"So how much did you get for my silk scarf?"
"What silk scarf?"
"The one that woman is carrying away with her?"
My friend began screaming at the woman who is about ten feet away and heading to her car, "Did you buy that? Come back here! How much did you buy it for???"
I frantically whisper to her, "Don't worry about it! Not important! We'll figure it out later."
The Hispanic woman returned with her whole family in tow, embarrassed beyond belief and with fear in her eyes tried to explain in broken English she bought all of it for $32.00.
In addition to the interesting customer service style, I tried to give my friends tips like don't use a money box, well, OK, if you must, but don't leave it unattended. Where is the money box? Are you sure you want to leave it on the table on the other side of the yard unattended? or Since there is nothing for sale in the house, don't let people in to wander around freely or you might lose your cell phone, iPod, Kindle or anything left on the counters or tables, uh, hmm...do you know those people who just walked into your living room? They were too hyperactive to listen. After a while I felt like I was babysitting grown-ups and being obnoxiously bossy so I just shut up and tried to keep an eye on everything including the merchandise which was impossible.
Good GOD! I was about to tear my hair out, but I should have expected it. As delightful as my friends are, they weren't very organized and this sale was just a means to an end. I think they might have been as happy to throw it all in the garbage. It was chaotic. I should have known. Lesson learned.
And then there were all the neighbors. A yard sale is cause for celebration in our little town so all the people I work very hard to avoid most of the year are now in my face. By 3pm nearly everything was sold and I was exhausted. More mentally and emotionally than physically.
By that time all I wanted to do was drag myself to safety, lock the gate behind me, lock the door behind me, and seclude myself in the isolation of my fortress. I did not want to see another living soul for at least a week and I wished I was living in the middle of forty acres...surrounded by a moat...filled with crocodiles.
Why am I telling you this story? It got me thinking if I can't handled one day of neighbors, how on earth would I be able to live in a eco-village with chemically-sensitive neighbors in close proximity? We as MCSers deal with all kinds of illness symptoms that often make us not-so-sociable and down-right-difficult a lot of the time. We are compatibility-impaired in general. Is my eco-village dream even rational for most chemically-sensitive people? Neighborly encounters on a daily basis and unable to get away from people...that sounds like my personal hell. I like my option of isolation and I'm not sure I'm willing to give it up for a fantasy.
Hmmmm....?
I'm re-thinking my MCS eco-village fantasy. After it gets built and started, I'll step away and go live on my own acreage next door!
Rapist of Rathole! Hahahaha!!!! Take a break from humanity then. At least you can do it. I can't.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking I need to paint a cartoon of the Rapist of Rathole, but I fear I might make him look too cute.
DeleteI've had two huge yard sales when each of my parents were done with their households. The one in SoCal was horrible. People were nasty - gave deposits to keep things and came back at the end and offered less, broke into the house and took things, took family photographs, stole things from the sale. Horrible.
ReplyDeleteAt a smaller yard sale, the first person there tried to get me to take 10 cents for an item marked 25 cents. It was surreal while I tried to argue this worthless piece of junk was actually worth the price marked. Maybe I just don't get it...
The one I had in Mendocino was wonderful - people knew how to behave. The last day we put a free sign on everything to get rid of it. People went to find friends who were poor, nay desperate, and drove them in to get stuff they couldn't afford at low prices. Great energy. It was a lovely experience! It certainly depends on the community.
That doesn't surprise me about Southern California as I lived there for a short time. What a horrid experience! Tricky with the deposits...I never accept deposits. And I don't hold anything. First person with the money gets it and they better take it away or I'll sell it again. :)
DeleteI don't mark anything because it's too much work, but I'm prepared to bargain. I think part of the game is the expectation the seller will ask for a higher price and the buyer is expected to go low. Doesn't matter what the price is, it's the tradition. For some bargaining is part of their culture, like Mexicans. They've made it an art form to be admired. This yard sale I sold my guitar. This Hispanic guy was from L.A. and wanted it for his daughter. I wanted $30, he said $20, I said $25, he pulled out his wallet and handed me $23. HA! It was so brilliant I took it. I bought it for $20 at another garage sale a couple years ago....
In Rathole, compared to other areas, I've encountered lots of shoplifting. You have to watch everyone really closely. Things disappear and it's easy to get distracted, but that's the only problem I've had other than regretting selling something.
Oddly enough with my own garage sales, I don't feel exhausted at the end.