Garage Sale
In the senior apartment that I reside, the most populous ethnic group is Chinese. Then Russians and their satellite nations, followed by Americans and in fourth place, Koreans.
There is a resident’s council to announce any important events or any other major announcements. There is one representing person of each ethnic group that attends the meeting. The previous person had resigned so I was chosen to be the council member and had attended ever since, despite being in the younger group.
The meeting is held every 2ndTuesdays on 10:00 am, during August meeting there was discussion about the upcoming garage sale on the 23rd of September. Since I had only recently moved in, (about a year and eight months now,) I had no idea what and how many things will be sold for the garage sale. Turns out, most of the items are from many of the elders that had passed away, or someone who had a place elsewhere that passed away, or even moving away would donate their items. Most of the office employees would move them into a storage room, then once a year a garage sale would happen. Some of the items also include things that other elders do not use, or their children who would donate things into the apartment. People who cannot sell any belongings would make cookies and use that to cover the costs of the Thanksgiving and Christmas event funding.
On the 22ndof September all items that will be sold on the garage sale was displayed on each and every imaginable category. After that, all the prices on said items had been attached. All clothing was to be divided and priced. Any dresses, men’s wear, to jackets would be hung from a metal wire. There were so many things to do, and so many hands to be needed for help. From 11AM to 5PM many people gathered and had displayed all the needed items.
My part of this project was mostly putting prices on electronics, furniture and picture frames. I had fun time doing this garage sale, since the person helping me (American elderly lady) had prior experience and was expertise in it. Another person whom stood out was an Iranian elder who had escaped at the end of the Cultural Revolution. There was an air of being well educated, and she was very detailed in the most minor of thing and had stayed till the end to help. Most volunteers would leave after an hour or two, but she was different. The elder said that she can speak Espernanto, which a language that was made for global usage.
In the monthly news print out, the sale was on the 23rd of September at 9AM.
But thinking that something was going to be inadequate, I had gone to the Fellowship Hall around 8AM in the morning to check. People were already lining up. I knew from the start that this was a popular event. When it struck 9AM, the doors opened and the first 20 people had purchased their things, I was glad that this was well worth helping last night.
I had bought a cabinet with a mirror since my wife had requested it. I remember my family had moved 23 times while living in the United States for 34 years alone. It was like a nomad’s life. We had always lived off easily constructible bookshelves, folding chairs, tables, plastic cabinets and so on. We had lived without a couch, comfy chair, or a cabinet for dishes. Nor did we even have had a kitchen table. But it wasn’t always uncomfortable, nor was it looking poor. Just having something to eat and somewhere to sleep was enough.
My wife wanted a comfy chair and a large mirror on the day’s garage sale. Reason being that my wife, being short, and with folding metal chair was difficult. With old age, her back would be problematic. So it was difficult for her to do sewing or reading her books. Having a tiny mirror to see her face was very uncomfortable. Since I was never able to get something like that comfy of level, I thought of purchasing those for my wife for once.
With the American elderly lady, we had priced out the furniture’s. After that, the manager would look and if the price was too low, it would have a raised price. The chair’s price (that my wife requested) was $85.00. No one had purchased the chair because it was high priced. That being said, the next day, the 24th of September was the liquidation day. I told the person taking charge of register that I was interested in purchasing the chair. The person said to take it for only 10 dollars! I think the price was lowered because I had diligently helped the last 2 days.
My wife and I think that from now on, we would never, ever have to move again.
I think we would be called upon by the Lord to be taken on this place. So it would be fair to have some furniture to be used cleanly, and then leave it behind. After purchasing those two aforementioned items, the total price was $70.00.
After putting them into our house, it had a much different feeling.
(October 17th, 2014)
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Hero 
Garage Sale