She journeyed to the flea market in the dying city where she was born. Long ago, the city was rivaled only by New York City in the breadth of architectural design present in its buildings. There were mansions designed by McKim, Mead & White; a park heralded from the offices of Frederick Olmstead; residences by Frank Lloyd Wright; museums that were constructed for a Pan-American Exposition; and an office building bearing the imprimature of Louis Sullivan. Now, the city was suffering from years of economic decline. It's residents fought hard to preserve its treasures; yet, pieces of those treasures were increasingly found at the local markets offered for sale.
During her wandering at the market, she found a complete guide to the city's architecture. She passed and regretted it later. She found a large box of ski patches from resorts such as Alberta, Banff, and Zermatt. She purchased a handful to adorn her designs. Then she discovered the frame. It was beautiful but decrepit, cracked, and missing pieces of its ornamentation.
Nevertheless, she knew that there was a place for it in her home far, far away. A place where the broken treasure would bring smiles to those in its presence. Five dollars was written on the tag and she offered three. Her offer was gladly accepted and the frame travelled from its place of origin to a new city, just as she had years ago. She felt pangs of sadness while painting the lovely frame, covering up its history and broken, gilded carvings. Yet, when she was finished and it hung, it had new life and brought its owners happiness.
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