The Locket with Four R’s

A UPS truck driver knocked three times on Olivia Martin's apartment door on Saturday morning with a mysterious package. It was from her aunt, and since they weren’t close, Olivia was curious. When she opened the box, she immediately knew these were mementos from her recently deceased Granny. The box contained a Christmas brooch, a miniature glass bunny, and a locket necklace. Olivia placed her hand on her heart and whispered, “Granny.” The granddaughter had admired these items through the years. They weren’t of equal value because Granny wore the locket necklace every day, and Olivia immediately cherished being its new owner.

Olivia held up the silver-filagreed locket to admire it and then opened the clasp. The locket was empty, but there was a note in the jewelry box in Granny’s handwriting.

Dear Olivia,

Note the insignia on the locket. It has four R’s: Romance, Riches, Relevance, and Respect. Which life value do you wish for? Find out by writing down the word on paper, placing it in the locket, and wearing the necklace. Enjoy the journey, my dear granddaughter.

With all my love,

Granny

Olivia wondered why Granny had never mentioned the four R’s before. Granny didn’t say which values she had tried and when. Curious. Olivia questioned whether the written value was a way to be intentional about one’s desires or if Granny believed the necklace was magical. It would be just like Granny to believe in magic since she embraced kismet and the power of the unexplainable. 

Olivia reread Granny’s note and contemplated which of the four R’s called to her. Being twenty, Olivia focused on getting her business degree and her job—romantic interests took a back seat. She’d been saving to buy a condo, but the goal seemed unreachable even though she worked as a marketing manager. Of the four R’s, the wealth value attracted her because money was always tight. Although Olivia didn’t embrace Granny’s whimsical notions, she grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down “riches.” She placed the note inside the locket and closed the clasp. Click!

Instantly, Olivia transported to an unfamiliar and opulent location. She stood before a bathroom mirror in what appeared to be a mansion. She shuddered as she looked at herself—Olivia looked ten years older. Although she looked well-groomed—beautifully dressed with perfect makeup and stylish hair—the rapid aging shook her. She clasped her hands on her face as her mouth dropped open. What was happening? A young woman entered the restroom.

“Miss, your guest has arrived.” The woman in her mid-twenties seemed to know Olivia well enough to enter her bathroom. The locket. Although disoriented, Olivia decided to play along.

“Thank you.” Realizing she didn’t know where to go, Olivia added, “I’ll follow you.” She tried not to gasp as she scanned her surroundings. This is a present-day Downton Abbey. They glided down the expansive spiral staircase to the marbled entryway, then turned toward a luxurious sitting room where Olivia saw a familiar yet older face.

“Maggie. How good to see you.” Olivia hugged her longtime best friend and tried to avoid staring at her face, noting the lines around her eyes.

“Thanks for seeing me,” said Maggie. “This is an awkward situation. I wouldn’t have come if you weren’t our last hope.” 

Olivia wondered why her friend was being so formal and uneasy. Minutes later, she learned why.

“It’s been our dream to open a Greek restaurant on the waterfront, and the banks say it’s too risky. Would you lend us the money we need?” Maggie’s feet bounced up and down as if we were back in tap dance class. 

“I’ll have to check with my financial advisors. Can I get back to you?”

“Don’t give me that. You won the lotto—you’re loaded. This would be a pittance to you.” 

Olivia’s mind did somersaults as she grappled with being that wealthy and having her best friend act so entitled. 

Following Maggie’s visit, a parade of friends and family contacted her, making cases for getting a piece of the pie. The interactions felt uncomfortable and ceaseless. One morning, Olivia stood before her bathroom mirror and said aloud, “How do I make this stop?” Click! She was back on her apartment sofa, where she had closed the locket clasp.

Olivia ran to her bathroom to look at her face. Thank God! She had reverted back to her old self. What was that? A dream? A vision? She didn’t know, but she took a big breath, thankful that the vision wasn't permanent. The clock on the wall ticked, and Olivia realized that only an hour had passed, although the time in the vision lasted a week.

Olivia changed into her running clothes and ran to the nearby park. She jogged on the paved path around the lake. Although children shrieked and ducks quacked, Olivia focused on analyzing her vision of the future experience.

