Jerilyn in MerryLand........an Atla Nuna Novel!
an excerpt

Chapter 1

Jeri smiled as she walked into “Nadine’s Small Treasures,” her favorite second hand shop. She loved classic jewelry, used it in her work, and this was her favorite source. The store had a smaller, single pane display window on one side of the door, with a triple pane on the other. The door opened in towards the larger window side, to show a neat progression of rooms off a central hub. In the middle of the hub was the raised, three sided glass display counter. As usual, there was Nadine, presiding over her domain.

Nadine was in her early 50’s, on the shorter and slightly heavier side of average, with bright red hair she kept in a very complicated braided bun. Her overly dramatic dress and makeup were remnants from an early stage career. They suited her bubbly personality perfectly.

When she saw Jeri walk in she called, “ Hey Jeri, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got a lot to show you today! They are all on this side of the case.”

Nadine pointed to the right side of the counter. There were two rows of glass shelves covered in jewelry cases, as well as quite a bit strewn attractively across the bottom.

“Great!” responded Jeri, “I have a new project, and know what I’m looking for today. Isn’t that a change?”

Jeri Marsh was a Jewel-O-Grapher. She would incorporate pieces of jewelry into her finished photographs to produce a very distinctive art form. Often an earring became a flower, or a person’s head. Bird or animal pins were always easy to put into the landscapes. Beaded necklaces became water, or trees. Sometimes the jewelry fit the photo perfectly, and you had to look twice to tell it wasn’t part of the picture. But often the piece was totally out of place, a juxtaposition of form or color. For this reason, Jeri loved the cheap, tacky pins and earrings of the 1940’s thru 60’s best.

“These are only a small part of the lot I just got from the “Little Red Barn” theater. With their bankruptcy re-filing, they are trying to sell off as much of the unused props as possible. I’ve taken a lot of the costumes, some of the furniture, and all of the jewelry…knowing you’d love it.” Nadine told her.
“Wow!” was Jeri’s response, as she started looking through the trays that Nadine put in front of her. “There’s so much to pick from. This flower pin will do great for the PNC Bank’s Lobby shot. That butterfly will look great in it too. OH! Look at those cats…they are so cute…I can just see them on a stoop, or in a window. I don’t know how I’ll ever narrow it down to what I can afford,” she laughed.

“That’s not a problem,” Nadine replied, “I have a proposal for you. ”

“I’m all ears,” said Jeri as she continued to look thru the varied trays and picking up many of the pins and earrings. A leopard that needed a tree branch, a swan to float on a pond, a gold moon that would be fun to put in place of a sun.

“I would like to display, and of course sell, your work. I can give you the small right hand window,” Nadine said, pointing towards the front of the store.

Jeri turned to look in towards the store front, stunned by the offer. The window was big enough for three to five of her Jewel-o-graphs depending on their sizes. Add the space right behind it inside the store, that could hold another four or five stands, and she would have quite a show.

“I want 25% of your sale price, and you get everything at cost,” continued Nadine. “The costs can come out of your profits, so you wouldn’t need to pay anything up front. And I will hold all jewelry for you to look at first before I put it up for sale. What do you think?”

“I don’t know what to think,” stammered Jeri. “It’s such a great offer, but 25% is rather steep. I’ve never paid more than 15% or 20% commission before. Even with the jewelry at cost. But with the display space right behind the window as well, and a 6 month minimum run. It would be too great a deal to pass up. I’ll take it!”

“No wonder you get such good prices on your work,” laughed Nadine. “You manage to bargain without the other person even knowing it happened. Yes you can have the additional inside space, and the 6 month minimum. But I’m hoping this will be much longer than that. I will want you to rotate the picture’s every month, to keep things fresh.”

“I think the display will interest people who would normally pass by a second hand shop. I will have a sign saying ‘All Jewelry provided by Nadine’s Small Treasures!’ That would be the other thing. I would have to be the only source for your enhancements for any work here.”

“Not a problem for me, you’ve been my major supplier for the last year anyway. The few other pieces I find are at flea markets or garage sales. I’ve given up on the other shops. No one else has been as consistent or as friendly as you have. And not having to spend my Saturday mornings getting up early to beat everyone else to the good stuff won’t hurt my feelings.” Jeri laughed

“I would also want to be your exclusive showcase, not counting the office buildings you have contracts with. Even new building display contracts wouldn’t be a problem. I just want to start an art section in that area there, and having the main retail sales concession for you is a great beginning.” Nadine added.

“Well I do Art shows, and the pieces in the office buildings are for sale too you know,” countered Jeri. “I don’t want there to be a problem with the sale of a piece that was rotated from here to one of the other locations, or into a big Art Show, and is then sold.”

“I was only expecting the 25% on anything I sold here. Your other sales are your business. And as I want the displays to remain fresh, I would expect them to rotate through the other buildings as well. Can we add a sign to them as well about the source of the Jewelry?” asked Nadine.

“Well, everything didn’t come from you. I don’t keep tabs on where I get the pieces I use, but someone might remember a pin that I bought at a yard sale. What if we word it ‘Most Jewelry supplied by Nadine’s Small Treasurers.’ I think that’ll work, do you? At least until I’m sure everything is from you. I do date my pieces. So anything new from here out will be exclusive. I’m totally out of jewelry at home, so no problem there.” was Jeri’s response.

“That’s fine. I can understand your concern. There is always someone ready to make a fuss because Aunt Betty’s broach is being misrepresented. I believe we have an agreement. Let me go get you the rest of the jewelry, it’s in a box. You could take it all home to sort out what you want and then bring back the rest. We’ll add what you’ve picked from here. Feel free to come around this side and rummage while I go into the back.” With that Nadine turned and left the counter, shuffling off into the bowels of the store.

“Oh by the way,” she threw over her shoulder as she disappeared. “How soon can you get some of your work here? I can have the window cleared out in 15 minutes.”

Jeri did a virtual inventory as she waited for Nadine’s return. ‘There’s the Juggler, the Pelican, and the Courthouse Square completed. I have two others already framed and ready to go once I adorn them. With the last two that need framing, it makes seven. There is enough of a mix in sizes and shapes to make a nice display…but do I have enough stands. Maybe I can use that credenza, I can brace a large one on a low table in front. And use other items here as props. This could be very pretty.’

“Are you gathering wool?” asked Nadine.

Jeri jumped, she had been so wrapped up in thought, she’d missed Nadine’s return. “No, just figuring out what I had available, and how to display them. Instead of using easels. Can I use furniture pieces, and other objects? I think we could make a very attractive arrangement, and avoid the sterile ‘art display’ look.”

“What ever you want. I trust your artistic sense, having the furniture showcased in a different manner is a nice idea.” The shopkeeper agreed.

After the two worked out the logistics of their deal, Jeri finally headed home. She needed to get the artwork, and hopefully her brother to help her arrange the displays.