Old People And Mexicans
We made $125 at a yard sale today and I finally sold my billiards table for 1/7 it's 2002 purchase price. The fact I got anything is good. There are dozens of pool tables on Craigslist. We advertised the yard sale on CL. The professional yardies hit us early, 7am. The first Mexican couple bought $40 of great junk. We made most of our cash haul in 90 minutes.
Yesterday I got the envelope every American gets at age 50, my first AARP membership offer. I'm sorry if my acceptance into the realm of retired is rejected. I'm not interested in your community of RV driving space cadets any more than I want to join a nearby Mormon cult. I get that you may be confused that I live in Arizona and not retired. I'm 50 now and for some people that means an end to productivity. They retire. Fuck that shit. I know the membership of the American Association of Retired People. They get in my fucking way on the streets of Tempe every damn day .... on my way to work. The local population swells every winter, but no one under the age of 55. Snowbirds.
I wonder how much work told men have left in their elderly years that nakes them scour the town for old tools people no longer need. What do men build at the age of 70? As I haggled with the old men of Tempe I imagined what a treasure trove their yard sale will someday be ..... the estate yard sale their children might have.
In the great yard sale of 2002, the two day epic purge we did before moving cross country, I was annoyed and in some cases angered by the rudeness of people. I barked back. We sold entire rooms sets from our lawn and a garage full of tools. In a sale of my dad's tools after his 1993 death I kicked old men off my property for being miserly assholes in negotiations.
After a few southwest yard sales I know a Mexican yardie is far more reasonable than an old Yankee codger. They buy everything worth something, haggle moderately, and will always meet you half way. The old people in AZ are just like the frugal Yankee. They won't buy anything for more than a dollar and are perfectly willing to insult you with a 50 cent offer on a $3 item clearly worth much more than my asking price.
The Spanish-only driveway patrons are a challenge. At least I know when the blue hairs are cussing me. I think they pretend to not speak English as a bargaining tool. You'll take whatever offer they make just to get past the language barrier.
Late in the day, after our offerings were mostly picked over, a bargain hunting retiree offered me a quarter for the old gray box cutters of 911 infamy. We settled on 50 cents. He shortchanged me with a quarter and a nickel. I looked in my palm as he walked away. Twenty cents short, really? I hope the blade was dull.
After the yard sale we sent two SUV loads of stuff to Goodwill. Today was a good purge. I thank the Mexicans and old folks for buying my shit ..... but isn't time for you people to be driving back to Minnesota for the season?
Yesterday I got the envelope every American gets at age 50, my first AARP membership offer. I'm sorry if my acceptance into the realm of retired is rejected. I'm not interested in your community of RV driving space cadets any more than I want to join a nearby Mormon cult. I get that you may be confused that I live in Arizona and not retired. I'm 50 now and for some people that means an end to productivity. They retire. Fuck that shit. I know the membership of the American Association of Retired People. They get in my fucking way on the streets of Tempe every damn day .... on my way to work. The local population swells every winter, but no one under the age of 55. Snowbirds.
I wonder how much work told men have left in their elderly years that nakes them scour the town for old tools people no longer need. What do men build at the age of 70? As I haggled with the old men of Tempe I imagined what a treasure trove their yard sale will someday be ..... the estate yard sale their children might have.
In the great yard sale of 2002, the two day epic purge we did before moving cross country, I was annoyed and in some cases angered by the rudeness of people. I barked back. We sold entire rooms sets from our lawn and a garage full of tools. In a sale of my dad's tools after his 1993 death I kicked old men off my property for being miserly assholes in negotiations.
After a few southwest yard sales I know a Mexican yardie is far more reasonable than an old Yankee codger. They buy everything worth something, haggle moderately, and will always meet you half way. The old people in AZ are just like the frugal Yankee. They won't buy anything for more than a dollar and are perfectly willing to insult you with a 50 cent offer on a $3 item clearly worth much more than my asking price.
The Spanish-only driveway patrons are a challenge. At least I know when the blue hairs are cussing me. I think they pretend to not speak English as a bargaining tool. You'll take whatever offer they make just to get past the language barrier.
Late in the day, after our offerings were mostly picked over, a bargain hunting retiree offered me a quarter for the old gray box cutters of 911 infamy. We settled on 50 cents. He shortchanged me with a quarter and a nickel. I looked in my palm as he walked away. Twenty cents short, really? I hope the blade was dull.
After the yard sale we sent two SUV loads of stuff to Goodwill. Today was a good purge. I thank the Mexicans and old folks for buying my shit ..... but isn't time for you people to be driving back to Minnesota for the season?