Chapter 9
LOUISE ALREADY HAD CABIN FEVER. “Let’s hit some garage sales tomorrow,” she said to Zona.
The last thing Zona wanted to do was visit a collection of lovely homes in Glendora and pick over the owners’ castoffs like a buzzard. She was sure it would remind her of having to sell most of her own possessions to right her sinking financial ship. And what if Louise fell?
“I don’t know, Mom. It’s going to be hard for you to get in and out of my car with that cast on, and your car isn’t any bigger.”
“We’ll get Martin to take us. It’ll be fun.”
“Let’s get Martin to take you,” Zona corrected her.
“I know you haven’t done much of this,” said Louise.
Not since she’d been a kid and Louise had taken her along on what she’d called treasure hunts.
Louise had given her a few dollars to spend, and she’d been happy to come away with children’s books and toys.
But once she became a teenager such nonsense was behind her, and during her years of false security with Gary she’d had everything she needed and enough money to buy anything she wanted.
Her mother could certainly afford to buy anything she wanted from a store or online. Not that she needed anything.
“But it can be fun,” Louise continued. “It’s all about the thrill of the hunt. One woman’s junk is another woman’s treasure. You might even find something you could resell online and make some money.”
Make some money. Those were the magic words.
Except, as the saying went, you had to spend money to make money. And Zona had a whole ten dollars in her wallet at the moment. Not much of an investment. Still, if it would make her mother happy.
“All right,” she said, “but only if Martin will drive us in his car.”
Martin’s Hyundai was a sedan. It was roomier than Zona’s car and it rode low enough to the ground that they wouldn’t have much of a problem getting Louise in and out of it.
Zona didn’t think her mother realized how taxing her proposed adventure was going to be, but even if she got out for an hour, it would probably do her good. As long as she managed to stay upright.
The call was made, and Martin happily signed on for chauffeur duty, promising to come get them at eight the next morning.
“Eight,” Zona groaned, thinking of how long it would take to get her mother ready and fed. “Don’t garage sales usually start at nine?”
“We’ll have to go to the ATM first,” said Louise.
“And we have to leave at eight for that? It will take all of ten minutes to go to the ATM.”
“People always get to garage sales before they start. I don’t want anyone scooping us.”
“Oh, by all means, let’s be rude, too,” Zona said.
“Sellers won’t mind if we’re a few minutes early, believe me, especially if they see I’m on crutches.”
“Playing the sympathy card,” Zona murmured.
“Why not? Anyway, the early bird catches the worm,” Louise informed her. “I’ve looked, and there are a lot of worms available starting at nine, so we need to get going right away.”
“We don’t want to miss out on any worms,” Zona teased.
Looking for worms. How humiliating. Maybe it wouldn’t have been under different circumstances, if Zona had money and was simply out for fun. After all, half of America was into garage sales. Considering her lack of money, this felt more like desperation, and she said as much.
“There’s nothing desperate about finding a bargain,” Louise insisted. “It’s no different than shopping a sale at a department store or online, except someone else already tested out what you’re buying. Trust me. You’ll get addicted.”
There was another word Zona didn’t like. It reminded her of Gary and what he’d done to himself and to their family.
“That won’t be me,” she said.
“I’ll remind you that you said that.” Louise so loved having the last word.
OFF THEY WENT on Saturday morning, Louise excited to hunt for treasures, Zona half wishing she was a kid again, clueless about money and excited to find a My Little Pony or a book.
“Thanks for doing this with us,” Louise said to Martin once they had her settled in the front passenger seat.
“I’m always happy to spend time with you. You know that,” he said to her. “Your mother and I met at a garage sale,” he told Zona.
“I remember,” Zona said. Probably the best garage-sale treasure her mother had ever found.
And Louise took his devotion way too much for granted. Zona wondered if her mother even realized how very woven into the fabric of her life Martin had become. Would she see him in a new light if he lost some weight? Started going to the gym? Louise couldn’t be that shallow.
Or maybe she could. Dad had been a hard act to follow. He’d prided himself on being in shape and had sneered at men who didn’t do the same. Maybe Louise had become a sneerer by association.
Zona knew better than to focus on the outside wrapping.
Look at the two men she’d chosen. Both were proof that what was on the outside could be nothing more than false advertising, hiding something faulty beneath.
Their neighbor was another example. If ever there was a woman magnet, it was him.
But who knew what was hiding behind that charming smile?
“You never know where you’re going to find your next best friend,” Louise was saying.
“Or more,” added Martin.
Louise pretended not to hear. It looked like Martin was doomed to be forever kept on the friendship shelf.
After stocking up on cash, they were off to their first stop, an estate sale where Louise was delighted to find a set of pink Depression glass sherbet bowls. Louise needed more dishes like Disney needed more princesses, but it didn’t stop her from scooping them up.
“Twelve dollars for that set,” she crowed as they returned to Martin’s car, Zona carrying the newspaper-wrapped dishes in a small cardboard box along with the salt and pepper shakers shaped like roosters that Louise had fallen in love with.
“I’m going to use those sherbet dishes next time I have Susan and Carol over for lunch. ”
“They were a find,” agreed Martin, who had scored an old video player.
The two of them were having fun on their own.
They didn’t need Zona. She said as much as she and Louise made their slow progress down a driveway past other treasure hunters to their next destination, a garage bursting with tables full of housewares, while Martin parked the car farther down the street past the crowd of vehicles.
“Of course we do,” Louise said. “Anyway, I really think before the morning is over you might find some things that you can sell and make a little money.”
“Yes, with my whopping ten dollars,” scoffed Zona.
“I have money.”
“Which I want you to spend on yourself.”
“Don’t be silly. I don’t need anything. You know that. Ooh, look. Purses!” Louise swung herself over to a rack where a large collection of purses hung.
You couldn’t not look at purses. Zona followed her.
A patchwork leather one caught Zona’s eye. She took it down and inspected it. Twenty dollars, huh? Coach. Hmm. It was in excellent condition.
“That looks like it escaped from the seventies,” said Louise.
“It’s Coach,” said Zona.
Louise took it and inspected it. “That could be worth something. Get your phone out and check,” she whispered.
Zona pulled her phone out of her back pants pocket and did a quick check on eBay. A similar purse had sold for twice that amount. She turned the phone so Louise could see the screen.
“Get it,” said Louise.
“Loan me ten? I’ll pay you back,” Zona promised. Providing she really could sell that purse. Then she’d make a profit of a whole . . . ten dollars? Or less minus the selling fee. Was this worth the effort?
It was, she decided. She could possibly make more on the purse, and if she found other things to sell, the small profits would snowball into larger profits.
“Done,” said Louise. “And you will not pay me back. Don’t be ridiculous.”
They found more than a purse that morning. Zona scored a turquoise-and-silver beaded belt that, after a quick bit of research, she realized she could sell for a nice profit.
She also found a Harley-Davidson Barbie doll. Very Cool Barbie. “I might have to keep you for inspiration,” Zona murmured.
In the end, she didn’t. She wound up giving the doll to a little girl who had seen it in Zona’s hand and fallen in love.
“She must want to come live with you,” Zona said, and handed the doll over.
“Thank you,” the mother gushed.
“Your kindness will be rewarded,” Louise predicted.
It was at the next garage sale, where Zona scored yet another purse she suspected would sell for more than what she paid and a pair of reindeer-shaped candleholders that Louise said were Fitz and Floyd, and a vintage Oscar the Grouch Sesame Street cookie jar.
“There’s your reward. Those candleholders will go for a high price if you wait and put them up for sale in November,” she assured Zona. “I think you’ve had a profitable morning.”
The bonus was Martin taking them to lunch after their final stop. But at lunch, Louise was looking exhausted and in need of a pain pill. “I’m ready to flop on the couch,” she announced.
“We shouldn’t have kept you out so long,” Martin said, looking at her in concern.
“Oh, yeah, we twisted her arm,” Zona cracked.
“It was fun,” Louise said. “I’m very happy with my finds.”
“So am I. Thanks for the help, Mom,” Zona said, and smiled at her.
“It’s going to be fun watching what happens when you put those up for sale,” said Louise.
Yes, it was.
Martin dropped them off and as soon as Zona had Louise settled on the couch with her cell phone, the TV remote, and a glass of ice water and the extra-strength Tylenol she had switched to taking, she let Darling out into the backyard for a romp and a potty break.
Supervising him to make sure he didn’t dig.
A few games of fetch and his tongue was lolling and she was ready to get inside and start learning the art of selling online.