West Plano yard sale report: an end table is found

by By Claire Hoffman

PLANO — Mission: Still looking for an end table.

The day started with my search for this place that was having a big recycling event -- phone book shredding, sneaker collections -- but I couldn’t find it.

But while I was looking for it, I spotted a yard-sale sign. You can tell who all out there is yard saling. They slow down a little at intersections and the eyes sweep the horizon. That's what you see on Saturday mornings before 9 o'clock.

Two almost-new pairs of boots, perfect size, 50 cents each.

It turned out to be another neighborhood sale. The first house had one of those maps -- a platte map with houses X'ed out to show which houses are participating. But they started it on Friday, so a lot of the places were already tapped out -- old picture frames, kitchen glass, the stuff that nobody wants so it just sits there.

But I found one house in the back that hardly anybody had been to. She had SHOES and they were my size: 8-1/2. And she had similar taste. I bought two pairs for 50 cents each. They were hardly worn. One is a brown suede boot by Keds; the other is a black leather boot, I think it's Croft & Barrow? They're good. I think she was one of those people who has lots of money and buys lots of things. She probably bought them and wore them once and didn’t like them as much she thought.

But I was looking still for that recycling event. Unfortunately, I turned the wrong way on Custer and went north instead of south. I found another yard sale. They had a little table. Nothing fancy, just a little flat top and bottom with a stick in between, like someone had put it together themselves. It was 50 cents so I bought it; I thought I could put it out on the porch with the wicker chair -- something to stick my coffee on.

See the end table in all its glory. Worship the end table, bow to the end table. Praise the end table!

Then I saw one last sign, so I turned in. It was PACKED. So many people there. They had all kinds of stuff on the front yard. They were selling this old turntable and speakers -- it was playing, so that people would know it worked. But it was on a table. I asked the guy who was running the show if the table was for sale. He said, "Let me ask Wally." It looked like maybe it was his father-in-law. Wally came over and said, "Yeah, I'm selling it." He said, "You know, it's kindof scuffed on top." I said, "That's perfect. I like stuff that is used and has character."

It’s really well made. It’s about 2-1/2 feet high, it has a wooden frame around the edge and flats in the middle. It’s real thick and good wood, but with soft edges. It has four strong, thick legs and a rack underneath -- a place to store things. It looks like it's been a little bruised but it's still in really good shape. He said he'd sell it for $5. I had $5 in my pocket so I just handed it to him.

Today's take: Two pairs of shoes, and two tables, including the much-sought-after end table.

Total: $6.50

This story was submitted by a member of the Pegasus News community.