bag of shell bracelets which felt really heavy. Inside were indeed shell bracelets for our girls, stunningly beautiful and I'm sure very expensive, and also all of what you see above and below. 

I'm not sure what to make of it. 

Bob is in his mid to late 70's and looks a bit unsteady on his feet these days. One reason I have pondered is that he may have some sort of terminal diagnosis and is looking to give away things to good homes and we have been deemed a good home. The three one-dollar coins from 1923 are silver and highly collectible and are probably worth close to $100-$250 themselves. I'm not sure how much the brass mortar and pestle are worth or the arrowheads or war money. The previous gifted clock would probably be worth hundreds of dollars if it were working but it doesn't and with the antique market collapsing on itself these days, I'm not sure how much it is worth. But I would expect it is worth more than a gift that you would give to people you've only seen a handful of times. Perhaps another reason is that he felt morally obligated to look after our neighbor and felt bad that he couldn't do more for her and thus valued our eyes watching over her property more than we valued ourselves. 

Whatever the case, I'm not sure what to do with these gifts from Bob other than to thank him when he gave them to us which I did, not knowing about all these other things hidden with the bracelets. For now, they sit on a shelf on display until perhaps a purpose can be determined. Sometime in this new year, we really need to stop by at Bob's house for a visit and perhaps suss out more of why he is giving us these expensive gifts.