Rings

Karen and I wear a piece of New Orleans on our fingers every day. In fact, we haven't taken them off since Oct. 25, 2003, when we got married.

I bought our wedding bands at Hoover's vintage watches and jewels at 301 Royal Street in the French Quarter. I was there in June of 2003 to cover an argument at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Royal Street is where most of the antique shops are in the French Quarter. And Hoover's was the first place I walked into. I spotted both of the rings but waited to buy them. I'm an irritating consummate shopper, so I had to go down the whole length of Royal to see if there was anything better. There wasn't. I went back to Hoover's, made the deal with owner Stacy Hoover, and I considered it to be fate. I picked them up after attending the argument at the 5th Circuit. And I had them in my pocket while I was drinking Dixie beer at the Acme Oyster Bar in the Quarter. A criminal defense attorney that Karen I both know walked into the bar after finishing up arguing at the 5th Circuit. He saw Karen's wedding band before she did.

Karen's engagement ring, which is not pictured, is a really cool 1925 white gold ring with a inset diamond that's offset by two inset sapphires. I got it at another vintage shop way before the wedding band purchase. Karen says I nailed the wedding band purchase --- her rings match perfectly.

My wedding band was made in 1937, has a bunch of filigree on it, and somebody's initials inscribed in it.

I wonder what happened to Hoover's. It kind of makes me ill to think some looters are carrying off their merchandise --- stuff that could never mean as much to the thieves as the purchase I made in the shop.