As I walked around the second hand store, I suddenly spied, an old steamer trunk. I hadn't seen one in many years, since I had the occasion to sail on a tramp steamer. You can imagine my surprise and I wondered what it was doing there.
The shop owner was at a loss to tell me anything about it, but said it was in the store 30 years ago, when he bought the place.
"What's in the trunk?" I asked.
"No idea," the proprietor replied. "There is no key and it feels empty when you shake it." He shrugged his shoulders and made a face.
"Well, since its old and dilapidated, do you have any idea how much you want for it?" Although it was an antique, I didn't think the owner was aware of this.
"It's really sort of an eye sore and in poor shape, so I'd be happy to rid my shop of it. Why don't you make me an offer I can't refuse?" His eyes twinkled as he said this.
I held my breath and said, "How about ten bucks?"
He took my hand and shook it. "You've just bought yourself a trunk!"
He helped me load it in the back of my truck. I could hardly contain myself on the ride home for wondering what might be inside the strange looking trunk. It was the longest ride I've taken, even if it was only twelve miles. Of course, I was bubbling with excitement and couldn't wait to tell my wife about my find.
She however did not share my enthusiasm and thought I'd lost my mind for buying it. "Don't you dare bring that old nasty thing in my house," she spouted at me.
So, I took it to the barn, set it on my workbench, thinking I wouldn't have to listen to her gripe at me, out there. Once I got the trunk settled, so it wouldn't fall, I looked around for tools to open it. I jimmied and pried, then finally, the old lock gave way. Now you might be asking me what was inside and I'd understand that question, as I was a mite curious too.
After all my work, at first sight the contents was nothing - totally empty - not one damn thing! But it did have a couple of drawers, so I set about examining each of them in turn, still hoping to find something of interest.
The first one contained only a golden colored dust. I wasn't sure what it was.
The second revealed some old forgotten letters but after examining them, I found them not at all interesting, so my search continued. I reached down to open the largest drawer at the bottom.
There in the last compartment, I found a surprise beyond my wildest imagination. A sleeping, tiny man lay inside the drawer, with a little green hat over his belly.
His eyes opened, slowly. He looked as startled to see me, as I was to see him. Then he jumped up and screamed at me.
"Faith and begora, it's about time someone let me out of this confounded box! What kept ye so long?"
I stood there in total shock until he reached over and pinched me.
"Wake up you silly rascal," he shouted at me. "I just been for askin ye a question! Are you deef or something?"
Well, you can imagine how I felt, it surely was a dream! I glared hard at the little man and finally was able to regain the use of my tongue. "Are you a leprechaun?"
"Are you blind, as well as deef and dumb? " He screamed back, placing his hands upon his hips in defiance. "Of course I am. What else would I be, all dressed in green, as I am?"
Regaining my composure, I tried to make sense of all this. "What were you doing in that trunk? How long have you been in there?"
"The wee fairies locked me in there, man. They locked me up in me own home. Can you figure that one out?" He shook his head from side to side, in disgust. "Been there too many years to count."
He paused a moment and added, "I sure-in could use a good Guinness beer right now. You wouldn't be for having one, would you, now? Naw, I don't suppose ya do."
I asked him if he knew where he was and he wasn't sure. I informed him he was in Oklahoma, a long way from Ireland and he wasn't happy about that from the look on his face.
"And where would this Oklahoma be, somewhere in England?" he needed an answer as had no concept of anything outside the British Isles.
Then, I explained to him it was the United States and he got irritated beyond belief.
He began to dance up and down , throwing a tantrum.
I tried to calm him down my explaining I had a longneck beer in the house but not a Guinness. I promised him if he would quiet down, I'd go get it for him.
He wasn't impressed, but agreed that it was better then nothing, So I ran up to the house and brought one back for him. The little fellow drank it down in a few short swigs. He was faster then any full grown man I ever saw at drinking a beer. He certainly had to be thirsty. He then wiped his mouth with his arm and spat.
"That's awful stuff," he sputtered, "but at least, I'm not quite so dry now." He smiled for the first time.
"It could have been worse, I guess. You didn't bring me water!" He stuck his tongue out, "Yuck! I just can't abide that stuff."
I was curious as to his plans. "What are you going to do now you are free; try to get back to Ireland?"
"Now that's a stupid question!" He shook his head again. "Of course, I'll be headin back to the old sod. You don't think I'd be for livin HERE, do ya really?"
It was sort of insulting the way he answered, but I tried to see it from his point of view, so would try to help him all the same.
"Maybe I can you get home, again," I remarked. "I could get you a ticket on an airplane and fly you back to Ireland, but it would cost money."
"Of course!" He began to get more friendly to me now. "I'll be needing one of those tickets then, and I'd be for payin you for your trouble."
He pondered the situation a minute and made me an offer.
"How's about a pot of gold? Would that be enough?"
"It wouldn't take that much, my little friend." I knew how he must be feeling. It's not pleasant to be far from home, your family and friends. I knew what homesickness felt like. "I'll help you anyway possible and you don't have to pay me. But I would love to go to see your home, if we could work that out." I grinned.
"Would ya, really?" He was genuinely impressed by my interest.
"Yes, I would!" I put my hand out in friendship, only he didn't take it. Instead, he twisted his nose to one side, then the other and all of a sudden, there stood two pots of gold. I was truly amazed.
"Now, how about getting me a ticket on that there air-o-plane? What ever is left is yours to keep. Is that a fair deal?" He reached for my hand and shook it then.
"More than fair" I assured him. The next morning bright and early before my wife even was up, the arrangements were made for the two of us to fly to Dallas. There we caught an international flight on Aer Lingus.
The little Leprechaun was happy to be going home, and I was even happier to be going to Ireland.
***
I'd just disappeared as far as my wife was concerned, because she wouldn't have believed me if I told her, anyway. While in the Emerald Isle, my new friend escorted me around, just two Irishmen enjoying the sights together and having fun.
I also must tell you that I kissed the kissed the Blarney Stone while I was there.
Now, to make a long story short … which is a hard thing for an Irishman to do .--- This accounts for why I concocted this tale, about the little man in the trunk --- which is a totally fantastic, elaborately woven, plot befitting the typical Irish way of telling a tale and I bet I got your attention.
