Mollusks and Pearls

I will emphatically admit, again, that I am totally inept at those just-because presents; those little tokens that are stumbled upon, and immediately evoke that one particular individual, and it is so flagrantly obvious they must own them. My brother-in-law, David, elevates dapper, pristine dressing to an art form; he regularly bemoans the societal constraints on men and acceptable jewelry and other ornamentation. Needless to say, he adores cuff links. While his collection is already quite enviable, adding a few more unique pieces is never discouraged, so when I discovered this golden clam shells with miniature pearl detailing, I swooned. They are nothing fancy, the material rather plain and typical, but such a different, and amusing, shape, I had to go for it, take the plunge, praying and hoping that what I found to be darling, David did not find to be cheesy. For me, they exude a decadent, yet simple, delicacy. We exchanged presents with the family the afternoon following his company Christmas party; his enthusiasm and gratitude seemed genuine, but my free expert baby-sitting skills.