Going once. Going twice. SOLD!

August 7, 2011

We aren’t much for yard sales. As I shuffle between the long tables scattered with items, I’m struck continually with the realization that someone wants to rid themselves of these things. For days, even years perhaps, that person acting as if they are reading a book, sitting behind the card table that holds the money box, has been calling these items junk; or some such similar word. As I strain my neck to see two tables over, I find myself questioning the items that do seem to have some resemblance of value. Wondering if it did have value, why would they be selling it in the first place. But as I make my way through the throngs that parade through these yard sales I’m struck with the obvious: I am not the norm.

For this reason, sitting behind my laptop last night, checking over the sixty-six items my kids and I had listed onto eBay it occurs to me - our efforts to purge ourselves via eBay is our attempt at a very modern yard sale. Granted, we have no idea if any of these items will sell. But we also aren’t sitting outside for hours, watching storm clouds make their way in our direction. We aren’t pushing signs into the ground before the first rooster crows. We aren’t discovering the hard way that we forgot to get change for the money box. And most of all, we aren’t carting all of these items under cover once evening rolls around.

So as I strive to sell my $100 Abercrombie & Fitch jeans for $10 bucks on eBay, I’m struck with how peculiar the business of buying is. As much as we all hope to find, buried under a pile of long forgotten, old clothes, the rare treasure that if sold at auction would provide for our retirement – basically we’re just giving it all away. And the smart shopper is the one that sits behind their computer and buys these items for a fraction of the price. That savvy shopper chose to let me, just years prior, stand in the dimly lit, overly cologned Abercrombie & Fitch store, pay the ridiculous price – not them.

What’s done is done. But will I take this epiphany, with me as I head back to the mall? I don’t know. I surely hope so. Because regardless of how much money I have available to spend, I truly dislike spending more than is necessary. I often cringe while standing at the Justice store in the mall, holding an armload of overpriced girls clothing. Knowing full well that in a matter of weeks, those same items will be hung on the clearance rack in the back or – as last night’s purging revealed – listed on eBay for a tenth of the price.

Choosing to view this cycle of buying in a more philanthropic light, I use to bag up all these gently used clothes and drive them to Goodwill. But having just learned that my soon to be ex spends his days mulling around Goodwill, buying items to then turn around and sell on eBay for a profit, I’m left not feeling as good as I once did about my benevolent efforts. I had chosen to write off the loss, knowing I was helping out someone in need. And although Goodwill may not care – something about his actions leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

With all that said, off I go, to view my account on eBay, see if anyone has made a bid, or if anyone has a question that only I, the owner of all these sixty-six items, can answer.

Sane.