The Big Old Tray

After sharing events from my childhood, I thought I would move up about 40 years and tell you of an event that I had with an old antique. Now all our parents are gone and we are empty nesters, the year 2003.

I had become ill with ovarian cancer, and left my place of employment, needing to rest for the coming cancer treatments. Times were emotionally tough. I had been introduced to computers in early years at employment so I purchased a good desktop computer for our home.

To cut this shorter, I became a seller on EBay, for the next two years. A woman in town was a massive collector of small antiques, and after she died there was an auction. As my husband looked on in shock, I kept raising my hand. He quietly carried them home and into our basement. He then gained interest as I moderately made a small profit. From this time on we went to auctions, and it was fun for a while.

I paid five dollars for this item. A tray, huge and heavy, I thought hand crafted, certainly not made in the USA. So black with age and filth. A fluted edge, about 33 inches in diameter. It sat on an odd table (sold separately) and I sensed something, just a feeling... Shaking his head, my sweetie dragged it home, and set it into the basement.

That night I knew I had made a mistake. I had bought several things, but this was one of those times where I knew it, felt it, and brought it home anyway. Our home is forced hot air heat and as it was July, we had no heat running, yet as I prepared for bed I heard a ping in the cellar pipes. Through the next few nights it became louder and then it started doing it during the day as well. I heard it in all the heat grates.

Going into the basement for other items, easy to wash and sell, I would glance at it leaning against the furnace, not now. Then the tray began to hum, there was a chant to it, almost musical. I knew it had to go, and I began to research it, thinking how hard it would be to pack. I feared touching it.

No information on line or in any of my books, I even tried at the library. I came to believe this tray had religious meaning, but for whom?

A night came in early Sept. I could not sleep, sick from the treatments and sick of EBay... Lonely too. The low hum seemed louder, and looking there was a shadow in the doorway, I sat up to see better, my fear rising. Tall and thin humming and going side to side, I nodded, oh I was so scared-this thing was in my bedroom. I yelled with all my strength "YOU GO". He faded away as my husband was startled awake.

In the morning I had my husband place it on his workshop table. I poured cleaner and began to rub, the tray was brass, hand hammered, hand formed. Tiny pieces of enameled tiles, so much blue red green very rich, each tiny piece set in with thick rolled wire of silver, less gold but it was real (tested). As the pile of rags and dirty paper towels grew the trash overflowed.

Wow, so beautiful, he was looking right over my shoulder, when this item was coming to light.

Later my husband finished the whole tray, I went down stairs and the shadow was right behind him, I said not a word. My husband seldom hears or sees what I do.

The next day, with the tray next to my computer, I pictured it and listed it for $799.00, but now I think it should have been more, for the gold alone. With-in hours I get a note from a man whom wants me to pull the listing, he will pay in full. So as we write back and forth, I get up for coffee, but do not have my cup, so as I turn back and there is the shadow, clearly, nearsightedly looking at the picture, in MY chair...

The man I am emailing will not tell me where he is from or what the meaning of the tray is. He has a son in New Jersey that will ship it the rest of the way. I tried to pry, all he would say, "It means much to me and nothing to you, it must come home", I do not argue that. As soon as the money came, we shipped it, double packed and insured to NJ. There is no more shadow in our home...GONE

So my ending question to you is, was this shadow real, or just my mind going sour with cancer treatments... Or just imagination?