We wish you a scary Halloween!

You are here: Real Ghost Stories :: Haunted Items :: Pearl Mystery

Real Ghost Stories

Pearl Mystery

 

After almost thirty years today I just might have worked something out.

When I was about ten my aunty F (maternal uncle's wife) gave me some knickknacks for Christmas. Aunty F is into drama and theatre. When I was growing up she would often give me her old costume jewelry, which I loved. That year she gave me a basket with a bottle of perfume and a couple of long (fake) pearl necklaces. One black, one white. Loved them. Wore them that day, thought they were boss.

The necklaces were a pair. Both same length, same plastic material, same light weight, same threaded stuff the bead things were strung on. Same pearly painted finish, only difference was the colour underneath the finish.

Wore them all the time when I would dress up like Madonna, who I worshiped. Wore them to family events, any excuse, I wore them.

Fast forward several years later I'm about sixteen or so. Haven't dressed like Madonna in a while or worn those pearls but have them on my dressing table mirror with other necklaces as cool decorations.

Aunty F is a bit of a Karen.

One day it's aunty F on the phone (mid 90's landline), she's asking for me. Random, I thought, but okay. She's asking me about the black pearls she gave me that year, do I remember them? Do I still have them? She didn't mean to give them to me, can I give them back to her? Verbal diarrhea. I told her I remember the pearls and the perfume but they're white not black. I say sure she can have them back that I don't wear them anymore. She asks me if I remember the black ones. I say she gave me white plastic pearls and some perfume. I ask her why it's important and what made her think of that Christmas? Silence for a few seconds, doesn't answer the question. Keeps insisting she gave me black pearls that year but that she just realized and it was a mistake. She didn't mean to give them to me. I asked do pearls come in black?

Here's the thing I did know what black pearls were. I learned a bit from my grandmother who had a side hustle as an antiques dealer in her florist shop. If aunty F had a good reason, and she wasn't playing me for a fool, I wouldn't have played her back. In all likelihood I would have given them back to her. But I figured she'd seen some black pearls on Antiques Roadshow and flipped out about her old plastic theatre ones being potentially real. It's just the sort of thing she'd do.

A day or so after this I took the black pearls off my mirror and put them in a jewelry box. I did this because my mirror was visible from my bedroom door and if my aunty and uncle were to visit, well yeah. When I opened my jewelry box to put the black ones in I found a pearl necklace (white pearls), real ones. I didn't own a pearl necklace, not a real one anyway. I thought it must be mum's. Because I often borrowed her jewelry. So I thought she must have put it in as a surprise. But I didn't know she had a pearl necklace. So I ask her and sure enough it wasn't her. Confirmed she'd never had a pearl necklace.

Same thing with my friends, no one had left any jewelry at my place and no one had pearls. The only person I knew with real pearls was my grandmother and I didn't borrow her jewelry. The next time I was at my grandmother's I asked her if she'd snuck a necklace into my jewelry box, said she didn't. That would be out of character for her if she did. She said something like "I think it's best not to question these things." I was on a mission to solve it for a few weeks, then I lost interest.

I've never worn the pearls because the string is too fragile. I'd be scared of breaking them. But I've always kept them. They just sit there with my other jewelry as a mystery I never solved.

Then today I had this kind of cool kind of sucky realization and now I'm in a moral dilemma. A memory of a conversation at a family gathering about twenty years ago.

I was in my early twenties, it was late, probably Christmas night. I was listening to my stepmum talk about her mother who had passed years before. My stepmum was talking to the table, so a large group. She was telling people about her sister in law, another Karen, and what this woman did after stepmum's mum passed away. She told everyone that her mum had a pearl necklace and it was the only thing she wanted after she'd passed. Everyone in her family knew and wanted my stepmum to have the pearls. But her sister in law took everything she could, including the pearls, and other things other family members were agreed to have. (There was no will.) I vaguely remember this from when I was younger. This woman took the lot, books, clothes, jewelry, plants, everything and anything. She'd go early and pile as much stuff into her car as possible. It was sick.

