A very American concept. We Americans have so much stuff that we sometimes need many garages to keep the stuff in.
When I first heard of this event and had not Americanized myself i.e. did not have too much stuff, I thought that the Garage itself was on sale. Although it begged the question how someone could partake of someone's garage if it was sort of attached to the garager's property.
That the garagee would have to somehow carry off the garage if it indeed were sold. Then I learned of the concept of OPEN HOUSE. Which then begged the question about open to what? As soon as my naive brain realized that the house was open to prospective buyers to come and visit I realized that the garage sale might go hand in hand or yard to yard with it.
Much later I got it all sorted out. Garage sales and House for Sale are entirely different animals - run by entirely different animals. The former is really the bailiwick of the homeowner while the latter requires agents who specialize in the art of getting rid of your abode.
So back to the garage sale - one that was this weekend. My big kick out of the whole thing was watching some random strangers show up at my driveway and curiously observe the items laid out like they were Egyptian antiquities or something that was clearly a hair above being in the dumpster. The idea of this sale is really to allow the homeowner to dispose of unwanted items that they thought they may need or have no use for any longer but may have some life left to be entirely throwable.
Folks that visit sometimes come with very specific idea of what they want and it might appear that they have not heard of Walmart since they categorically seem to be shopping for a desk lamp or a shelf or a camera tripod and expect to find a selection in other people's garages. When I tell them I do not have either item they seem dejected, almost insulted that I dared to not stock up on these.
Some it is a treasure hunt. That weirdo lava lamp might just be a good (and don't tell Uncle Garby but it is sooo cheap) gift for his 75th. Or that annoying music playing silk rose in a garish gold goblet might look nice in Tiffany's room - don't you think Ekbod? Eh? Do you have two dollars to give to this gentleman? Ekbod is meantime staring into space wondering why his wife of 45 years dragged him to another of these ghastly events.
All in all it gives me a chance to connect with my neighbors who I rarely see - what with each of us trying to amass more money to buy all this stuff we need to sell at the next garage sale!
When I first heard of this event and had not Americanized myself i.e. did not have too much stuff, I thought that the Garage itself was on sale. Although it begged the question how someone could partake of someone's garage if it was sort of attached to the garager's property.
That the garagee would have to somehow carry off the garage if it indeed were sold. Then I learned of the concept of OPEN HOUSE. Which then begged the question about open to what? As soon as my naive brain realized that the house was open to prospective buyers to come and visit I realized that the garage sale might go hand in hand or yard to yard with it.
Much later I got it all sorted out. Garage sales and House for Sale are entirely different animals - run by entirely different animals. The former is really the bailiwick of the homeowner while the latter requires agents who specialize in the art of getting rid of your abode.
So back to the garage sale - one that was this weekend. My big kick out of the whole thing was watching some random strangers show up at my driveway and curiously observe the items laid out like they were Egyptian antiquities or something that was clearly a hair above being in the dumpster. The idea of this sale is really to allow the homeowner to dispose of unwanted items that they thought they may need or have no use for any longer but may have some life left to be entirely throwable.
Folks that visit sometimes come with very specific idea of what they want and it might appear that they have not heard of Walmart since they categorically seem to be shopping for a desk lamp or a shelf or a camera tripod and expect to find a selection in other people's garages. When I tell them I do not have either item they seem dejected, almost insulted that I dared to not stock up on these.
Some it is a treasure hunt. That weirdo lava lamp might just be a good (and don't tell Uncle Garby but it is sooo cheap) gift for his 75th. Or that annoying music playing silk rose in a garish gold goblet might look nice in Tiffany's room - don't you think Ekbod? Eh? Do you have two dollars to give to this gentleman? Ekbod is meantime staring into space wondering why his wife of 45 years dragged him to another of these ghastly events.
All in all it gives me a chance to connect with my neighbors who I rarely see - what with each of us trying to amass more money to buy all this stuff we need to sell at the next garage sale!
ha, ha, Americans need to buy garages too, in addition to all the things that we desis buy!
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