An Etsy buyer sent a unique story with an interesting twist! Remember these?
photo via The Destiny of Things, Fortune Teller Miracle Fish available here
Others must love these as much as I do, not only from the memories they bring with them from days long past, but because I have gotten five stories from Etsy buyers about these Fortune Teller Miracle Fish!
It's never dawned on me that these are so old they might be considered extinct for some, especially the younger generation. And I get reminded plenty about my age just from my own body, but I've heard all the best bands live! or so I've been told.
Anyways, here's the email I received many moons ago!
Hi,
I only just opened the small paper
envelope you sent along with my order of 10 Fortune Teller Miracle Fish.
Thank you for the 11th fish, the penny, and the numerous other
ephemera. I was so busy when I received the order that I set the
envelope aside for later. Here are my thoughts:
You asked, how will I use the miracle fish?
I
am a student at a university in central New York, an old returning
student I should add, slowly working my way to a Bachelor's degree. My
classmates are younger than my children at this point, it's been so long
a process. I take one class per semester as an employee of the
university.
This semester I took a senior writing workshop and
our textbooks included a book of short stories by Cathryn Hankla called
"Fortune Teller Miracle Fish." Of course, I knew what the title referred
to. Miracle Fish were a novelty I recall from my childhood in Los
Angeles, where I grew up, way back in the 1960s. I bought the Miracle
Fish to give to my young classmates. They were surprised to see that it
exists in real life, not just in the short story by the same name. (By
the way, if you enjoy short stories, I recommend Hakla's.)
My visit to your several etsy shops left me pining
for Los Angeles and those times when I was a free spirit. I was an art
major when I was young, and I collected oddities and vintage items of
all kinds thinking I would use them in a collage or still life, or
simply as decor. But I never had the space, and more specifically the
money to maintain my habit.
The Fish lifted it's head indicating I am jealous,
but it's probably just picking up my melancholy. I can't be in two
places at once, and here is better for me -- I, too, can see the light
at the end of the tunnel. Your shops are delightful and I will check in
often to see what other memories you will conjure with your
collections.
Thanks for your inspiration.
Set the Fortune Teller Miracle Fish in your hand and it's movement will indicate an emotion, like mood rings from back in the day, but these are older. Photo via The Destiny of Things, available here.
I am so happy someone read my note that I slip into each order with mostly fortune teller ephemera because each time I fill a glassine envelope, it reminds me of my dehoarding into a future unknown because I've never known a life without hoard!
It is also a Japanese tradition for a shop keeper to give an omiyage as souvenir "thank you" to each patron.
And the penny is symbolism for....
I have some negative stories about these that I would vent and even rant and rave about! but those are another story!
Anyways, this story has been on my list to write for so long, but I've procrastinated on finding Hankla's book of short stories and by the time I went through four library obstacles, I finally got it last week!
Fortune Teller Miracle Fish by Cathryn Hankla via public library
And it's one of the best short stories books I've read since the 90s! The last good book I remember reading was "Their Eye Were Watching God" by Hurston that I picked up at a Las Vegas book store for a dollar, so I figured if it wasn't good I could just donate it and feel no loss.
I read the first paragraph of Hurston's book and was sold! Here it is:
"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked away by Time. That is the life of men.
Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly."
Okay, so I had to share the second paragraph too, but in that book store I only read the first paragraph, headed straight for the cash register to read outside!
I have no idea what other miracles had to happen that day for me to connect with that good book in Las Vegas, but I did find two stylish comfortable pairs shoes in size 5 that day too! Which if you wear a size 5 shoe, you'll know what's it's like to try and find a pair, let alone stylish and comfortable!
photo via The Destiny of Things, Fortune Teller Miracle Fish available here
Now from Hankla's book: here are some lines for reasons unknown that bring tears to my eyes or give me goosebumps or catch my eye or just plain make me happy when I read them:
From Fortune Teller Miracle Fish, Stories by Cathryn Hankla, pg. 177-178:
"Of course no rules have been spoken because to speak their fears of betrayal would be to acknowledge their relationship in ways they never will. But that changes nothing, nothing, but the terms of Michelle's despair, perhaps it does not even change that. If anything, the silence makes everything seem worse, because Michelle has not really been betrayed, because she has not been promised anything."
This is an old habit from college. Not only was I a huge note taker in each of my classes, but I often took note of anything that I just "plain" loved or even just liked.
Here's more:
Outlaws pg. 124
"Snakeman watches the black car flee. Fear rises in him. He has seen how things can turn from bad to worse without much transition, how folks can change your life by what they say: truth the first victim with reputation quickly following. It shouldn't work that way, but it does. What would people say if they really knew?"
