Chain

When you buy a lot of secondhand jewelry you end up with a lot of chains - broken bits - chains with hooks but no eyes - big, clanking links that look like refugees from Mr.T.   I even get unbroken chains, which are invariably too short for anyone but an anorexic twelve-year-old.  Usually these chains hang around in bins complaining about the meal service, but sometimes, when I've had enough, I shackle them together and put them to work suspending pendants.  So, if the jewelry piece you purchase comes with a chain that appears to have jump rings at intervals, or just doesn't seem the same from end to end, congratulations!  Slap a leaf-sticker on your forehead and call yourself green, because you have got yourself a recycled chain!.  You have personally saved several grams of refined metal from cluttering up the county landfill!


What's that?  It'll never happen because crafters like me never throw anything away? 

Now that's just uncalled for.  I have thrown things away.  Just not chains. 

All right, all right... Then think of it this way.  You may have saved my heirs several harrowing moments trying to decide what to do with all the stuff I neglected to take with me.  Can't you see it?  It'll be Pete and Repeat, going through my stuff...

Pete:  Hey.  What's this?
Repeat:  Dunno.  Looks like a bunch of bits of chain to me. 
Pete:  You think it's worth something?
Repeat:  I dunno.  I mean, he kept it didn't she?
Pete:  It could be gold.
Repeat:  It ain't the right color for gold.
Pete:  Silver, then.
Repeat:  We could have it assayed.
Pete:  I sure hope you didn't say what I thought you said.
Repeat:  I said 'assayed', you idiot.  We could take it to one of those cash-for-gold places to see if it's real. 
Pete:  Whatever you do, don't let Ellie see it.  You know what she'll want to do with it.
Ellie:  What you boys whispering about in there?  You ain't thinkin' of hording something for yourselves, are you?
Pete and Repeat:  No, Ellie.
Ellie:  Well.you better not.  We all agreed everything goes into the family auction.
Pete and Repeat:  Yes, Ellie. 
Ellie.  Let the greatgrandkids fight over it, that's what I say. 
Pete and Repeat:  Yes, Ellie.
Ellie:  They're stupid enough to think anything Ma held onto must be worth something.
Pete:  Er...
Ellie:  Get rid it it all,  Ain't gonna be left to sort through her junk.  Especially don't want to deal with all those jewelry parts we could never get her to throw away...

You see how it will be?  Please!  Take a remanufactured chain!  You don't want to see two grown men who have never even seen the inside of a bar try to explain to the man at the local pawn shop/tattoo parlor why they thought a bunch of rusty old chain bits were real silver!  Save my family from the ignominy  (that means shame)!