She questioned if she could banish the memory of friends and family asking for money. The experience left her feeling empty and severed her loving connection with them. Olivia hoped she could treat the visions like forgettable dreams, but they were so vivid. Wealth had its benefits, but Olivia wondered what good was it if she didn’t have anyone she loved to share it with. She thought of telling someone about her vision experience but couldn’t imagine being believed.

That night, Olivia decided to try another value: romance. After she closed the locket and heard the click, Olivia found herself in a small bathroom with teak paneling. The mirror revealed that she was her current age. She opened the porthole and mouthed, “Wow!” as she realized the boat was anchored in a tropical island bay. Sweet. This could be fun! Olivia adjusted the straps of her navy bikini, deciding she looked pretty good. She couldn’t wait to see who else was on the boat with her. 

Answer: Jake, the tall, muscular, nice-looking guy from the gym. He’d given her flirtatious glances more than once. 

“Sleeping beauty arises,” said Jake in a kidding tone. “Corrine left some breakfast for you. Mario said we have time for a snorkel before we leave for our next port of call. They’re getting supplies.” Jake wore Maui Jim sunglasses and light gray swim trunks. 

Olivia quickly scanned her surroundings without being too obvious that it was all new to her. The catamaran sailboat was big, over 50’. The town on shore looked small and Caribbean-like. “Sounds good…” she said. She had no idea that Jake could afford a vacation like this.

Olivia skipped breakfast and dived into the aquamarine water. As she came to the surface, she felt the taste of salt on her lips. She hugged herself in the warm water, not believing she was actually there, and then swam vigorously to a buoy. Swimming evoked youthful memories of laughing and playing with Granny at the pool. Olivia wondered how long this vision quest could last.

Surprisingly, Olivia got bored after a week. At first, everything was fun: snorkeling, swimming, and walking to the quaint town. After seven days, everything felt like a re-run movie. Even the sex became repetitive, and the morning smirks and furtive glances between Corrine and Mario were unbearable, reminding Olivia that the ship had thin walls. 

While pleasant to look at, Jake didn’t have much to offer conversationally.

While sunning on the deck, Olivia asked Jake, “Don’t you read? I’ve read two books already.”

Staring at a neighboring boat attempting to pick up a moorage wand, Jake said, “No. I’m not much of a reader. Puts me to sleep.”

“Do you follow politics at all?” Olivia tried to sound light, although the topic could be heavy.

“Nope. Don’t vote, either. It doesn’t affect my life.” 

“Well, that’s too bad because it really matters, not just in ways you take for granted, but for the welfare of others.”

Jake’s cavalier way of referring to his civic duty irked Olivia. She engaged in politics and felt the next election was pivotal for the country. She knocked on doors, mailed postcards, and even donated what she could to her causes. 

Dealbreaker. Olivia had her fun but was ready to move on. She excused herself to the head, looked into the mirror, and said, “Make this stop.” Click! She was back in her apartment. 

Olivia made some popcorn and hot chocolate, then opened her dog-eared copy of her favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice. She read the inscription. 

“Dear Olivia, Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do, but remember, Mr. Darcy is a fictional character—no real man can measure up. Love, Granny.” 

True Granny. I’ll reread it just the same.

Olivia waited a week before trying one of the R’s again. She wondered if one of them would resonate and be life-altering. She wished Granny had told her about her experiences with the magic locket. To decide between relevance and respect, Olivia flipped a coin. Relevance won out. Click!

This time, Olivia was in a public bathroom, perhaps in an office building. When she looked in the mirror, she gasped. I look like my mother. She had aged twenty years, and seeing the transformation shocked her. Before she could come to grips with her looks, a woman entered the restroom.

“Ma’am? They’re ready for you.” 

Olivia looked over her shoulder to see if the professional woman was talking to someone else, but they were alone. She wore an exquisitely tailored high-end business suit. 

Used to winging in by now, Olivia said, “Okay, thanks,” and followed the woman out. Seconds later, Olivia faced in front of a phalanx of reporters with their cell phones pointing in her direction. Her face flushed, and she could feel her heartbeat beating like a drum. Olivia had no idea what this was about. She wondered if her escape words would work without staring at a mirror. Shouts of “Mayor Martin” brought her attention back. Olivia pointed to a short, dark-haired woman she hoped didn’t expect to be called on.

“Mayor Martin, local businesses, as well as your constituents, want to know what you’re going to do with the homeless crisis. What say you?” So, she had a question ready after all, and what a doozy. She’d watched politicians enough to float a response.

