An 11-year-old, Thelma, was, once again, spending a Saturday in her Uncle Ubby’s tiny cluttered sewing shop, where she was being taught by her uncle to stitch shoes, belts, satchels and other items on an antique sewing machine.
While sitting in a lowered chair her uncle had made just for her, Thelma placed her feet on the machine’s treadle—a 15 by 13 inch flat metal pedal just a few inches above the floor.
The treadle sent the needle up and down when it was put in motion by repeatedly rocking feet in unison. That is, the faster she pushed heels, then balls of feet downward, the faster the needle bobbed. The trick was to do what Uncle Ubby called get the feel, which meant make sure eyes, hands and feet were working together.
Carefully watching his niece, Uncle Ubby was, as always, encouraging. “You’re in sync, Thelma,” he complimented as he watched her finish stitching a pair of sandals. “You’ve been working hard. Take a break while I put some finishing touches on a handbag,” said her stocky, balding Uncle as he pulled hands from apron pockets.
“I think my feel is getting better,” happily replied Thelma as she stood up.
Just as Uncle Ubby sat at the machine, a familiar elderly customer, Pikey, came through the door.
“Are my sandals ready,” asked Pikey.
Uncle Ubby made sure Thelma got credit. “Yes. My apprentice, Thelma, was terrific on the treadle today.”
“I’ll pay as usual,” said Pikey.
“OK, thanks for coming to us, Pikey,” replied Uncle Ubby.
After walking to a large jar on the counter that contained coins, Pikey reached into a pants pocket, pulled out a handful of change and dropped the money into the jar. “Take care,” he then said as he turned for the door.
“You, too,” replied Uncle Ubby.
As the fellow exited, another known customer, Molly, entered holding her baby. “Hello, Ubby, I sure hope you have my son’s backpack ready. He wants to use it this afternoon.”
“Please get it for Molly, Thelma,” asked Uncle Ubby as he pointed at a shelf near his niece.
“I don’t have any change today, but I do have this pretty kitty knickknack to trade,” offered Molly while holding up a three-inch ceramic cat.
“It looks dandy. Give it to Thelma, and thanks for thinking of us,” smiled Uncle Ubby.
As Molly left, Thelma nudged the cat onto a self with other trinkets used to pay for work done.
Seconds later, a new customer—the one who had dropped off the bag Uncle Ubby was working on—strolled through the front door.
After turning to see who had entered, Uncle Ubby, spoke up. “Your handbag is ready, ma’am. My assistant will bring it to you,” he told the well-dressed woman as he handed Thelma the bag.
Following a quick inspection of the stitching, the woman was very pleased. “You’ve done an exceptional job. How much do I owe you?”
“Some spare change will do,” answered Uncle Ubby before reaching for a badly torn leather vest.
“That can’t be enough. You’ve re-stitched every seam,” she noted while again inspecting the bag.
“Partial re-stitching seldom works out. Please, just leave some spare change,” once more requested Uncle Ubby.
The woman looked up and down the counter. “OK, I’ll put it by the cash register once I figure out where it is,” she replied before burrowing in pockets, trying to find change.
“It’s the jar of coins on the counter,” noted Thelma.
Flustered, the woman gave up her search for change. “I only have 10 and 20 dollar bills.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t take paper money, only change and trinkets,” explained Uncle Ubby.
“Trinkets?” asked the woman, looking perplexed.
“Some customers trade a trinket for a repair,” said Uncle Ubby as he pointed to the hodgepodge of items he’d collected over the years. “Please stop by at your convenience with change or with a trinket,” he pleasantly requested, just before his dog, Rolly, barked, prompting him to head for the backroom door.
Once Uncle Ubby was out of sight, the woman looked Thelma’s way, then abruptly took a ring off a finger. “This ring is a trinket to me,” she told Thelma while placing the ring on the counter before turning and dashing from the shop.
Curious, Thelma picked up the ring as Uncle Ubby returned with Rolly. “The woman left, but not before paying with a ring. She said it was a trinket to her. I think it’s kinda pretty.”
“Would you like to have it?” offered Uncle Ubby, not bothering to take a look at the ring.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Then, it’s yours,” said Uncle Ubby.
