Okay, so I fell off the moratorium wagon Saturday. I intended to only go to a couple of sales in a nearby neighborhood, but it turned into more than that. Thankfully, I was very limited in what I could buy. Keith was getting ready to go camping, so Mazda was full of all his stuff for that. There was some space available, but I was forced to make careful choices, which was helpful.
We were taking off when we immediately detoured to follow some signs to a sale a few streets from us. There were actually two sales there. One was kind of artsy and eclectic, with the oddest prices I've seen in a while.
Everything that was over ten dollars had matching digits. It wasn't 10 dollars, but 11. Not 20, but 22. 33. 44. 55. They were all like that, up to the dinette set that was--I'm not kidding--$333.33. It's like zeroes were forbidden. And unmatching numbers. I wanted to ask about it, but was kind of afraid to.
Next door was a dude who was, well, kind of a jerk. When I went over into his yard, he was loudly declaring to another customer: "I like to barter and haggle. That's why nothing has prices! I just can't stand the way that everyone wants to low ball me." Insert eyeroll here. The guy he was talking to picks up two pictures and asks the price. Dude says: "Let me put it this way. What do you want to pay?" Really? That's how you start your bargaining and you're surprised that you get low balled? You can't complain about it when you practically ask for it.
The potential customer says: "I don't know. Ten bucks?" Dude says: "For both? No way for that. I would need 20 for both. That's slate you know. Those are on slate." Customer points out that they're both too light to be slate. "In fact," he says, "they're on wood." Dude is grabbing them and saying that he never knew that when I'm leaving. It took me five minutes to come out of the eyeroll the whole thing induced.
We cut over a couple of streets to go get something to drink and stumbled on another sale--a big one. Every time we asked about something, the guy having the sale said it was a dollar or two. At one point he said: "Hell, this is a yard sale. It ain't K-Mart." If there had been more van space, I probably would have ended up filling it from this.
We finally ended up at a neighborhood sale that's always pretty good. The first couple of houses were kind of lame, but it picked up pretty quickly. At one house, I had a very interesting bargaining experience that I'll have to detail tomorrow, because it needs pics. At another one, another customer tried to sell me a table he had just bought. He paid three bucks and wanted me to pay ten. I laughed and turned him down. I appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit, but I'm an entrepreneur too. I would have gladly given him three for it.
At the last house, there was a HUGE plush gorilla sitting outside the garage. Keith made a comment about it as we pulled up. He stayed in the van to make a call and I went to the sale. Five minutes later, I'm walking up to Mazda with the gorilla and he's holding his head in his hands. I walked over to the van and said: "C'mon. We both knew this was going to happen." He laughed and said: "I was hoping to be wrong this time."
It ended up being a channeling kind of day. At different times, I channeled different junkers. There were several moments, though, that were pure Eddie. You'll see what I mean tomorrow when I show you the stuff.
6 comments:
$333.33? Really? Sounds like they were high when they made up those prices. lol They probably didn't realize they'd have to make change for all those crazy prices.
I would have had to ask about the crazy pricing - maybe it's psychological. I hope you were not channeling me when you came home with the gorilla. I do have boundaries when junkin' even though it is eclectic. I did sell a wire basket to another shopper at a yard sale this weekend. I paid $2 for it and was putting it in the car. She came up and said she wanted the basket, but had not seen it. She offered me $6! I only took $2. I do have scruples even though sometimes it does not seem like it!
That was some weird pricing! I hate when people at yard sales think it's retail store prices, it's a YARD SALE!! Can't wait to see what you found and gigging about the Gorilla!
hugs,
Linda
Can't wait to see you channeling me. I hope you were sweating profusely because that is ME at a yard sale these days. Love your stories. I think the stories are better than the junk sometimes - sometimes it's the junk, sometimes it's the journey. :)
Did I get channeled?!?!! Would love to see you decked out in VERA & SWEATER CLIPS - and hey, neither takes up much room!!!!!!!😇
Lol, I laughed way too hard at this post !! Sorry I slept Tuesday away, damn med's !! I hit one garage sale Sat afternoon, around here they start Weds or Thurs so they were tearing down. They had so much stuff left, they said just give us a donation . Two silverware boxes of silver and silverplated silverware, tool boxes, pottery ( McCoy), sterling jewelry.picture frames with $25.00 price tag's ,BONANZA.Paying time, she say's, give what you want , me in my head, free ? I said $30, she said $15. I know I have over $100 in sterling alone !!! Filled up the back of my Ford escape !!! Hug's, TT
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