Monday, August 27, 2007

Sunday Shopping

I felt like yesterday was my lucky day, but not for the reason I had originally hoped. I often like to go out for a walk on Sunday afternoon, because it's garbage day in parts of the neighborhood and people sometimes put out some pretty good stuff. Yesterday afternoon, it was still a little too early for most people's garbage to have been put curbside, so I was just strolling aimlessly. I noticed a new second-hand store where there hadn't been one before, so I went in. I poked around, hoping I might see a cool lamp or a painting or something, and had almost given up when I noticed a little wooden chair. I looked away and then looked back. "That is quite a neat little chair," I thought. It was just a very plain, simple chair, but there was something about the shape of it that was pleasing. It was $22, marked down from $25. It seemed very sturdy and was in good condition aside from a few scuffs.
"Yeah, cute chair," I thought, and then I walked out of the store.
Walking out of the store is just what I tend to do most of the time. I go in, I look around, I might pause over something, but for the most part, I decide I don't need anything, or don't want to bother to try anything on, or that whatever I'm interested in buying can wait and if I truly want it, I'll just come back. So I continued on my stroll, but kept thinking about the chair. "That really was a nifty little chair... and only $22... yeah, but do I really need it? Do I need to spend $22? Well, I actually do need a desk chair, so I can go back to using my stool as an end table in the living room... maybe I should buy that chair? I wonder what time the store closes... when else would I have time to go back? That chair was really kind of unusual, I bet someone else will buy it... hmm, the store probably closes in about 10 minutes... and anyway, why am I agonizing over this? It's $22! I've spent $22 on far stupider things than that chair!"
So after walking two blocks, I turned around and went back to the store. I sat in the chair, examined it more closely, decided it was good, and bought it. As I was carrying the chair home, I passed an elderly woman who was walking her dog. We smiled at each other and she said, "My, isn't that a nice chair you have there!" and I thanked her, saying I'd just gotten it and was very pleased. "Oh, did you just find it on the street?" she asked. I told her that I hadn't, but that I felt almost as lucky as if I had!

3 comments:

SavingDiva said...

Congrats on the thrifty chair! I saw a few chairs near the dumpster at my apartment building...and I was too busy to pick them up...and when I went back to get them they were gone...

Anonymous said...

I found a great couch once in the alley right outside my apartment building once... But I was afraid to take it because someone was sleeping in it!

Anonymous said...

I do the same thing! I constantly browse and pause over a few items. Because I am prone to impulse buys- I try to come back or put the item on hold and give myself a day to think about it. If I can't get the item out of my head, I usually find it reason to buy. And seldom regret such purchases.
Cheers to the chair!