Saturday, April 21, 2007

West Plano yard sale report: other people’s trash (bins)

By Claire Hoffman

PLANO — Mission: A friend asked me to keep an eye out for a trash bin.

I found what looked like a good neighborhood sale so I got up and out early. I brought Bailey, my dog, with me. When I got to the first house, the guy said, "You might want to put her back in, my dog is loose." I said, "Oh, is it around?" He said, "No, he took off out of the house and I don’t know where he went." While I looked at his stuff, he was looking down the street. I said, "What kind of dog is it?" He said it was a black schnauzer. I said, "If I see him, I’ll let him know to come home."

Mega-neighborhood yard sale goes as far as the eye can see. Or, to the end of the block, at the very least.

I went to the next yard sale. There was the dog, running around on the street, in between all these people who park everywhere, no one was paying attention to him and he was running all around, excited by all the people. I called him over and he came right to me. I put him in the back of the car. Bailey went NUTS. I rode over and took the dog out, the guy went, "Oh my God, thank you thank you." I’m glad I asked him what kind of dog it was.

I like to bring Bailey out and walk her around, but I don't always bring her; sometimes I just want to get there and look. Today, I wasn’t looking for anything in particular other than the trash bin, so it was more about walking with her. She had a blast. She likes kids and there were a lot of kids. She’ll go up and sniff. It’s all about the smell. She’ll stay right by me unless there’s a really good smell somewhere.

Hoo boy, yard-sale-ing really tuckers you out, oh yeah.

Some people don’t like that she’s there. "Why are you bringing your dog? My dog will get upset with your dog here." I understand since I am coming into their yard. But most people like her because she’s well behaved. She stays with me. Most people say, "What a good dog."

The problem I had all day was that it was all neighborhoods with kids. One strip, there were five yard sales right next to each other, and they all had strollers -- house after house where, as soon as you see the big plastic colored toys, you know most of it going to be baby clothes.

People who didn’t have kids all wanted a lot of money for their stuff. Everybody advertises it as "antiques". One woman had a tall skinny cabinet with maybe 6 or 7 drawers. All the side panels were veneer; it had water damage so it was peeling off. The drawers were made of particle board that had started to disintegrate. She wanted $15 for it! Some people are selling their stuff just to get rid of it, so they sell it cheap. But some people still think their stuff is pretty special; they just want to clean out their garage.

Only $2 and the original tag is still on it.

One of the houses had an older woman -- no kids’ stuff. I saw a trash bin sitting there on the sidewalk. It was a little dusty but it looked like it had never been used; there was an old tag still stuck to it. I said, "Are you selling this?" She said yeah. She wanted $2 for it. I wasn’t going to say, Can I give you $1. I was OK with $2.

Today's take: One trash bin.

Total: $2

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

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• Antiques and Collectibles

Comments

kirk Anonymous

Next time, why not take Twisted Dog to keep an eye on Bailey.

1 year, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

twisteddog Anonymous

Yeah, I'll be an excellent example for Bailey. Y'know, I swear I've had drinks with that schnauzer, and he had the same crazy glint in his eye.

I'm amazed at the quality of that trash can. One couldn't ask for anything better from a new trash can. In fact, I doubt even a new trash can has the excellent qualities of this particular trash can. I'm going to say that this trash can is the most perfect trash can available.

Bailey seems to have a pretty nice bed. I wonder where Claire sleeps ... at the foot?

1 year, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )