Mexico (James) Vs. Argentina (Jess)

The World Cup game between Mexico and Argentina was on yesterday during our semiweekly swap meet extravaganza.  Every aisle had TVs and radios tuned in, and everyone I asked said Mexico was going to win.  It's too bad I'm not the betting type, because Mexico got spanked 3-1.

In retrospect, if our bargaining yesterday was a game, Jessica would be Argentina.  I didn't even have a fighting chance.

Starting out strong on our very first aisle, she spied an original Ronco Food Dehydrator in the original box.  'What on earth would she want with that,' you ask?  Healthy, chemical-free, dried, fresh fruit, vegetables, and jerky of course!  Our neighbor's plum tree has been exploding with fruit this month, so this was a pretty good idea.  Of course, the cost could easily sway the perception of just how good the idea was...  Now, how much would you pay?  $20?  $30?

The lady offered it for just one easy payment of five bucks.  SOLD!  At that price we could get our use out of it and then turn it around at our next garage sale for 10.  Kinda makes you feel sorry for the sucker who paid full price 20 years ago... Jessica 1, James 0.

(<------- Exhibiting my Ron Propeil trustworthy TV salesman face)


We headed up a nearby aisle to one of our usual hotspots.  Along the way she asked a guy about his post hole digger (for putting up a trellis in the garden).  $25?!  We passed on that one, and soon came upon another post hole digger, this one for 10 bucks...  'Will you take five?'  Jess asks.  'Sure.'  SOLD!  Another item for the garage sale.  GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!  Jessica 2, James 0.

Along that same aisle, I spied a 20 pound CO2 cylinder.  'What would he want 20 pounds of Carbon dioxide for,' you ask?  Beer of course!  After bottling 5 batches of home brew, I decided to go easy on myself and start putting it in kegs.  CO2 pushes the beer out of the kegs.  (It doesn't hurt to have something to keep the beer cold in too, so I recently built a new toy...)

The "kegerator" already has a 5 pound CO2 tank in it, so I can resell this 20 lb CO2 tank on Craigslist for $100 and use the profit to help pay for the parts I needed for the project.    GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLL!!!!!  Jess 2, James 1.

Now, things were looking up, but nothing could prepare me for her next big find.  This one inadvertently brought about my absolute defeat. 

It was a six setting hand-painted matching stoneware service set from Mexico.  Three boxes, including two sets of plates, bowls, platters, a pitcher, a vase, cream and sugar bowls, gravy boat, glasses, cups, a soup tureen, service bowls...  you name it, it's there.  Do we need it?  No!!!  She's already got a 12 place setting Noritake china set she bought when she was 16!  We never use it!  But here's the kicker...  She asks the guy anyway, and he only wants $40 bucks.  $40 bucks!!!  She walks away to find me and chat about it, and he yells out to her 'OK, $35!'  $35 bucks!!!  The set we got for the wedding (and later returned because it turned out to be complete crap) cost about that much by the piece!

So I make her a deal.  She can have this set if it replaces the china.  She readily agrees, and I go talk to the guy a little more.  By this point we only have $30 bucks left.  He's not happy to drop- the price again, but he needs to get back to watching Mexico lose the soccer game.  And so, I helped her emerge victorious with our new set of dishes for $30 bucks, effectively kicking the proverbial ball into my own goal.
 

You see, had I not been haggling for plates, I could have come out ahead by a long shot.  On my last pass down an aisle I hadn't hit yet, I come across a bright red rowing shell, like the kind I used to race.  Mind you, when I bought mine it cost me $5500, used.  The cardboard sign on this one said "$2700, yours for $300."  The oars alone were worth at least the $300, and just as I'm ready to ask about them, I notice the word "SOLD" being written on the sign. DEFEATED!!!!! 


Final score: Jessica 3, James 1.
Damn plates...