A long, long time ago, in a small little rock shop off of Regent Ave, there lived a skull. This skull was large, stark white and as cold as stone…well that’s because it was stone. Made from howlite, this skull has seen much in its many years at the little Rock shop. In the beginning, the howlite skull had many friends. One red and filled with the colours of fire, another yellow like the sun, A skull black as the night sky, and lastly one named after dragons. They lived in harmony watching over the little rock shop. Observing the employees complete their daily tasks, seeing customers find their perfect something among the shelves. Their life was peaceful nestled among the other crystals but they longed for a home to call their own.
One stormy day a man came to the store. He was tall and wore a large brimmed hat. He quietly made his way around the store, inspecting the crystals and fossils that caught his eye. Then he came to the display of crystal skulls. The man in the hat called to the two women working at the shop that day. Pointing at the Sunshine yellow skull, “This skull needs to be facing east for it to find a home.” Politely the women smiled and asked him if he had any other questions for them. The man did not, and he completed his round around the store and left.
As it was a stormy day, foot traffic was slow in the store and the women became restless waiting for more customers to enter. Taking advantage of the empty store they started to rearrange displays and crystals. The man in the hats advice already forgotten, the skulls were moved to another shelf towards the back of the store to create some room for a fancy jewellery display.
The following day started as normal, lights were turned on, the store was swept and the open sign was flicked on. The women busied themselves with small jobs until they heard that all to familiar jingling of the doors bell. It was a young woman who arrived scarcely five minutes after the store had opened. She weaved her way through the isles of the store until coming upon the shelf of skulls. Gasping, she reached for the yellow skull and very happily brought it to the till and said it called to her. Paid for and packaged the young woman left with her new treasure.
The two employees stared at each other thinking of the man in the hats advice…They hadn’t listened, had they? Quickly both of them looked up the direction the skull was facing…it was East.
The women had a good laugh and continued their day. What a funny story after all…
As the seasons began to change, weather became unpredictable and before you knew it another storm broke out. This one seemed stronger than the last, but nevertheless, days go on as normal and the little Rock shop opened. Hearing the doors bell jingle, the women looked up to see yet again, the man in the hat. For a second time, he began walking around the store inspecting the crystals and rocks. Unable to contain her excitement one of the employees approached the man and told him all about the sunshine skull. He smiled and made his way back the shelf with the skulls. Pointing to the fire like crystal skull, he stated “This stone is bold and must be placed higher than the rest.” Grinning from ear to ear the employee thanked the man in the hat before he left and made her way to the back to find a stand for the red fiery skull. The two employees placed the fire skull on a stand and made sure that it was slightly higher than the rest, then continued their day.
The next day, a man came into the store looking for a stunning showcase piece for his collection. The two employees suggested many things, cathedrals, meteorites and more. The mans eyes finally met the fiery skulls and he was enamored. The man scooped up the red skull from its stand and brought it to the till while telling the two employees that it called his name. Paid for and packaged the man happily left with his new treasure. The two employees smiled at each other in amazement and continued their day.
Every time it stormed outside the two employees would look forward to seeing the man in the hat, wondering what predictions and advice he would give for the skulls. And every time it stormed, he came. The black Skull was to be placed somewhere where he could not see the other skulls as he was shy, and the skull named after dragons was to be moved to face the till as he liked to hear the day to day chatter. One by one the skulls found their homes shortly after the man in the hats prediction was carried out. Finally, only the Howlite skull remained.
On the next stormy day, the two employees beamed as the man in the hat entered the shop. After casual pleasantries the man in the hat walked to the Howlite skull and paused. Looking at the employees he stated that the skull must wait towards Halloween to find its home then left. Halloween only being a few weeks away, the employees waited eagerly for the holiday to arrive.
At last, it had arrived. All day the two employees waited to see which customer would bring the Howlite skull home. But the unthinkable happened, the day ended and the skull remained in the store. Confused and disappointed the two employees waited for the next stormy day to ask their friend in the hat what happened. But on that day, he did not arrive. And the next, he did not arrive. Storms came and went but the man in the hat did not come back.
Years passed on and the Howlite skull remained on its lonely shelf. Things changed in the store. One of the employees left, new product was brought in, locations changed and yet the man in the hat did not return and the skull stayed on its shelf.
Yet the remaining employee still gets a little excited every Halloween to see who will take home the Howlite Skull.
So she asks you this… Is it calling to you?