25.08.23 Space junkey.

 ~o~

 Friday 28th. Up at 6.30 to a newly emptied house. My visitor will be going home today. She has made a tremendous difference in the short time she has been here. I am most grateful for her efforts.  

 She provided the perfect balance between respect and detachment. For all the items which presented themselves. As we worked our way through the boxed collection/hoard. Another car full will go back into the charity system. To bring pleasure to more people. 

 It would have been incredibly difficult to have sold most of it. How would I have made it available? Or brought it to the attention of potential buyers? A flea market at home was impossible. Individual items, advertised online, would require postal charges. Making it uneconomical for most buyers. To hand it all back was the most guilt-free option. 

 Its collection gave us both many years of pleasure. As we traveled together in search of more bargains. Forever optimistic, so rarely disappointed. It is odd how I missed seeing this aspect of our relationship until now. It kept us close together and in constant communication. Expanded our circle of casual contacts.

 Many of the characters we met provided humour and insights into life as seen by others. We would often leave the vendors smiling. Or smiling ourselves. We rarely haggled. Greed was not part of our plan. It would impoverish the find. Or our relationship to it, or the vendor. 

 The prices were usually acceptable. And if not, the object of interest would simply be left behind. Our polite and cheerful demeanour would soften any refusal to buy. We had no need to make a killing. Because we would never be looking for a sale. Let alone a profit. Nor were we fools. It was a delightful hobby. One which kept our relationship alive. It was our bond. It also steadily improved our pidgin Danish.

 We soon discovered that some vendors were merely collectors. Their Insane greed simply took their wares off the market. Their establishments became vast junk yards. Several such fools have remained so to this day. No item is priced to match those elsewhere. It must be a multiple of its original value. Before being left to rot in the weather. For years on end. They must see their potential customers as victims. Until the intended "mug" turns and walks away in total disbelief.

 My lady visitor has left. The bus was 15 minutes late. So we chatted further at the bus stop. We hugged on parting. My first physical contact with another human being in over a year.

 Some light shopping and then back home to solo survival. With enough room to swing numerous cats. I have another car load of items for donation to a charity shop. Though I am certainly not returning to the shop with the ignorant staff of yesterday. 

 This afternoon I drove the second load to a huge, Assens charity shop. Where the older women volunteers were as blatantly rude as the bloke in another village. 

 Thankfully a very polite and willing young man came over. He helped me carry the heavy boxes inside from the car. Then he thanked me profusely and obviously sincerely, before shaking hands! That made me feel much better after giving them another half my "family treasures."

 The multimillionaire bosses of these international, charity shop rings. Really should give their volunteer staff some stiff, compulsory lessons in respect for donors AND customers. 

 How to say please and thank you. As if you actually meant it. Even if you don't have any social skills whatsoever. Even if you don't even know what the terms mean. Learn how to show warm gratitude to donors and customers alike. Customers are not all thieves, tramps, nor lepers! They are mostly human beings. There is no more rewarding job in life. Than dealing with the public face to ace. Bathing in the warmth of human communication at all possible levels.

 Learn how NOT to to be a self-important, jumped-up, prune faced, ignorant peasant. Just because you have served as a volunteer for a fortnight longer than the rest of your fellow voluntary pignoramuses. Entitlement is NOT a virtue! Try politeness. Or stay at home! 

 I bought a simple, inexpensive, wall mount for the TV while I was in town. Before risking all I must assess the solidity of the ugly, lounge wall. Which means pulling off one of the insulated, plasterboard panels. 

 The black polythene rectangle [image above] was ideal. For simulating where and how high to place the TV. It has been there for several days as a background feature. I moved it up and down and from side to side. Just to get a solid feel for a balanced appearance. I made the rectangle smaller and larger to get a sense of viewing distance and proportion. 

 The ugly chest of drawers could easily support the TV by its original stand. That is, until I confirm the structural integrity of the underlying wall surface. After that, yet another piece of unwanted furniture is strictly, recycling yard fodder. Everything must now earn its keep. Or it becomes superfluous.

 Dinner was cheese on toast with tomatoes. Followed by tomato soup and a bread roll.

~o~