billjustbill
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- #1
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Well, ...... in spite of past roadblocks, we FINALLY got the garage sale over with. Lots of people came and lots of things went! We've been trying since late March. Yet, it was a "Squeaker" as the tables were set up and the two ads were already running.... when, on Thursday Morning at 4:44 a.m., the phone rang. My 90 year old Mom, three hours away, had been admitted to their local Emergency Room.... Other family members were contacted, and Mom's condition was a bad skin infection on one leg, but nothing super bad. So, by midmorning, we were back on track, but behind schedule for early Friday morning's opening. It was good weather, no wind, and cloudy skies.
After working and setting up the tables and items until 12:00 Midnight on Thursday, starting a 4:00 a.m. on Friday morning, we finished putting out the higher dollar items that could be tempting to late night visitors.... The crowd began about 7:00 a.m. even though the local newspaper listed 41 garage sales.... After the initial 2hrs of the early morning visitors' rush, a steady flow of people followed. There wasn't time where there was an empty driveway of visitors until 4:00, Friday afternoon. We finally covered the tables after taking a few important things to the garage for overnight storage as the clock hit 5:00 p.m..
The 1950's diesel locomotive bell and matching dash "bell" switch went for $390.00 to a dealer, and by the time he and his wife left, they took more things with them. Another fellow read the Craigslist ad and drove 180 miles from Palestine, Tx., and bought $180.00 of an assortment of old tools. My wife's jewelry tables were a hit. What sold the most were bracelets and rings by the piece $1-$4), instead of the bagged jewelry. Friday, at mid afternoon, one large-framed man came up and was seriously looking over the area where all the individual necklaces were. As we both sat behind the jewelry table, the fellow said he was looking for a long necklace with a large cross. He was serious and tried one on. Then, he handed Trudy his card. IN LARGE LETTERS was his full name. Under that was the bold caption:
"Elvis Impersonator".
My wife found him two long necklaces and traded-out the shorter chains on two very large 3" tall crosses. "Elvis, Incognito" left with one large silver cross, and the other, a wide yellow gold....and an 8-page Elvis brochure that once came inside an Elvis LP record album....
We sold so much on Friday, and I was so tired. As the sun's light was dimming, I gave one last look at the tarp covered tables. I was afraid there wasn't going to be enough inventory for Saturday's sale. So, even being rusty and sporting old price tags with bends, folds and crinkles, I brought out 3 more large plastic tubs from July, 2013 sale leftovers and worked until 10:00 Friday night. Then, Saturday morning started at 5:00 by bringing even more things, unpolished and as found, I carried them by flashlight from the workshop, keeping a wide eye out for the skunk that ran under the widow lady's fence two nights earlier.....
Saturday's crowd was slower to arrive with the "weekend sleep-in's". But again, a steady and nonstop stream of people from 8:30 until 4:00 pm. Saturday's visitors seemed to need more attention. One young mother came up with her aging father, a Jr. High son, and two year old little girl. They wanted to see if the little girl would like the Ice Cream table and chairs. So, they asked if they could sit in them with her as Grandpa stood back to watch.... The small Teddy Bear that my wife placed in one of the small chairs must have closed the deal. The set sold for $100.00. From other visitors that came and went were from Middle age to Senior Citizen, between listening to what surgery they had, why they hurt now, and as they walked, talked, looked and bargained, they told of what tests or procedures were upcoming. They did spend dollars. Our total for Saturday matched what we've experienced from the past sale profiles of being about half of what was sold on Fridays......
When 5:00 p.m. came, I told my tired wife I wanted to play a game!!! She hates this, but in view of the successful sale, she agreed. I told her that if we stayed open just one more hour, I'd bet a hamburger, and dessert of her choosing, that we could earn enough to pay for a free no-cook supper, the newspaper ad cost, and all our cleaning supplies.... In the end, I was right, we sold $99 worth of things, but I really got more than that.
Those late last visitors seem to walk to a different beat. The 4 year old child with his grandmother that had a very low cut blouse, and the "lady" dressed in rough suede boots with an even lower cut blouse that was cut narrow at the neck and showing her wide pale shoulders and red and black bra straps were given to my wife to handle. After those and some normal folks that had come from the lake, I sent her into the house for a brief "R & R" after helping her tarp over her tables closest to the street. The very last visitor was thin fellow in his early 40's that wandered up the driveway. So, I waited to cover my tool and man-cave tables and left them in full view. He was wearing a two color golf shirt with "XTO" on one sleeve and "Exxon Mobil" embroider on the other. The fellow was rather quiet spoken and ended up buying a WWII Soldier's pump-up trench stove stamped "U.S. 1942, Made by Aladdin" He asked what I did to collect such a cross section of old things and complimented our years in public school education. He said, "It was because of two teachers that I stayed in high school after reaching my 18th birthday and failing 10th grade twice." Supporting him all the way, the two teachers gave him someone to talk to and a way back through the high school jungle, and away from running with a wrong and older crowd. He quietly said, "When I did go back, I applied myself and I made A's and B's. I hardly ever even made a B before; usually D's and C's." Then he said, "I guess I'm supposed to be on this earth for something." He raised both arms, tilted his head, and took his hands and parted his hair at several scarred places in his hairline. "Since last July and August, I've had four surgeries for four brain aneurisms."