“We’ll form a committee of experts to develop a plan ASAP. Meanwhile, I’ll contact other jurisdictions of similar size to learn their best practices.” Olivia nodded her head, pleased with herself.

“Follow-up, Madam Mayor.” The cub reporter seemed more like a tiger. “Your committee already came up with ten suggestions, but your budget office says the town lacks funding for the ideas.”

“We’ll get more funding,” I said.

Another reporter asked, “Does that mean you’ll be raising taxes, Madam Mayor?”

And so it went. Thorny, multifaceted problems with no easy solutions. After the homeless situation, the press moved on to rental rates, traffic congestion, and crime. It was endless. 

The mayor’s assistant broke in, “That’s it for today. Thanks for coming, everyone.” When she turned to Olivia, her brows were furrowed, and her face inexpressive.

Olivia gave the job a week. She loved being driven around, speaking at public events, and receiving gratitude for the minor problems she solved. But most of the time, she felt used. Everybody wanted something. Olivia felt like a robot as unauthentic people treated her with a transaction rather than a person. She realized that not all jobs were like this, but she’d had enough. “Make this stop.” Click!

Olivia waited a few weeks before she considered trying her last value: respect. Each “R” had its rewards and drawbacks. She’d learned from each experience but didn’t know what to expect from the last value. Olivia’s expectations were low. So, again, on a Saturday, Olivia jotted down the word “respect” and popped it into the locket. Then, click!

Olivia stood in front of a restroom mirror. She muffled a scream as she saw her reflection. The lines, wrinkles, puffiness around the eyes, and sagging at the jowls jarred her. Olivia told herself that it was just a costume that she’d wear for a short time to learn what the locket had in store for her this time. Avoiding mirrors became a priority.

Olivia fled the restroom and walked down a hallway. This is familiar—my university. The names on the doors had changed, but the hallway was the same. And then came a surprise, a door that said Professor Olivia Martin, Chair of the English Department. She grasped her heart and smiled widely.

Olivia entered the office full of books on shelves with a desk near the window. Atop the desk lay a manuscript entitled “Literary Titans: The Converging Legacies of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen.” Olivia Martin, Ph.D. Next to her book, Olivia saw a letter from a publishing company offering to publish her book. She did a little dance in place to express her excitement, then heard a tapping at the door.

“Come in,” said Olivia. 

“Hi, Professor Martin. I’m Louise Belmont. I’m in your British Lit class.”

Faking it, Olivia said, “Yes, of course. Come in, Louise. How can I help?” 

“I have a question about our latest novel, Pride and Prejudice. Darcy doesn’t explicitly get on a knee and propose. He and Elizabeth just share their feelings. Then, in the next chapter, Elizabeth tells her sister that she’s engaged. It’s too big a leap for me. What am I missing?”

“Well…” Olivia couldn’t believe what a delightful question Louise had asked. I get paid for this? She clasped her hands, placed them on her desk, and began pontificating. They talked for nearly an hour about Olivia’s favorite book. 

“Thank you, Dr. Martin. Your analysis is so impressive. I love this novel even more now—thanks.” Louise departed.

Olivia smiled from ear to ear. Although undignified, she placed her feet on her desk, leaned back in her chair, and clasped her hands behind her head. I could do this forever.

After two weeks of being Professor Martin, Olivia reluctantly returned to her real life. After she reverted back, Olivia ran to the mirror to ensure that she was her twenty-year-old self again, and she was. Note to self: order skin care products and moisturize every day. 

The sun had yet to set, so she changed into her running clothes and went to her park. Exhilaration propelled her around the lake three times. She had an exciting idea that would change her life, but she wanted to sleep on it first.

The next morning, Olivia felt even more committed to her decision. The locket helped determine her new life course. Her dad had suggested getting a business degree so that she could make the most money, but she wanted more than that.

The final R, respect, helped her the most. It taught her that doing what she loved would fill her soul. Earning the respect of one’s peers, students, and book publishers (wink) was self-actualizing.

“Alexa, turn on Aretha Franklin’s Respect. Highest volume.” 

Olivia took out her laptop and accessed her university’s dashboard. Academics>Major>Change Major. Dropdown to English. Confirm change. Confirmed. 

Olivia danced and sang, “R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Find out what it means to me.” She felt for her locket and lightly tapped it, “Thanks, Granny!”