A guy asked Julie to make an earring for him out of his deceased wife’s engagement ring. She did. Then he asked her to solder it shut in his ear with her torch (this predated the permanent jewelry fad). When she told him the temperature needed to melt the gold in his ear, he said, ‘Go ahead and do it. I can take it. I am a Marine.’ We passed on the solder job — can you imagine the smell? — Cliff Yankovich, Chimera Design, Lowell, MI