Tales From The Sale
Well, the garage sale was a success, barring the fact I had five big items - none of which sold. Oh well.
And while I'm not a very social person, I love having garage sales. Something about the people who come to sales, I find interesting.
First, there is this man named Robert. He's in his late forties (I'm guessing) and has had what appears to be a massive stroke. He uses a brace to walk, his speech is slurred and everything he does takes a long time. He has come to every garage sale I have had and I love seeing him pull up. This time was no different.
Robert pulled up in his big SUV, and took a considerable amount of time getting himself out of the car and situated with his brace. My mom was helping me and shot me a puzzled look when nobody appeared from behind the car after a few minutes. "Just wait," I said. Out walks Robert. "I was wondering when you were going to show up!," I said. "Well, hey baby!," he replied.
We then spent the next 15 minutes just talking about anything and everything, including what I do for a living. He said when he got his feet back he was going to learn swing dancing with his "bride." My heart melted - his "bride." How sweet!
Robert is a good looking man. And he has the most beautiful spirit. Whatever hardship came his way hasn't stopped this man from being who he is. My guess is he has a charmed life (in part from things he told me), was quite dashing and hadn't a care in the world. Then fate stepped in and shifted his course. But he just kept going, being the quick witted, charming, good natured person he is. He's good people, and I look forward to seeing him at my sales.
Second, is this woman who had me cracking up the entire time she was here. She was in her late 60's and was so sweet and innocent. Innocent at 60 something? Yup! She told me of her kids who voted for Bush and how she just didn't get it. She told me how she loved to bake, and then asked me the last time I had seen flour on sale in the newspaper? Um, never, but I'm not looking for it, so I'm the wrong person to ask. And then she told me this story of how she was at her daughter's house one day and let her three ferrets out of their cage. As the story goes, the ferrets somehow turned the computer on, and the woman had no idea how to turn it off. So, she went to call her daughter, but the ferrets had turned the phone off and she couldn't figure out how to get that turned back on. So, she sat there for hours with a computer doing things she couldn't stop, and no way to get in touch with anybody! I'm cracking up as I type this! Too, too funny. Just imagine!
There was the woman who bought a pair of maternity jeans for her sister who was pregnant with her seventh child by a seventh man! "She needs to get fixed, that's just ridiculous!," she said. Amen sister! But nice sister for buying maternity pants!
There was the stingy woman who squabbled over a 50 cent item, and then put it back.
There was the crazy artist who bought tons of stuff.
The mother and daughter who bought the Hookah because they thought it was "fun!"
The woman with cancer - she was cool.
The little girl who was excited to see our pet rabbit.
The woman who brought her dog and we laughed while hers and mine frolicked in the front yard.
The young college age girl who bought her boyfriend the drafting table and a ton of other stuff and spent nearly 30 minutes with her mom trying to fit it all in their car - laughing the whole time!
The man who gave us a coupon for a free half gallon of ice cream.
The man I see walking when I take the kids to school every morning.
And the crazy woman who was like a bull in a china shop - abrasive as the day is long.
All these people, out doing their thing, shift the momentum for a quick peek at somebody else's stuff. And in the process, stories are told, annual friendships are strengthened, and I watch as things which tell, in part, the story of my life go marching off to become somebody else's story.
There were things I was a little sad to see go, but I know it was time. Some of the memories were good, and some I just didn't need anymore.
So, the sale was a success. The house is breathing a little easier now. I am too for that matter. I have made a promise to myself to stop buying things so I don't have to have a sale next year. It's a LOT of work. But between you and me, I think I might miss the dynamic my garage sales bring. I'm getting rid of my stuff, but in exchange, I'm getting some new memories. And I like having them - at least until I don't need them anymore either.
And while I'm not a very social person, I love having garage sales. Something about the people who come to sales, I find interesting.
First, there is this man named Robert. He's in his late forties (I'm guessing) and has had what appears to be a massive stroke. He uses a brace to walk, his speech is slurred and everything he does takes a long time. He has come to every garage sale I have had and I love seeing him pull up. This time was no different.
