Of Men and Gloves

It's hard to tell why I like Vintage so much. Is it the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of the discovery, the story behind each item, the tough negotiation...
I like to know, or otherwise to imagine, where my treasure comes from, where it has been, in which condition it was bought,... I am very inventive when it comes to giving life to a mere piece of fabric.

Last week-end there was a flea market in my street.
As always, I like to chat with the sellers and try to know "the stories".
I found some fabulous pieces, but my best treasure is the story of "the Man and the Glove Box".
I bought some gorgeous laces from the 19th century to a delicious lady, Mrs Monique S (her stand is called 'Wardrobe Secrets')
When I asked her for the gloves, she had to reach for the glove box which was out of sight.
As I was diving into it, she told me the story.
It's been at least 3 years, every time she exposes (meaning about 18 times a year), she gets the visit of a man, about 55 to 60 years old, who comes and goes straight to her glove box on display. Then he spends one hour detailing the content of the box, looking carefully at each glove, one by one, to replace them all in the box and leave without a comment. After about 3 years, she starts to find this game a bit strange or fishy, and therefore keeps a lid on the box, and keeps it away from the display.
Last time he came, about a month ago, he was speechless to see the box covered, out of reach. He did not dare asking the lady if he could have a look, and left empty-handed.
She hasn't seen him this week-end, he hasn't come to the rue des Martyrs market.

This story gets my imagination running. I find it extremely romantic, and I'm sure there is a beautiful story behind. Maybe he is looking for a lost glove from a pair, maybe he is looking for gloves which belonged to his true love, maybe it is the gloves his mother used to caress him with he is looking for desperately. Suddenly I wish I could meet this man and know more about his story. It sounds like the beginning of a book.

The Glove Box from Wardrobe Secrets, by Mrs Monique S.

It also reminded me a short story I have read few weeks ago, called 'The Dreamer from Ostende' by the talented Eric Emmanuel Schmidt.