Have to admit that during my daily search for literary inspiration, it's always the - how shall we say (or write) - weird-ish - stories that attract my attention. Found a few interesting pieces that are definitely in my eyes, anyway, worth sharing.
QUEEN VICTORIA'S UNDIES AUCTIONED OFF
Why anyone would want a pair of used underwear with a 38" waist, worn by Queen Victoria is questionable, but obviously there is a demand for used panties worn by important people, especially royalty. In this case, a pair of linen bloomers worn the Queen was auctioned off as royal memorabilia in Essex, England. The item, among 150 lots, was sold to a collector for £360. Maybe I'm cheap but that's a lot of money for a pair of underpants.
According to the auctioneer, people liked to collect clothing and "you can't get more personal than royal pants". True. One can understand the attraction to a jacket, say, worn by Elvis and similar items but a pair of bloomers? One - me - assumes they were washed... Thinking further, where would one keep a pair of (royal) bloomers? In a glass display case?
The most expensive item in this auction was a 6" gilded presentation carriage clock engraved with the inscription "Presented by HRH The Princess of Wales" and a piece of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding cake went for £420. Thinking once again ("two thoughts in one day, Eleanor! This is a record!"), one (me) assumes that the wedding cake is stored in a sealed container, lest it attract undesirable creepy-crawlies, no?
Obviously anything connected to royalty is in demand, however, a pair of underwear wouldn't do it for me. You?
BAH HUMBUG!
The holiday period is almost upon us and the usual plethora of Santa Claus-es are popping up in local malls. Anyone wearing a Santa suit most likely would have a happy disposition but not necessarily.
A 21-year old Kingston, Ontario, Canada, resident was arrested during a Santa Claus parade, after complaints that he was disturbing the peace espousing anti-Santa sentiments. The man who was walking along the parade route, was heard telling children that Santa didn't exist. One can imagine the impact his words had upon the kiddies.
"Is it true, mom/dad?" a child could have tearfully asked his parents. I mean - what does one tell their offspring?
Anyway... After parents provided a description of the anti-Santa, who was described as "having hair formed to look like horns protruding from his head," police nabbed him and he was charged with causing a disturbance by being drunk and breach of probation.
A FEEL GOOD PRE-HOLIDAY STORY
As a counter-point to the anti-Santa story, here's a pre-holiday piece that gives one faith in humanity.
Once their usefulness is finished, many people donate still usable items to Good Will to be recycled for use by others. Sometimes, though, this act of generosity could be costly..
A man living in Texas, wanted to be a good citizen and donated a package of clothing to Goodwill. However, unbeknowst (I like this word) to him, in a pair of shoes was his and his wife's life savings. A worker for Goodwill while sifting through the items, checked out a pair of black loafers and came accross a bunch of 33-$100 bills. The employee and the group, put the money aside for seven days hoping that the owner would show up.
Sure enough, a woman from Galveston, Texas walked in to claim the cash stating the exact denomination of the bills, proving that she was the owner. She offered the explanation that her husband wasn't aware that the shoe had served a double purpose in the closet, with the shoe playing the role of a piggy bank. Talk about good will!
OH DEER!
Obviously, the warning about the dangers of smoking doesn't apply to non-humans. Two men in Texas were attacked by a deer no less, in their front yard before it stole their cigarettes. So I'm thinking here, why would a deer steal cigarettes unless it had a nicotine habit. But I digress.
QUEEN VICTORIA'S UNDIES AUCTIONED OFF
Why anyone would want a pair of used underwear with a 38" waist, worn by Queen Victoria is questionable, but obviously there is a demand for used panties worn by important people, especially royalty. In this case, a pair of linen bloomers worn the Queen was auctioned off as royal memorabilia in Essex, England. The item, among 150 lots, was sold to a collector for £360. Maybe I'm cheap but that's a lot of money for a pair of underpants.
According to the auctioneer, people liked to collect clothing and "you can't get more personal than royal pants". True. One can understand the attraction to a jacket, say, worn by Elvis and similar items but a pair of bloomers? One - me - assumes they were washed... Thinking further, where would one keep a pair of (royal) bloomers? In a glass display case?
The most expensive item in this auction was a 6" gilded presentation carriage clock engraved with the inscription "Presented by HRH The Princess of Wales" and a piece of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding cake went for £420. Thinking once again ("two thoughts in one day, Eleanor! This is a record!"), one (me) assumes that the wedding cake is stored in a sealed container, lest it attract undesirable creepy-crawlies, no?
Obviously anything connected to royalty is in demand, however, a pair of underwear wouldn't do it for me. You?
BAH HUMBUG!
The holiday period is almost upon us and the usual plethora of Santa Claus-es are popping up in local malls. Anyone wearing a Santa suit most likely would have a happy disposition but not necessarily.
A 21-year old Kingston, Ontario, Canada, resident was arrested during a Santa Claus parade, after complaints that he was disturbing the peace espousing anti-Santa sentiments. The man who was walking along the parade route, was heard telling children that Santa didn't exist. One can imagine the impact his words had upon the kiddies.
"Is it true, mom/dad?" a child could have tearfully asked his parents. I mean - what does one tell their offspring?
Anyway... After parents provided a description of the anti-Santa, who was described as "having hair formed to look like horns protruding from his head," police nabbed him and he was charged with causing a disturbance by being drunk and breach of probation.
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A FEEL GOOD PRE-HOLIDAY STORY
As a counter-point to the anti-Santa story, here's a pre-holiday piece that gives one faith in humanity.
Once their usefulness is finished, many people donate still usable items to Good Will to be recycled for use by others. Sometimes, though, this act of generosity could be costly..
A man living in Texas, wanted to be a good citizen and donated a package of clothing to Goodwill. However, unbeknowst (I like this word) to him, in a pair of shoes was his and his wife's life savings. A worker for Goodwill while sifting through the items, checked out a pair of black loafers and came accross a bunch of 33-$100 bills. The employee and the group, put the money aside for seven days hoping that the owner would show up.
Sure enough, a woman from Galveston, Texas walked in to claim the cash stating the exact denomination of the bills, proving that she was the owner. She offered the explanation that her husband wasn't aware that the shoe had served a double purpose in the closet, with the shoe playing the role of a piggy bank. Talk about good will!
OH DEER!
Obviously, the warning about the dangers of smoking doesn't apply to non-humans. Two men in Texas were attacked by a deer no less, in their front yard before it stole their cigarettes. So I'm thinking here, why would a deer steal cigarettes unless it had a nicotine habit. But I digress.