Robert pulled up in his big SUV, and took a considerable amount of time getting himself out of the car and situated with his brace. My mom was helping me and shot me a puzzled look when nobody appeared from behind the car after a few minutes. "Just wait," I said. Out walks Robert. "I was wondering when you were going to show up!," I said. "Well, hey baby!," he replied.
We then spent the next 15 minutes just talking about anything and everything, including what I do for a living. He said when he got his feet back he was going to learn swing dancing with his "bride." My heart melted - his "bride." How sweet!
Robert is a good looking man. And he has the most beautiful spirit. Whatever hardship came his way hasn't stopped this man from being who he is. My guess is he has a charmed life (in part from things he told me), was quite dashing and hadn't a care in the world. Then fate stepped in and shifted his course. But he just kept going, being the quick witted, charming, good natured person he is. He's good people, and I look forward to seeing him at my sales.
Second, is this woman who had me cracking up the entire time she was here. She was in her late 60's and was so sweet and innocent. Innocent at 60 something? Yup! She told me of her kids who voted for Bush and how she just didn't get it. She told me how she loved to bake, and then asked me the last time I had seen flour on sale in the newspaper? Um, never, but I'm not looking for it, so I'm the wrong person to ask. And then she told me this story of how she was at her daughter's house one day and let her three ferrets out of their cage. As the story goes, the ferrets somehow turned the computer on, and the woman had no idea how to turn it off. So, she went to call her daughter, but the ferrets had turned the phone off and she couldn't figure out how to get that turned back on. So, she sat there for hours with a computer doing things she couldn't stop, and no way to get in touch with anybody! I'm cracking up as I type this! Too, too funny. Just imagine!
There was the woman who bought a pair of maternity jeans for her sister who was pregnant with her seventh child by a seventh man! "She needs to get fixed, that's just ridiculous!," she said. Amen sister! But nice sister for buying maternity pants!
There was the stingy woman who squabbled over a 50 cent item, and then put it back.
There was the crazy artist who bought tons of stuff.
The mother and daughter who bought the Hookah because they thought it was "fun!"
The woman with cancer - she was cool.
The little girl who was excited to see our pet rabbit.
The woman who brought her dog and we laughed while hers and mine frolicked in the front yard.
The young college age girl who bought her boyfriend the drafting table and a ton of other stuff and spent nearly 30 minutes with her mom trying to fit it all in their car - laughing the whole time!
The man who gave us a coupon for a free half gallon of ice cream.
The man I see walking when I take the kids to school every morning.
And the crazy woman who was like a bull in a china shop - abrasive as the day is long.
All these people, out doing their thing, shift the momentum for a quick peek at somebody else's stuff. And in the process, stories are told, annual friendships are strengthened, and I watch as things which tell, in part, the story of my life go marching off to become somebody else's story.
There were things I was a little sad to see go, but I know it was time. Some of the memories were good, and some I just didn't need anymore.
So, the sale was a success. The house is breathing a little easier now. I am too for that matter. I have made a promise to myself to stop buying things so I don't have to have a sale next year. It's a LOT of work. But between you and me, I think I might miss the dynamic my garage sales bring. I'm getting rid of my stuff, but in exchange, I'm getting some new memories. And I like having them - at least until I don't need them anymore either.
posted by noncommon at 9:41 PM
7 Comments:
I am glad your sale was such a success.
And what colourful blog fodder it provided! I especially loved reading about Robert.
Great post.
I'm a people watcher too. Love this post.
This made me anxious for my own sale...how'd you do that?
Congrats on the sale! It's amazing how you remembered so much detail about your customers! Then again, they sound like pretty amazing people. Very cool.
Excellent descriptions of all your customers. Made me smile. Thanks.
Congrats on the sale going well! You're right, it is always interesting, just because these kinds of sales force you to interact with people who may be very different from you, if only for a few minutes. You're turning your home inside-out, in a certain sense, and giving others a peek into your own world. The things that result from that are always interesting.
Sounds like a good sale (for you and your buyers). This weekend is the big street fair near my house, which usually brings out yard sales. Yay!
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