The following Saturday, Thelma raced into the Uncle Buddy’s shop with amazing news. “Mom and I took the ring to a jewelry store before dropping me off. The man there said it’s a diamond ring worth at least 500 dollars.”
Uncle Ubby was quick to decide what needed to happen. “Because I gave it to you, I need your permission to return it to the lady,” he noted.
“You mean you want to give it back?” asked Thelma.
“Keeping it wouldn’t be fair,” explained Uncle Ubby.
“OK, but how will we find her?” asked Thelma.
“The day she brought me her handbag, she told me she bought it at Sorray’s,” recalled Uncle Ubby.
“That’s the fancy store down the street,” said Thelma.
“Yes. If I describe the woman to the store people and show them the ring, they might be able willing to contact her in order to tell her we need to see her.”
A quick jaunt to Sorray’s by Uncle Ubby and Thelma paid off. After noting the woman was a regular customer, the store’s manager promised to relay Uncle Ubby’s wish for her to return to the sewing shop.
Showing up mid-afternoon that same day, the woman entered the shop with a grin. “My name is Telrue. I’m sorry I left hastily last Saturday, but I was late for an appointment. Leaving the ring wasn’t a mistake. I did and do want you to have it,” she explained.
Uncle Ubby was his usual polite self. “Thanks for coming back. I’m Ubby. Thelma is my apprentice and niece,” he replied as he glanced Thelma’s way. “While I appreciate your generosity, Telrue, I’m afraid we can’t accept such a payment.”
“Accepting it isn’t some kind of overpayment crime, because I’m aware of the overpayment. Just consider it a bit of good fortune, well deserved, I suspect,” said Telrue.
“The only good fortune I want is the chance to see myself be fair,” replied Uncle Ubby.
“Think of it as winning a modest lottery,” persisted Telrue as she looked to Thelma. “What do you think Thelma,” she asked.
“I don’t think my uncle cares much about winning things,” answered Thelma.
“She’s right,” humbly said Uncle Ubby as he reached over the counter to hand the ring to Telrue.
“OK,” gave in Telrue, taking back the ring, then turning to start for the door.
“You’ve forgotten something,” gently noted Uncle Ubby.
A puzzled Telrue turned around. “What did I forget?”
“Paying for the handbag repair,” said Uncle Ubby.
Telrue smiled as she dug into jacket pockets. “Will these cheesy shades do?” she asked while holding up a cheap pair of plastic yellow-framed sunglasses.
“They will,” assured Uncle Ubby, reaching for, then putting on the glasses. “How do I look?” he asked with a grin.
“The way I feel giving them to you: goofy,” answered Telrue.
“You don’t seem goofy to me. You seem fair,” said Uncle Ubby while watching Telrue chuckle as she left.
Once alone with Thelma, Uncle Ubby had a question for his niece. “Do you also think giving back the ring was goofy?” he asked.
“My parents say you charge way too little,” answered Thelma.
“If they’re right, I’d say I have a good way of being pretty sure I don’t over charge,” replied Uncle Ubby.
Thelma continued to relay her parents’ criticism. “They said you might as well charge nothing.”
“Asking for nothing, especially from those with next to nothing, would be unkind. It would prevent customers from seeing themselves be fair. I wouldn’t think much of myself if I did that,” said Uncle Ubby.
“My parents also said you know how to sew, but not how to run a business. I told them you’re trying to be a nice person, not a business person,” answered Thelma.
Uncle Ubby was grateful. “Thanks for standing up for me and for letting me give back the ring, Thelma. . . . There’s a stitch I like to show you—one that reminds me of you.”
“What stitch is that?” wondered Thelma.
“The backstitch. It’s the most trusty,” answered Uncle Ubby.
Holding a smile, Thelma sat at the sewing machine ready to treadle.
1. Why did or didn’t Uncle Ubby have a good cash register?
2. Why did Uncle Ubby want to give back the ring?
3. Why didn’t Uncle Ubby do free repairs?
4. Was Uncle Ubby too nice? Why or why not?
5. How important is being a trusty person?