A Weird (and Wonderful) Tale

Note: Locations and names have been changed/crossed out to protect identities

Let's begin with how all wonderous stories do:

Once upon a time in Kansas City....

I was on my phone scrolling on Facebook and resting at home with my partner after a busy week of seeing friends, work, and getting ready for the summer ahead. And then, as I laid back and let the memes, friends' posts, and advertisements roll by on my screen...I saw it.

A wonderfully odd painting of Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman, in their respective roles from the 1980s show, "Beauty and the Beast". It's a very 80s image and with the perfect campy title, "Soulmates". But you might wonder...how exactly did this come across my feed?

Image Description: a print of a hand painted image of Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman in "Beauty and the Beast". It is about a 24 inches long and 12 inches wide, set in a gold frame with gold and pink matting.

So....I am part of a spectacular group on Facebook called, "Weird and Wonderful Finds that Must be Shared". It has been around for about seven years now, and I absolutely love this group. The point of this page: to post and share secondhand finds from thrift stores, inheritances, ect that are just...fun, weird, wonderful, and usually a little odd. I had followed this group for years on my old account, and when I got hacked and had to set up a new Facebook page, one of the first things I did was try and find this group again. I have seen some crazy things on this page. From teapots shaped like cats, to photo albums found in attics, to handmade Phantom of the Opera merch, and the CREEPIEST homemade baby dolls...I thought I had seen everything on his page.

But this post, of this unusual painting of a relatively forgotten show from the late 1980s and early 90s, was NOT on my bingo card for "Things To See While Scrolling the Internet". And my heart stopped...when I saw what the original poster had typed: "Soulmates. Found and Left in (Redacted)".

And that Redacted town was about thirty minutes away from me. For years, I had yearned for a weird find that spoke to me, that was near where I lived. I wanted to luck out, and be the owner, of one of this eccentric treasures. And I felt like this find, this picture...had to be mine. It was meant for me.

For after all, this show had been a part of my life since I was thirteen.

Let me take you back dear reader....let me give you another story.

Once upon a time, in the middle of Kansas, there was a very sad, neurodivergent child. And this child found a TV show, that made them feel safe in an environment that did not make them feel that way. This child was looking through the movie section at Borders (a bookstore from long, long ago), and they found a TV series called "Beauty and the Beast". The synopsis: a young savvy DA, named Catherine Chandler, befriends a "beast" from the abandoned New York Subway tunnels, after a traumatic attack leaves her injured. He brings her to his "Father" and his secret community in the "Underground"...a collective of misfits and people who have been "othered" by society.

This child watched the series nonstop that summer, and fell in love with the characters on screen. This show is a delightful mix of 80's nostalgia and genuinely rich and well done writing. With a diverse cast and daring plotlines, this show deserves to be more remembered than it is. What this show taught this child is that community should care for each other, that when you see something wrong, say and DO something about it, and that true love is empowering, gentle, and communicative.

And those messages, that child carried with them as they became a teacher, activist, and the writer who is currently typing out this blog right now. I genuinely would not be the person I am today without "Beauty and the Beast". Catherine Chandler taught me to always fight for the right things and to not judge by appearances. Vincent taught me to be accepting, gentle, and hungry for knowledge.

Now, I bring you back to Kansas City, back to the moment I saw this painting. I unceremoniously commented on the post: "WHERE WAS THIS IN (REDACTED CITY) AND HOW MUCH WAS IT?? I WILL DRIVE TO GO GET IT." And then I added a little about how much the show meant to me. I did not know this was the beginning to a bit of an adventure.

Replies and reacts started flooding in on my comment. Some echoed my original question, others were rooting for me and hoping I scored the picture. A response from the original poster came minutes later: "*redacted store*, $11"

Readying myself to go get it, I called the store. I couldn't justify the hour round trip (especially on a bad pain day) if it wasn't there. A staff member answered...and when I described the photo, they acted like they had no clue what I was talking about, and said the picture had probably been sold. I was devastated, and then...I received a message.

We will call the person who messaged me Angela, because she is literally the angel and hero of this story. Her message to me was: "What thrift shop was it?"

I responded, "*Redacted*. I called the store and they had NO clue what I was talking about."

She then said, to my utter surprise, "I'll head that way in a bit...I need an excuse to go LOL."

It then hit me, she was a local in the area....and probably a thrifter like me! I thanked her profusely, and waited on bated breath. And a while later...she sent me a photo, of herself holding the print.

IT WAS STILL THERE.

Image description: Angela holding the aforementioned print of our leading characters in "Beauty and the Beast"

And Angela went above and beyond: she not only confirmed it was there, she offered to buy it for me so no one else could nab it (and I would pay her back), and then we arranged a way for my husband to pick it up and bring it home to me.

I am still blown away that a total stranger went through all this trouble to make sure someone she didn't know, in a city a half hour away from her, could have a piece of art that made them happy. I think that's really beautiful. The internet is powerful. It has a way of bringing out the best in us, and a way of connecting people together and bringing together a community.

And now, here I am, twenty-four hours later. Angela has a crisp twenty under her doormat, and my husband picked up the art piece from her porch. In that time, ANOTHER weird and wonderful find member offered to send me more "Beauty and the Beast" merch, and others have been waiting to hear the conclusion of the story.

And here it is:

I made a new acquaintance. I have some new art. And now...I have written a new story. And wherever you are, I hope this little adventure, from my corner of the internet, made you happy.

Image description: a signed copy of "Beauty and the Beast" with Ron Perlman's signature

Image description: myself (a femme presenting person with short red hair wearing a yellow shirt covered in rainbows) holds the prized "Beauty and the Beast" picture, in my bedroom with light green walls and a faux marble dresser behind me

Image description: me dressed up as Catherine Chandler for Kansas City Comic Con. I am wearing acid wash skinny jeans, a white knitted shirt, a vintage brown leather jacket from the 1980s, and brown lace up boots.

Image description: a headshot of my Catherine Chandler cosplay with purple 1980s earrings, and gold chain choker with basic makeup

Image description: the reference photo I used for my Catherine Chandler Cosplay. Vincent is in his almost ren-faire esque layered garb, and Catherine wears a long brown jacket with a white knitted shirt underneath. She leans on Vincent's shoulder, with an arm across him, her palm pressed to his chest

My partner and I meeting Ron Perlman at Planet Comic Con in 2024. He stands in the middle of us, a tall burly man with white hair and beard. My partner stands to the right, I am to the left