Disney Pearls

by Holly
(NY)

My mom took my siblings and I to Disney World in Orlando this past holiday season, and in the Epcot park they have a world showcase exhibit, featuring many different countries. One of these is Japan, and inside their Mitsukoshi store, they have a mini pearl farm. They perform a whole ritual, and you get to pick out your oysters and watch them open them, never knowing what size, color, or even how many you will get. The average oyster here yields one, mostly white 6 1/2 mm pearl. My mom and I decided to try it, and I got two beautiful pearls from my two oysters that my boyfriend is setting in a ring for Valentine's Day.

My mom was already feeling a bit down, so she picked her oyster and got a pearl, but when she examined her pearl, she found a couple blemishes that marred the pearl's beauty. She became more upset and said it was "just her luck". My brother, sister and I couldn't stand to see her like this, so my brother distracted her across the store while I purchased another ticket for her to try another oyster. When she returned to the oyster tanks, we gave her the ticket, and at first she didn't understand, but began tearing up when she realized we were giving her another chance. She looked through both tanks, trying to decide which one to pick. My sister spotted a greyish-purple oyster, in the very back corner, and pointed it out. Our mom chose this one, and the lady fished it out, cracked it open, and her face lit up. "You are a very lucky woman!" the lady cried out. "TWINS!" Sure enough, she pulled two identical, perfectly white, 7 1/2 mm pearls from the oyster. Our mom really did begin crying then, just astounded that her luck had changed so much. She had them set as earrings, and wears the other set in a necklace, and her Disney pearls have become her favorite accessory, and her favorite souvenir from our trip.