Stepmum tried to get her sister in law to give her the pearls but she wouldn't.

My stepmum is still cut up about the pearls today. I think she always will be. There's my dilemma and big realization. Have I had V's pearls all these years? Are these the mystery pearls that turned up in my jewelry box? The dates fit. V, stepmum's mum, passed away not long before my aunty F went on a black pearls bender. Another thing about V is she was always psychic when it came to phones, or people calling. She'd pick up and say "Hello Steve", or whoever, even if they hadn't called in ten years, it was freaky cool. I'd say V would have a way of listening into my ridiculous conversation with aunty F that day.

I recently submitted some events around V. You'd think I'd have pieced this together while typing that up, because there's some jewelry themed wtf-ness in there.

The dilemma is my stepmum: biggest non-believer of all time. If these are her pearls; how did I get them? Because 'they just turned up one day' isn't going to cut it with her. I worked all this out about six hours ago. It's now quarter to two Sunday morning. I'm usually up this late on weekends. Can't stop thinking about it.

Maybe it's best to let this one slide and do nothing. But then if V gave these to me to give to stepmum, then I'm the baddy. But V should have put them in stepmum's jewelry box. But stepmum is always leaving her jewelry in stupid places so maybe V thought stepmum wouldn't notice the pearls if they just showed up at her place. Erggh. Bloody ghosts!

This is like one of those maths problems with two many details. If Peter has six apples and Mary likes Joseph, how many drivers does a buggy have?

I need to sleep on this one. But I think I figured it out after all these years. Who else would have dropped off pearls? Stuff doesn't just happen randomly.

Thanks for reading.

Other hauntings by Tweed

Hauntings with similar titles

Find ghost hunters and paranormal investigators from Australia

Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Tweed, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+3
1 year ago (2023-05-28)
CrimsonT, haha glad this has been amusing.
I tend to look at things in a pretty spiritual (some would say 'airheaded' way). Looking for the hidden meanings behind things, if there are any to find. When I found the pearl I took it as an inner awakening, or sign thereof. It's a super tiny sphere, the kind of size jewellery makers use as a frame around a bigger jewel, I'd say it's not worth much, or anything. But it's special to me. I started using it in spells. It's too tiny to carry on me but I think of it as a good luck charm.
When it happened I read about the odds and found a woman in (I think) Florida who also found a pearl in a tin of oysters. Plus theories from boffins that pearls shouldn't occur in tinned oysters at all. Guess we can blow a raspberry at them.
CrimsonTopaz (1 stories) (239 posts)
+3
1 year ago (2023-05-27)
Tweed, I'm glad you've put up an update on this mystery. I've been following this and admittedly enjoyed the humour, wit, and banter, and kept coming back for more.
Wow, you found a pink pearl in a tin of John West oysters. Did you ever have it set into a pendant or ring?
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-26)
Correct, Tweed, Mods do not post the pictures. We do not have that ability. "Please send any photos by attachment to the email confirmation you will receive after submitting your story (no common camera orbs or any obvious cases of pareidolia please, it needs to be really out of the ordinary) " from the contact page. It's also in the notice of publication we send, I believe. You'd be surprised how many don't do this.
I will say this, it can take a long while for Martin to add the pictures. I know verifying copyright is part of the process, but beyond that... And I can't speak for Martin on this.
Pelatiah, I've no idea the why your stories were rejected, but you should have been given a reason as to why in the rejection form.
You can always resubmit you know. 😉
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-26)
Bit of an update to this. It's looking a lot like these pearls belonged to my great aunt D. Pretty sure I got the sign I asked for last night, was a doozy. But I need to quiz more family about some details to be sure, will do on the weekend. If these are my great aunt's pearls then this goes right back to when I was about ten, predating the pearls showing up. Regardless of what further digging will turn up. Will submit what happened last night some time soon. There's too much context to explain and would be way too long winded for the comment section.