Talk about hitting home! I've always wondered about that saying, "sticks and stones make break my bones, but words will never hurt me!" I don't think that's always stands true, no matter how many times my Mother said it for me and I tried to believe it!
I could go on forever, but here's the last one:
Dog Days, pg 138
"For a second she felt nothing, but it was a big nothing that felt more like something...as though she stumbled over the root of herself..."
Anyways, I had to share the glories of short story writing and let people out there know it's "not dead" or at least not dead to me anymore! Thanks to an Etsy buyer who sent me an email and for a public library having it to check out!
Maybe, just maybe it'll inspire someone besides me to read or write again!
photo via The Destiny of Things, Fortune Teller Miracle Fish available here
Saying Goodbye: This is one of my best goodbyes ever! I am so excited about what I've gained from this Etsy buyer's email I'm besides myself and up in the clouds happy!
What I Learned:
1. I used to have a huge book collection from my childhood to every book I had in college and I had many different majors, so as hoarder that's a whole lot of books! Plus I've liked reading the dictionary since I was kid and had one in every room, in case I felt like reading one.
I moved once with all my books and my Aunt and her two friends were in disbelief after they helped me pack up all my books! So much so that by my second move, I donated them all, but I wish I hadn't. I had tons of books from Black Swallow when they were publishing Bukowski and Fante, etc and coffee table books.
I had Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen, the whole series of Amistead Maupin and Delacorta, all of Raymond Carver, Bukowski, and Fante and of course all the classics from American Literature, which I donated on my second move to lighten my load due to my Aunt's friend having back problems from helping me.
And now it's been so long I can reread them again and see if I still love them! until someone informs me of other short story books! I haven't splurged on "The Best American Short Stories" since Stephen King was the selector, so I can read those again too!
What was the last short story you read that left a huge imprint on your life? Mine is the entire Hankla collection of stories, so far! I only have two left to read and when I first got the book, I read 4 of the short stories without stopping to look at the clock once!
I don't like to read stuff out of order either, but I had to read "Fortune Teller Miracle Fish" first to write this posting! (It's the last story) Now I'm trying to read one a day to savor each one and take notes. I'm sure I'll read it twice!
I might even buy the book, so I can just underline all my favorite passages and write in the margins! As a recovering hoarder, I'll have to think about it since my book hoard is still large, especially in the vintage origami book department! but that's another story!
Fortune Teller Miracle Fish by Cathryn Hankla via public library
Thank you Etsy buyer from The Destiny of Things for bringing back to me so many different alternatives besides hoarding! Thank you for sharing your story to make mine reappear! And I'm grateful that you found inspiration some how from me and am thankful for your inspiration and commonalities.
Thank you Etsy for finding a place for my hoard in this world and bringing me kind helpful connections enriching my life!
Thank you US, Ukraine, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Sweden for your encouragin visits and taking part in my HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!
Click on the shop names to visit my hoard listed daily: HoarderRehab, The Destiny of Things, VintageToGoEtsy and now JunkDrawerLoveEtsy! There are about 105 items listed on JunkDrawerLoveEtsy and am adding new listings to each shop daily and will continue to relist 1-2 items at the other shops! Thanks for looking! Maybe you'll find something to take home and share your story too!
And thank you Ivy for using the invite to open your new Etsy shop, Love Lotus Vintage! Visit her newly opened shop, Love Lotus Vintage for some 80s to 90s romantic wear! She'd like to clear out her closet and have less stuff for her big move out of country! She's having a sale right now, so check it out here!
If anyone else would like an invite to open their own Etsy shop and get 40 free listings, let me know how I can help you!
Related Stories:
1. Fortune Teller Miracle Fish: The Destiny of Things, Story LXXXII, here
2. Miracle Fish Fortune Teller Surprise Balls: The Destiny of Things, Story XCII, here
4. UPDATE on A Little Girl and her Miracle Fish: The Destiny of Things, Story #112, Part 2, here
MOST Read Story of the WEEK and MONTH: Soon to be famous...80s Gemco Paper Clips with Box: The Destiny of Things, Story #148, read it here
Most Read Story of All Time: My Louis Vuitton Collection: the end of my collection is the beginning for someone else. The last piece of my LV collection, my 80s LV gold cornered wallet is available here at our etsy shop,The Destiny of Things!
"Harmony. It's not what's lasting or permanent. It is about individual voices coming together for a moment. And that moment lasts a length of a breath, or in my instance a transaction. That's what I think about my time here."---Frank Underwood from House of Cards.
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