the moving sale

We called it a moving sale because, well, I'm a rhetorician, so I like to think, and people are more likely to come to a moving sale than they are to a garage sale or a yard sale because moving sale implies better stuff. A few people asked us where we're moving. One even told S. that it's good that he's getting out of the neighborhood now. Not really sure what that was supposed to mean.

On Friday night we put all of the big stuff out in the driveway so that we could arrange the little stuff inside the garage. Well, that was a good move since by doing so we sold over $150 worth of stuff to the neighbors who had just moved in across the street. Good start to the sale, I'll say.

But then on Saturday we woke up to pouring rain. All of my beautiful signs--they really were good--you could see them a mile away. All of my beautiful signs with the balloons attached had to be ruined by all that rain during the night. Amazingly, most of the balloons survived the night. And balloons attract attention. As do ads in the paper. The signs said the sale started at 8, and there were people there right at 8. I'm sure if it hadn't been raining, the early birds woulda been there at 7:30.

It rained on and off, but it didn't really pour again. We did manage to get some of the big stuff into the driveway for a while when it stopped. S., being a veteran garage saler, tells me that you need to put all the good stuff out front and center to draw people in. Indeed.

We made more than $500 and we didn't sell any of S.'s exercise equipment. If it had been a sunny day, we would've cleared $700 or $800, I'm sure.

My favorite moment from the day. S. is inside the house doing something and I'm "negotiating" with these three young guys about a stereo that we've put a $15 sticker on. One of the guys points to the sticker, says "$15?"

Me: 15

He: 10

Me: 12

He: 10

Me: 12

S. comes out into the garage, sees that they're looking at the stereo, and says, "I'll give it to you for $10."

Me: Honey!

Others in the garage laugh. They'd heard the whole exchange.

Um, I was practicing my negotiating skills, thank you very much. And I wasn't going lower than 12.

Harumph.