Before he walked away, he shook my hand. And with both of my hands, I shook his.... He said "Thank you for listening to me. I know you've had a long day."
With the tightness of a knot in my throat, and the inestimable value of those last minutes, all I could say was "Come any time, and I'll keep you in my prayers."
Bill
After working and setting up the tables and items until 12:00 Midnight on Thursday, starting a 4:00 a.m. on Friday morning, we finished putting out the higher dollar items that could be tempting to late night visitors.... The crowd began about 7:00 a.m. even though the local newspaper listed 41 garage sales.... After the initial 2hrs of the early morning visitors' rush, a steady flow of people followed. There wasn't time where there was an empty driveway of visitors until 4:00, Friday afternoon. We finally covered the tables after taking a few important things to the garage for overnight storage as the clock hit 5:00 p.m..
The 1950's diesel locomotive bell and matching dash "bell" switch went for $390.00 to a dealer, and by the time he and his wife left, they took more things with them. Another fellow read the Craigslist ad and drove 180 miles from Palestine, Tx., and bought $180.00 of an assortment of old tools. My wife's jewelry tables were a hit. What sold the most were bracelets and rings by the piece $1-$4), instead of the bagged jewelry. Friday, at mid afternoon, one large-framed man came up and was seriously looking over the area where all the individual necklaces were. As we both sat behind the jewelry table, the fellow said he was looking for a long necklace with a large cross. He was serious and tried one on. Then, he handed Trudy his card. IN LARGE LETTERS was his full name. Under that was the bold caption:
"Elvis Impersonator".
My wife found him two long necklaces and traded-out the shorter chains on two very large 3" tall crosses. "Elvis, Incognito" left with one large silver cross, and the other, a wide yellow gold....and an 8-page Elvis brochure that once came inside an Elvis LP record album....
We sold so much on Friday, and I was so tired. As the sun's light was dimming, I gave one last look at the tarp covered tables. I was afraid there wasn't going to be enough inventory for Saturday's sale. So, even being rusty and sporting old price tags with bends, folds and crinkles, I brought out 3 more large plastic tubs from July, 2013 sale leftovers and worked until 10:00 Friday night. Then, Saturday morning started at 5:00 by bringing even more things, unpolished and as found, I carried them by flashlight from the workshop, keeping a wide eye out for the skunk that ran under the widow lady's fence two nights earlier.....
Saturday's crowd was slower to arrive with the "weekend sleep-in's". But again, a steady and nonstop stream of people from 8:30 until 4:00 pm. Saturday's visitors seemed to need more attention. One young mother came up with her aging father, a Jr. High son, and two year old little girl. They wanted to see if the little girl would like the Ice Cream table and chairs. So, they asked if they could sit in them with her as Grandpa stood back to watch.... The small Teddy Bear that my wife placed in one of the small chairs must have closed the deal. The set sold for $100.00. From other visitors that came and went were from Middle age to Senior Citizen, between listening to what surgery they had, why they hurt now, and as they walked, talked, looked and bargained, they told of what tests or procedures were upcoming. They did spend dollars. Our total for Saturday matched what we've experienced from the past sale profiles of being about half of what was sold on Fridays......
When 5:00 p.m. came, I told my tired wife I wanted to play a game!!! She hates this, but in view of the successful sale, she agreed. I told her that if we stayed open just one more hour, I'd bet a hamburger, and dessert of her choosing, that we could earn enough to pay for a free no-cook supper, the newspaper ad cost, and all our cleaning supplies.... In the end, I was right, we sold $99 worth of things, but I really got more than that.
Those late last visitors seem to walk to a different beat. The 4 year old child with his grandmother that had a very low cut blouse, and the "lady" dressed in rough suede boots with an even lower cut blouse that was cut narrow at the neck and showing her wide pale shoulders and red and black bra straps were given to my wife to handle. After those and some normal folks that had come from the lake, I sent her into the house for a brief "R & R" after helping her tarp over her tables closest to the street. The very last visitor was thin fellow in his early 40's that wandered up the driveway. So, I waited to cover my tool and man-cave tables and left them in full view. He was wearing a two color golf shirt with "XTO" on one sleeve and "Exxon Mobil" embroider on the other. The fellow was rather quiet spoken and ended up buying a WWII Soldier's pump-up trench stove stamped "U.S. 1942, Made by Aladdin" He asked what I did to collect such a cross section of old things and complimented our years in public school education. He said, "It was because of two teachers that I stayed in high school after reaching my 18th birthday and failing 10th grade twice." Supporting him all the way, the two teachers gave him someone to talk to and a way back through the high school jungle, and away from running with a wrong and older crowd. He quietly said, "When I did go back, I applied myself and I made A's and B's. I hardly ever even made a B before; usually D's and C's." Then he said, "I guess I'm supposed to be on this earth for something." He raised both arms, tilted his head, and took his hands and parted his hair at several scarred places in his hairline. "Since last July and August, I've had four surgeries for four brain aneurisms."
Before he walked away, he shook my hand. And with both of my hands, I shook his.... He said "Thank you for listening to me. I know you've had a long day."
With the tightness of a knot in my throat, and the inestimable value of those last minutes, all I could say was "Come any time, and I'll keep you in my prayers."
Bill
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