"Garage Sale" by Mikey
I do believe the world can be divided into two sorts of people – those who love garage sales and thrift stores and flea markets, and those who don’t. Our household contains one of each sort, and so it was Nyel who spent the three-day Thanksgiving weekend in our garage hoping for the hoards to buy the treasures that surrounded him.
My contribution was to keep him supplied with turkey sandwiches and hot tea. And, of course, encouragement. I tried to remain silent about the “treasure” part, being aware as I am that it’s all a matter of perspective. Fortunately for Nyel, he had a steady stream of lookers, some of whom bought a little of this and a little of that. I think, all-in-all, he had an okay time of it.
Throughout the weekend there were friends and acquaintances among those who stopped by. That part, of course, is inevitable, but I always feel a bit like someone is looking in my underwear drawer when they poke around amongst our discards. Plus, I wonder if one of those scented candles or “designer baskets” was a long-ago, never-used gift from someone we know.
I console myself with the thought that some of those “treasures” are like Christmas fruitcakes: they exist to make the rounds. I’ve heard garage-salers of my acquaintance laugh over objects they’ve recognized at one place and then at another. Such an occurrence doesn’t seem off-putting to the inveterate looky-loo. In fact, I have discerned a note of pride from those who are so well-versed in the business of discard merchandise that they can actually follow certain items year-after-year and from one sale to another.
The garage is now put back together and ready once again to receive our ever-patient car. What wasn’t sold is boxed up and ready for transport to the Good Will or some other thrift venue. Nyel seems medium-pleased with his earnings. The turkey carcass is ready for the stock pot. Altogether: a good weekend.
Your garage sale was as much shopping as I was up for on Black Friday. I can never face the stores on that day and even have trouble during holiday shopping times. It’s just too many people in too small an area. I prefer to purchase hand-made items, if possible. They just seem so much more personal. Garage sales are actually just recycling. You never know what you’ll discover at the next sale. We enjoyed our chat after the shopping. Hope you have a warm and loving holiday season.