Metal Detector

A few days ago I was at the bay, sitting on the sand at low tide. I sat among countless fragments of broken shell, marveling at the spirals and stripes and details of the shells. They looked like white and brown confetti scattered along the shore.

I picked up several, studying their geometry, awed at how many pieces surrounded me. Among the shells I noticed something round. Its size looked familiar. I picked it up. It was a piece of rusty brown metal. It had been lost at sea (well, the bay, anyway) and I had to look extra hard to make out the profile of a face. It was a quarter. It looked ancient. I wondered how long it had been moved back and forth, back and forth, by the tides. Where had it been lost, and how far had it traveled? What was its story?

The poor quarter had seen better days. Clearly, it needed some TLC to restore it to its former shiny state. This coin deserved a spa day.

Preparations began this morning. I whipped up an exfoliating scrub, made from vinegar mixed with salt. The coin soaked in the treatment for hours, allowing the layers of grime float off it. I played soothing Tibetan meditation music and burned incense for the troubled coin. (Well, not so much. But it sounds relaxing, right?!) After the quarter emerged from its scrub treatment, it was smoother and it glowed with renewed health. See for yourself. Here are the before and after photos:

 

 

I’m thinking of starting a side business. I could call myself The Metal Detector (and shine restorer).

 

How does this sound? Sarah’s Scrub ‘n Shine, the first spa catering to rusty coins!