My yard sale

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Pics of my last lawn/estate sale and some "stories".

Interior pics (not everything is for sale inside)

Since my mother passed away, I have been attempting to liquidate her estate. I couldn�t find any antique dealers or auctioneers interested right now, so I�ve been attempting to sell on my own by having lawn sales. I�ve encountered many �interesting� folks. Most people just come and if they don�t see anything they want, leave. Or if they pick out something, pay for it. But watch out for these "types":

The �talker� � Is usually an older person. He/she engages you in conversation; tells you their life story, family problems, about other sales they�ve been to, etc. This is interesting for about the first 3 minutes, then it appears he/she isn�t going to stop anytime soon. You start thinking to yourself, �How can I tactfully get rid if this bore.� The �talkers� usually don�t buy anything; they just want an audience.

The �flustered mom� - They have a minimum of 2 elementary school age kids or younger who, if you have toys and games for sale, proceed to open the box of every board game and dump the contents all over the place, throw they toys around, or just stand and screech as their mother looks around. Constant admonitions of mom to the kids to behave themselves go unheeded and they continue to make a shambles of your sale. They finally leave without buying anything, then you have to go around and pick up that 500 piece jigsaw puzzle scattered on the lawn and under the hedge, hoping you retrieved all the pieces.

The �complainer� � Looks at everything and has nothing good to say. Either the prices are too high, or the quality of the items isn�t good enough for them. People like this could find fault with Jesus! If my stuff isn�t good enough or cheap enough for you � just leave. You don�t have to announce it to the neighborhood.

The �reservists� � They pick out something, then announce they have no money. They want you to �hold� it for them until they can get the cash and return. Two weeks later you�re still waiting for them. Now I set a time limit and it�s usually 2 hours and TELL them. They usually get huffy about that, but if they aren�t a serious buyer � who cares? Did they really have any intention of buying it in the first place, or were they just playing one of their games? Are people that strapped that they don�t even have 10 bucks on them?

The "appraiser" - Comments on what fine antiques there are and that you have them way under-priced. This begs the question: If these valuable antiques are so fairly priced, why aren't you buying any?

The �tycoon� � Usually a 30-something male. Flashes a big handful of money and announces, �I�m a CASH buyer!� I think, �Yeah? � as opposed to what other means of tender?� They almost never buy and if they do, it some small, inexpensive item so they have an excuse to pull out their wad again to impress you. I think the only person it impresses is them!

The �drive-bys� � they slow down and cruise the sale, go up the block, turn and come back and drive ever so slowly by again, then suddenly zoom off, leaving an acrid cloud of vehicle exhaust in their wake.

The �lazies� � won�t get out of their vehicle. They want you to bring everything over to them. I could see this if they were physically handicapped, but I do not see their vehicle marked as such which is required in our state. Are they getting some kind of amusement having you run back and forth? They usually don�t buy anything either.

The �invaders� � they look around for a minute, but don�t seem interested in anything. They hang around until you�re distracted, then go into your house and start looking around or at least into areas they shouldn�t, like the cabinets in the garage or the boxes on the porch. When you point out that only the items outside are for sale, they scream �Are you having a sale or not!� They insist EVERYTHING you have is for sale.

This is the worst one � the �fake� buyer. They walk around picking up armloads of stuff, getting your hopes up they are going to purchase a large quantity. After about 10 minutes of this, they suddenly dump everything and walk away. One time I had a lot of framed pictures. On older man came in and looked around. He said he would buy all the pictures if I wrapped them up for him. Procuring large sheets of heavy paper and twine, I painstakingly wrapped them. He stood right there and watched carefully, not saying a word. Thirty minutes later, when I was all done, he suddenly said, �I changed my mind� and walked off. Really! You could almost punch some of these people.

Miscellaneous: One woman I remember clearly, selected some pressed glass items and started to walk away. I accosted her and said those items total $12. She became very huffy and said, �Why should I have to pay ANYTHING? It�s stuff you don�t want anyway or it wouldn�t be out here.�

Another man selected an antique chair that needed a new cane seat. He brought it over to me. I said. �It�s ten dollars.� He held out his empty hand. I repeated the price. He said, �Yeah, so where�s the ten?� He expected me to pay HIM to take it!

Honestly � I could write a book!