Pelatiah, I'm sorry you've had some bad experiences on the site. The photo submission process here is pathetic at best. People use photo hosting websites instead. I don't think the mods can post the photos it has to be done by whoever runs the site. (At least I think that's the issue)
I'm glad you've returned. It's important for us open minded folk not to feel alone and isolated. I think YGS provides a sense of normalcy to a lot of people. Even the ones who have never posted, I suspect there's quite a few.
Sleeping-with-steve (guest)
+2
1 year ago (2023-05-24)
Hello Tweed,

I'm curious to know if there's been any more updates on the pearl necklace.

Yeah, sneaking them back to where they may or may not originate is easier said than done.

Reflecting back to my youth, I was honest, kind, caring, and loving, but always had my eyes on mums jewellery box and all the lovely sets of necklaces and earrings she had. Mostly dress jewellery that dad gave her over the years, some genuine items and some handed down from her mum.

Long story short, I'd be suspect number one if mum misplaced any of her jewellery because I'd always be standing there in a look of awe, frozen and mouth lowered as she gently moved pieces deciding what to wear out. Thinking back now it was funny. Mum used to say, 'you'll have to wait until your older before you can wear them incase you lose them'.

Well, finally aged 15 mum gave me a gold necklace with a gold cross. My sister was given one years prior, when she was in her late teens. Hers went missing. Lost, gone, vanished, who knows, and all eyes were on me. Not in a serious way, more because I was known for always standing around mums dressing table watching her putting on her jewellery when she was going out to family occasions.

Your post still leaves me wondering where the pearl necklace came from. I Look forward to knowing what happens next.

Best wishes,
SWS
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-24)
Tweed, I was Mrs. Ramsay and posted a bunch about my late first husband, Scott. Then I went through a spate of submitting other things, even with photos, that were never posted. At the same time, all these stories about people's dreams were posted (most of them seemingly teenagers from India) and I got a little irritated, I ADMIT IT, that my 60 year old, mature, believable, photo-included stories were not published. Plus I'm a former journalist so I don't think it was the writing... So I closed my account one day, probably just having a bad day and feeling guilty for spending too much time on my strange -- whatever this is called, hobby. Well, then I discovered the plane that crashed buried in my kid's soccer park and had to come back and write about it. Https://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=28013

So when I came back, I had to use a new name. My OTHER hobby (that I also get teased about) is ancestry, so Pelatiah is an ancestor of mine who was killed in a massacre at Cherry Valley, PA during the American Revolution. I just love the name, even though it's a guy and I'm now a 61 year old with 4 kids. Enough about me... I just enjoy everyone's kind comments here when people are looking for answers or even just affirmation. Glad you solved the pearl mystery at least partially.
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-23)
Well, mystery solved 😊 Kinda - lol No worries, I quite agree that sneaking them back could be really...awkward. Easy to say, a lot harder to do.
Still you gotta wonder - where'd they come from?
The_Lost_Voyage_11 (8 stories) (253 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-23)
No worries Tweed, I didn't think your story was a mess, I just wanted to be sure you figured it all out before you tried to return something I didn't feel you needed to return. Writing out the story, no matter what state you were in, I think helped bring the missing puzzle pieces together to help resolve this mystery for you. I believe everything happens for a reason and has it's place.

As an adjunct to your story, years ago when I was rather young and naive, I worked at a large store while in college. One day I found a $100 bill right in my path, what a find! However I tried to do the quote unquote 'right thing' and so I turned it into the cash office thinking someone may have lost it and would reclaim it. Well they didn't, and nothing was ever said to me, it was merely folded into the store's profits.

Moral of the story (and I still kick myself for it) was someone was looking out for me and left that money for me, and I just gave it away! I mean it was right there directly in my path in an open area of the store, and I was the one who found it. I'm a lot more open minded about such divine gifts now!

