Buying in

My first mistake was postponing the yard sale by a week. I mean, the rationale for having a July 4th and 5th sale was sound: I was off work, surely other people were off work, and there was absolutely no reason why people shouldn’t show up in my driveway at 6 a.m. on a holiday.

The rationale for putting it off a week was just as sound: I wasn’t ready.

But all was justified the day Paul defended his dissertation. I was at a celebratory lunch with five people much smarter than myself, and I was eating a barbecue bologna sandwich. On my side of the table were Paul and Mike, who’s graduating at the same time as Paul and is piggybacking on our garage sale. The three of us explained we were postponing the sale, and the other side of the table – which, incidentally, must be much smarter – told us that made perfect sense. The locals aren’t out shopping; the out-of-towners don’t want to cart stuff home with them.

Thank goodness I procrastinated!

But after the 4th passed, I had no good reason not to get ready for a sale. So Paul and I have spent the last few days boxing up crap and carrying it to the garage. I cleaned a bookshelf at 6 a.m. yesterday and spent the rest of the day patting myself on the back.

Smacky, bless his soul, mentioned we probably had cool stuff for sale. We don’t. We’re keeping all the cool stuff for ourselves. What would I read if I got rid of my Sandman and Fruits Basket miscellany? What would I watch if I sold my DVDs of The Office? The packrat’s problem is knowing that everything has a use – even if that use doesn’t immediately spring to mind.

We’re selling un-fun things like desks (3), chairs (2), ginormous vases (2), a Gamecube, half my handbag collection, random furniture, and about a billion books. There's more, but that's what pops to mind.

I e-mailed Mike to ask what he’s selling, and he wrote back:

Mike’s Stuff

1) Playstation 2 bundle- PS2 console, extra controller, DVD remote, component cable, w/ four games
2) Dreamcast bundle- Dreamcast console, two VMU (memory units), w/ six games
3) 32-inch JVC TV (flat-direct view CRT television) w/ remote and manual
4) 27-inch Zenith TV w/ remote
5) RCA 8-inch powered subwoofer (home theater)
6) Aiwa bookshelf system (3-CD)
7) Comic Collection (choose from 250+)
8) Basketball ball card collection (choose from 500+)

So while I try to peddle a good portion of my worldly possessions, I must resist the urge to buy his stuff.

... His cool stuff.

Stuff that really would fit nicely in our new apartment. Stuff that wouldn’t take up much room in the moving van. Really.

Who am I kidding? I call dibs.