Well, it is official ~ I am
not cut out to be a cut throat business woman
Now, I truly enjoy the hunting, buying, and selling. I delight in the
research on each piece and don’t even mind the cleaning and occasional
repair. But two sales in the last week
have cinched it. My heart is just too soft to be a tycoon.
Today I convinced the Middle
One to go forego being the first dealers at a sale’s last day to drive 20
minutes in the opposite direction for the first day of a different sale. For your information, the difference between the first and
last is significant. First day prices
usually stand as is, but last day prices are usually 25 – 50% off. We knew what we might find at the last day.
(We’d been there on the first and had taken note of what might still be around)
But this other sale had an item I knew I
could sell. I knew exactly what condition it needed to be in. I knew the photo
supported that. I knew exactly how much I could get for it. It’s an item I am
very familiar with AND one that the Major is an expert in. So all that was necessary was to show up
early enough to be one of the first people through the door, seek it out
quickly and grab it. Sounds simple. Easy Money.
I didn’t count on my heart
getting involved.
We arrived 20 min before the
sale, the Middle One jumped out and got our name on the list, #8 and #9. When the doors opened, they took the first 10
people. We were in. Two seconds in the door: and I spotted my
prey. Fifteen seconds in: I have my hands
on it. The Middle One was at my shoulder.
We were examining. The price was
a bit higher than I wanted to pay but I KNEW I could still make a good profit
on it. One minute in: a lady appears at
the Middle One’s shoulder. She was
interested, too. Continuing to look, we
plug it in….it works. We sort out the
items that don’t go with it. Turning it up on end, I see that it was last serviced
March 21, 1975, but it still sounds great. We go through the accessories….more
than expected. It is in fabulous
condition. The case is in excellent condition.
The lady says she is going to
stay in case we don’t take it.
I look up… and there it is …
the look on her face.
Dear heavens….she wants this
piece. I can see it. I know the look
because once upon a time, I wanted one.
After waiting for years, I finally have three of my own. (thank you to the Major for those) Now I’m
searching it over just to buy time while my mind races. I’m weighing what to do. We can sell this, I
know we can. We would make good money. I
don’t doubt the lady could afford to buy one at what I would ask, but these are
becoming fairly hard to come by especially at this price, in this condition. A look at the Middle One tells me she knows
my quandary. I insisted we come to this sale, for just this purpose. We are 45
minutes from the sale we had intended to visit…just because of this. There’s not much else at this sale for
us. But I see the look on the
lady’s face.
The contest is
conscience vs business & profit
Taking a deep breath and
facing the patiently, though anxiously, waiting prospect I heard myself say
“I’m going to let you have this one. It’s a good deal. It’s in good shape, has
a lot of attachments. You will want to get it serviced. Do you know where the
Quilt Haus is? I took mine there and they had someone who does service, check
with them.” The look on her face
changed, she was stunned. She said she had used one, her mother in law’s I
think, but even though the MIL didn’t use it any longer, she wouldn’t let her
have it. She sews. She quilts. She had tears in her eyes. She hugged
me.
Conscience wins
I told her to enjoy it. That
I loved mine and knew she would. And I walked away. And I looked at the Middle One, and I said “I’m
sorry”. She told me not to apologize. We
discussed it some and she assured me that following my instinct was right. She
alluded to us being there for a purpose.
I turned around and walked
back in the room where they were packing it up and asked if she needed an
owner’s manual. I know the Major has a digital version and possibly an original,
he used to deal in these. They gave me their email address so I can send a
digital copy. As they were finishing up and paying and headed out the door I heard her husband say “there’s my Christmas
shopping done, Merry Christmas”.
I apologized to the Middle
One
again, and again, and again
I learned that I will never
be a hard-nosed business woman. Seeing
the look on this lady’s face was worth giving it up.
So my friends, that is why
there is no vintage Singer Featherweight sewing machine, in excellent condition, with original
attachments, additional attachments, with a case in excellent condition, for
sale in our shop.
We are OK with this
More on that second sale later...