Thanks for updating us on the outcome of the mystery! Someone may have gotten away with it, if not for us meddling kids! Scooby Doo!
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+3
1 year ago (2023-05-22)
Pelatiah, you're the mystery guess who in my mind! When I came back here after a long break I read someone say they used to be Mrs Ramsey, but I couldn't remember which new (to me) name said it. So cool beans, I'll remember now lol.

Lost Voyage, god damn you're wise. Thanks for your common sense logic. I'm sorry you read this mess of a write up. There's couple of days every month where logic goes out the window and I turn into a bull in a china shop. That is I get latched onto an idea (without thinking it through) and am convinced it's reality. Some call it PMS I call it BS.

Anywhoo, the moral being I really should have watched a movie the night I sent this into the site. Because now I have an update (from level headed me). Was talking to a friend of the family about these pearls, indirectly, the topic of the sister in law from hell came up, that was my in. Anyway we got to talking about the pearls. V's necklace was natural pearls with a victorian clasp. The pearls I have are cultured with a standard clasp. Turns out they're not V's pearls. See now, level headed me would've waited for that little nugget before submitting. Nevermind.
This is a massive load off my mind though. Because sneaking pearls into my parents room, or anywhere in their house, is kind of cute on an Internet forum. But actually doing it? Not so cute!

I agree our loved ones on the other side see a much bigger picture than we do here and V is definitely the kind of soul to not mince words. I don't know what V's wishes were regarding the pearls. I was surprised to learn about them, because I knew V as a casual dresser who didn't wear jewellery. It's possible they were passed down in my stepmum's family. But I'm just guessing.

This whole thing came about because some people at work were talking about Nicola Tesla, actually they were being vulgar about his pigeon. I didn't say anything but I like Nicola Tesla and I nearly spoke up about his pearl aversion (don't know why but he hated pearls). Then I decided it was best not to feed the haters (the man's mind is amazing he doesn't deserve to be the topic of slander). Later that night I went off on a mental tangent about the pearls from my childhood and bam made the connection to my stepmum's sister in law.

On a somewhat unrelated note would you believe it, I found a damned pearl in an oyster over a year ago. Still got it, pretty pink thing it is, nearly broke my jaw. Flippin John West tinned oysters, never again!
The_Lost_Voyage_11 (8 stories) (253 posts)
+3
1 year ago (2023-05-20)
Hello Tweed, I should have read and posted to you last week when your story came online, but let's say its been a busy month!

Some of what you said in talking to your friends in England is the same thing that occurs here to me.

I don't believe or feel that if those are the missing pearls in question that they were given to you either by mistake or in an attempt to make sure they got to your stepmum. It feels like they were meant to go to you, that's my sense for what it's worth.

As you mentioned, if you were meant to give them to your stepmum, then V would have given you signs or dreams or something. Plus, if she had the supernatural ability to move them, why give them to you, she could just as easily given them to your stepmum in much the same manner without causing family drama of you trying to give them to your stepmum? Once they pass, they can see quite a bit more than we can, and despite your stepmum being a non believer, there are ways V could have found to get them to her.

I know you mentioned in your story that your stepmum wanted these pearls and that others in the family wanted her to have them as well, but was that V's wishes as well, did she make it clear that your stepmum was the one to have this treasure? No will of course creates quite a problem for sure.

If you could locate a good medium or someone skilled in psychometry, it would benefit you. Without telling them anything about the object they could give you information on its origins and the energy of it's owner. That could help you determine whether the pearls are the ones in question and maybe why you have them? I also believe that would put your mind at ease with this current dilemma.

I agree with you fully that you need more information to make an informed decision here, maybe this will help, but I think those pearls, whatever their origin, were given to you for a reason other than what you think. There's more to this mystery than meets the eye!
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+6
1 year ago (2023-05-17)
Tweed, thanks for the synopsis, it's SO interesting. I've had such different experiences and the jewelry thing wasn't really on my radar and I must've missed those stories (only been here the last couple years, formerly Mrs. Ramsay).

