A Day At The Flea Market

Once a month or so, I like to go to the local flea market to sift through the piles of stuff that people have spent so much time accumulating. Although most of the goodies really aren’t that good, I seem to have a pretty decent track record for uncovering little hidden “gems” amongst the bins and stacks. It’s always an adventure to see what little (or big) things might be up for grabs!

I also have a long list of items that friends and relatives have asked me to keep my eyes open for. It seems like everyone has some sort of collection on the go... Everything from key chains, to pinball machines, to all the interesting stuff in between. And then of course there is always the more traditional collections like stamps and coins.

On my last visit to the market my best friend Bradley tagged along and brought with him his typical outrageous appetite. On a good day he eats like a horse, but on this outing he definitely outdid himself. I lost count of all the mini donuts he inhaled in between snacking on popcorn, candy floss, and everything else that has ever been listed in the junk food hall of fame!

My first stop generally begins at the booth that I like to call “Comic Relief,” where a little bald man who lives just outside of town has set up a neat comic book and memorabilia shop. He also sells these really cool magic tricks, which he likes to demonstrate while people are passing through. It’s almost guaranteed that he will be pulling something shiny and round out of my ear when I show up for a visit!

And then right beside the comic book booth, there is the “Whammy Shammy” guy. He is constantly trying to convince people that you can actually row a boat through all the liquid that he can soak up with his miraculous towel. He also claims that there is nothing in the world more absorbent, but I have a feeling he never had a chance to see what my little brother was able to pull off when he was still in diapers!

Of course my favorite part is still sifting through all the assorted bins and boxes filled with every imaginable “doohickey” and “thingamabob” (collector terms for unsorted junk), retrieved from basements and attics everywhere. You never know what you will find... In one beat up box filled to the top with old toys and Christmas decorations, I pulled something out which was a complete surprise, and something the owner said he had been looking for since 1989... His grandma’s teeth! Guess who must have been eating only soft foods over the holidays that year?!

Although I couldn’t find anything that fit into my personal collectible wish list on that particular trip, I did manage to find a special edition Lulu Radcliff doll for Sally Snider’s collection, complete with the full set of combs, brushes, and color coordinated hair curlers!.

I always have a great time at the market, and I actually would have stayed a little longer if Bradley hadn’t rushed me off. Of course, that last monster corn dog must have did him in. Or maybe it was that super sized triple chocolate milk shake? Anyway, it was obvious that he needed to get home fast to find his mom’s stash of Pepto Bismol, and spend a little personal time in the bathroom!

Until next time,

Happy Collecting!

Hector