Mysix-year-oldgranddaughterstaredatmeasifshewereseeingmeforthefirsttime.”Grandmayouareanantique(古董)”shesaid."Youareold.Antiquesareold.Youaremyantique."
Iwasnotsatisfiedtoletthematterrestthere.ItookouttheWebster'sDictionaryandreadthedefinition(定义)toJenny.Iexplained"Anantiqueisnotonlyoldit'sanobjectexistingsinceorbelongingtoearliertimes...aworkofart...pieceoffurniture.Antiquesaretreasured"ItoldJennyasIputawaythedictionary."Theyhavetobehandledcarefullybecausetheysometimesareveryvaluable.Inordertoqualifyasanantiquetheobjecthastobeatleast100yearsold."
"I'monly67"IrenundedJenny.
Welookedaroundthehouseforotherantiquesbesidesme.Therewasadeskthatwashandeddownfromroneaunttoanotherandfinallytoourfamily."It'sveryold"ItoldJenny.“ItrytokeepitpolishedandIshowitoffwheneverIcan.Youdothatwithantiques."
Therewasapictureonthewallpurchasedatagaragesale.Itwasdated1867."Now that'sanantique"Iboasted."Over100yearsold."Ofcourseitwasmarkedupandscratchedandnotinverygoodcondition."Sometimesagedoesthat"ItoldJenny."Butthemarksaregoodmarks.Theyshowlivingbeingaround.That'ssomethingtodisplaywithpride.Infactsometimesthemoreanobjectshowsagethemorevaluableitcanbecome."ItwasimportantthatIbelievedthisformyownself-esteem.
Ourtourofantiquescontinued.Therewasavaseonthefloor.Ithadbeeninmyhouseforalongtime.IwasnotcertainwhereitcamefrombutIdidn'tbuyitnew.OnethingaboutantiquesIexplainedtoJennywasthattheyusuallyhadastory.They'dbeeninonehomeandthenanotherhandeddownfromonefamilytoanothertravelingallovertheplace.They'dlastedthroughyearsandyears.Theycouldhavebeentossedawayorignored.ordestroyedorlost.Butinsteadtheysurvived.
ForamomentJennylookedthoughtful.“ldon'thaveanyantiquesbutyou"shesaid.Thenherfacebrightened."CouldItakeyoutoschoolforshowandtell?"
"OnlyifIfitintoyourbackpack"Ianswered.AndthenJenny'santiqueliftedherupandembracedh