Auction

[madscience]

I just returned from the estate auction of an eccentric old man who lived down the street. He was always very reclusive. In the twenty-seven years I lived on this block, I'd only ever see him mow his lawn or tend his flower garden, and then he'd disappear back into the house. I don't think we ever spoke

Comments

Now now, we don't know that he was necessarily paranoid.

[squidb0i]

He was an old man living alone with objects worth stealing, he could simply have been smartly cautious. And those would have been semi-autos, not autos, yes? ;]

Anyway, yeah, great scores. Love garage sales as much for the snoop factor you mentioned as for the great deals.

Two of the neighbors who I see walking past the house, presumably to get smokes, on a regular basis had a yardsale. Father and son, both named David. Anyway, David the elder's father died and they were unloading all his stuff. Sadly, the firearms were gone already, but I did manage to score a new-in-box Realistic home/auto CB unit for ten bucks.

Not as awesome as a $40 drill press, but I was pleased. =]

Another recent one was very gratifying, though. About a year ago we were walking the dogs and came across a pitiful little yardsale. Nondescript crap piled on the lawn, easily overlooked. But then I entered the garage and beheld wonders: tube ham radio rig with 20ft antenna; literally hundreds of vacuum tubes, many new old stock, many in the original technicians carry cases; test equipment for same; oscilloscope. I took the lot for $200. Just selling off some of the more choice tubes on ebay, I've already made back my initial investment. =]

Re: Now now, we don't know that he was necessarily paranoid.

[squidb0i]

Oh, and his backstory: Jerry was his name. Former radio tech/operator on a merchant marine ship in WWII. Came home to become a TV and radio repairman. Moving out to a retirement home, everything must go. Nice old dude. =]