BARGAIN HAWK - Opening segment (Scroll down for earlier chapters)

     For years we lived along the main highway through town.  It was the perfect location for a yard sale.  Just walking out the door with a folding table would bring traffic to a screeching halt.  We could set a sofa in the yard and it would disappear within minutes.  I think, once or twice, we threatened to put the kids out.      

     It was there that I learned the difference between the casual bargain hunter and the bargain hawk.   Like the casual bargain hunter, I, myself, enjoy a good bargain when it’s calling my name.    

     The bargain hawk is another bird.  These are the people who show up three days before your sale, convinced that your yard is a K.O.A. (Campground of America).  Posting a sign with your hours of operation is useless since most bargain hawks are non-readers.  Crawling under the electrified, barbed-wire fence surrounding your yard is simply a test of their perseverance; never willing to give up on a bargain. Having armed guards shoot at them only strengthens their resolve.   

    
     Bargain hawks are hardened bargain hunters.  They plan their day around yard sales.  Their keen eyesight is able to spot a yard sale that cannot be seen with the naked eye.  Once spotted, they swoop in with cat-like reflexes and grab their bargain.  They’re not distracted by stifling heat and offers of ice cold lemonade.  Once they have their prized possession, their hands become like a steel trap.  You can’t pry it loose.   

     Some Bargain Hawks are professional bargain hunting guides, who lead groups on extended bargain hunts.  If you are a serious bargain hunter, they can provide you with a Bargain Hunter’s Guide to the best places to spot bargains. 

 

     Aunt Huginkiss was a Bargain Hawk.  She had a goal…to build a storage empire.


To be continued...check back soon