This was the second time I engaged fellow diners with conversation about the collection of well-loved items I was creating. One couple at the table knew that I was working on my MFA and asked how it was going. I used this as an opportunity to share one of my current projects; thus they were made aware that this was actually an art project, but what element is the art was left unclear.
As with the first time I introduced the fact that I was creating this collection of items everyone began sharing, either amongst themselves, or with the table, about items that came to mind. One couple had initially conversed just between the two of them, but then told me what they were talking about. They both agreed that the the small scrap of baby blanket stored in a box in the closet of one of their grown kid's rooms was what had come to mind; but that it was too precious to give up. Then they decided that maybe they would think about cutting off a piece of it for my collection. The blanket had become a small piece already from all of the use and fingering by their son. They shared that he would fall asleep rubbing it between his fingers.
A colleague of my wife's shared that he used to have an early 1970s polyester leisure suit that would be perfect for the collection, but that his wife had already given it away without his permission. It was clear that this suit was very special to him by the way he became quite animated when talking about it. He assured us that it would be perfect – that it truly would have no sale value, but that it had great value to him (presumably from the memories of the events he attended wearing the suit).
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