Good luck with the pearls, keep us updated.
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-17)
Pelatiah, the topic of where things go has been discussed at length on here. No one really has an answer, though the notion is fascinating. I think it was Miracles who had some money vanish from her hand while she was holding it (!). She either felt it vanish or saw it vanish, don't recall. But that was pretty amazing.
Another member 'lost' a piece of jewellery only to find it sewed into the hem or collar of a shirt or blouse she was wearing. This member examined the clothing every which way and could find no holes or anything for the item to slip into. I can't remember how long the piece had been missing.
I've had a pack of tarot cards appear and reappear at various points over the years.
I think it was Val who had a pack of cards appear or vanish in a drawer.

Then there's the mystery of when ghosties move items around the home. How is it all done?
A member Red Wolf had a reoccuring issue with a credit card that kept disappearing and reappearing on a bench. I think she thought it was her father in law behind it.

If you think the bracelet is the work of a ghost you could try what Red Wolf did, she more or less yelled at the ghost and before long her card would appear again. Your family might give you crap for it, but hey, if it works! As far as prickly family members go I think the supernatural being real is a mighty inconvienece to a lot of people. 😉
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-16)
Oh, I love how this has developed after a few days!
I never thought about the sneaky thing.

I'm missing two pieces of jewelry right now. One, a gold Krugerand on a chain, was likely absconded with by a house cleaner I'd hired before a party one time. This is entirely my fault, I'd forgotten I still had it in a drawer and should've known.

The other is a cool, silver braided bracelet, thick, that had been my mom's. I wore it every day and since the beginning of covid haven't been able to find it. No one was in my house... This is the intriguing one. Is there a message? I've torn the place apart, my closet, everything. If they (ghosts) can take something, where does it go?

If you decide to sneak those pearls in, let us know how it goes. I'm somewhat relieved to hear that your family gives you grief about the paranormal stuff too. I was teased even on Mother's Day about my stuff. It comes much easier sitting at a brewery among the loved ones though...
RCRuskin (9 stories) (847 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-16)
[at] tweed:

RC looks around carefully, to the left, the right, sees the coast is clear so walks in to write something down, and gets bumped into on his way. He drops his coffee and some papers. "Oh. Excuse me."

😁
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+3
1 year ago (2023-05-15)
RCRuskin, we seem to be posting at the same time these days! That might just be what I'll be doing, sneaking them in somehow. Haha I just realised I don't know where her jewellery box is, her side of the room has always been a total mess. Well, I'll work something out if that's the best course of action.
Rajine (14 stories) (884 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-15)
Telling your stepmum about the pearls and how you ended up with it might just create a new issue, V had a reason why she put the pearls in your jewelry box, it might not be clear as to why though. Perhaps you can just sneak it in your stepmum's room without her noticing like [at] RCRuskin suggested.
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+3
1 year ago (2023-05-15)
Bit of a general update. I've been talking to a couple of old friends from England about this. One pointed out how you never hear of family heirlooms being returned by supernatural means ending up in the wrong place. She said why would my stepmum's mum put pearls in a kids jewellery box? She thinks it was put there by someone else, not V and that it's unrelated. Which really got me thinking surely V would have given me a dream or two by now.

The other friend said if he was a ghost and a family member didn't believe in ghosts that he'd have fun trying to prove them wrong. (Hey, I would too) We then started talking about a theory of supernatural laws, like what kind of rules must ghosts abide by when communicating with the living. Is there such a moral code that ghosts must not mess with the beliefs of the living.

Val, being sneaky feels like the logical way to go with this. Today I asked for whoever is behind this to give me a sign/dream/something and I'll go from there.

Lady Glow, yep it's a sensitive situation that's for sure. Really don't want to open some door I can't close again. Will be awaiting some sign before I proceed any further. So many years have passed now. Can't say I expect to get a sign anytime soon.

Man, this whole thing is an embarrassing mess. I really must NOT hastily submit things to this site on the day of a *perceived* epiphany. Sorry YGS community!
RCRuskin (9 stories) (847 posts)
+3
1 year ago (2023-05-15)
After not consciously thinking about this for a day, and believing that stepmum should have the pearls, I think the best thing to do is to sneak the pearls into stepmum's jewelry box right on top.
lady-glow (16 stories) (3186 posts)
+6
1 year ago (2023-05-15)
Hi Tweed.

Interesting experience... I wouldn't know what to do if I were in your case. This seems like one of those situations in which a solution may end up creating a new problem.

Good luck solving this mystery!
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+6
1 year ago (2023-05-14)
Tweed, no sweat. Trust me, I've written/read far far saltier. 😆
If your heart tells you the pearls are meant for stepmum then they probably are. I suppose you could ask for a sign from V on what you should do. But then I gather you aren't on 'speaking' terms?
Why not just be sneaky? I think, sometimes, that's permissible. If they still have family gatherings, simply take the pearls with you and deposit them somewhere stepmum will 'find' them. (More than just you has been in the house, that way.) Then stepmum has to figure out the who, why, where they came from.
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-14)
RCRuskin, I've been wondering how to go about finding who, where, why these pearls. I don't think anyone would be down with being finger printed lol. I mean I haven't really touched or disturbed the pearls much over the years. It would be an ideal solution. Maybe not probable, but an ideal solution none the less lol.
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+3
1 year ago (2023-05-14)
"... With two many details." <---- Look at me typing too late LOL

Pelatiah, for me this is a question of how to best broach the subject with my stepmum. If doing nothing at all turns out to be best, it will be for self preservation reasons, not to keep the pearls for myself. The subjects of me + supernatural + stepmum + dad = Nasty personal attacks with no resolution. These days I have limited contact with them because of this. I don't bring these topics up in their presence, not anymore at least, but they do, it's triangulating and toxic.
I don't want this to come across as 'Aww, poor Tweed', and please don't feel sorry for me, because I'm at peace with this now. I don't have kids and even if I did giving something that was potentially not mine seems icky.
There are two ghosts in my life who I have flipped the bird at over the years. This one V and the other is one of my grandmothers, I love them dearly but yeah. Both women come from generations/beliefs that families stick together no matter what. I'm of the belief that if something's toxic and can't be changed, don't put up with it. I can feel both these women disapproving of my choices. That's okay, it's a generational thing. I think these women come to me sometimes because they've worked out I receive their messages. Then they get shirty if I don't pass things on and the cycle continues.
If these are my stepmum's pearls I think I'll have to lie, lie and stand by my lie. Something like "I picked these up at an op shop years ago but never wear them. Do you want them?"

Val THANK YOU for deleting *that sentence*! Usually I type things up over a few days and delete off topic crap as I read things back but last night I went for it hammer and tong... And well you saw the salty result. I woke up today and was like "no, no, NOO I said that 😳!"
So thanks for removing it and I'm really sorry you had to read it!

For everyone else there was one sentence you need not read. Not my finest moment I can tell you.
RCRuskin (9 stories) (847 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-14)
Well, first thing I would do would be to confirm whose pearls these were. I'm not sure how to do that without revealing that you have the pearls.

And being good at math, I worked out the problem for you. The answer is 32,915. 😁
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+4
1 year ago (2023-05-13)
Sounds like something that would happen in my family. The women in my family are all about the jewelry and I never was (I'm a woman despite my screen name). If you have daughters who like the pearls, I'd just keep them and not say anything and pass them down to them when you go. If not, I think you should show your step mom and ask her if they're the ones she's been talking about. Be honest with her and offer them. You'll sleep better. That's just my advice, but then as I said, I'm not to into jewelry.

To publish a comment or vote, you need to be logged in (use the login form at the top of the page). If you don't have an account, sign up, it's free!

Search this site: