BACK TO REALITY... Same ole, same ole (Part 165m)

BACK TO REALITY… Same one, same ole (Part 165m)

While I was off to the sailing club Elle had started in on the boxes of clothing I’d stacked in the garage. She didn’t go very far as the stuff appeared to be much like what had been rejected when she and the other two women went through the things at the church. She told me she’d come up with a reason for so much of it to be out of style… the majority of the parishioners were over 60 and the clothes that they were seeing were mostly pre WWII or from just afterwards. She thought that when the call went out for donations it was a way for them to get rid of it. It made sense to me.

Part of my Saturday chores was to mow the church lawn. I usually did that after doing my own but something told me it would be a good idea to go do the church’s first. Sure enough, some people showed up looking for the Thrift Shoppe to be open. I explained the situation and told them to come back in October. I ended up making up a sign to post on the door when I left. From the church I headed for the landfill and while I was there saw the husband of the lady who ran the boutique in the town where I started my banking career. I hadn’t seen the lady in a while and her husband told me that she had a sale going on. Judith always had a sale going on but I decided to go the extra few miles and stop in to see her. I’d been to her new expanded space and found that she’d done the same thing as before… overfilled it with product to the extent that it was hard to find anything. So, when I walked in I was pleasantly surprised to actually see a little open space. I asked what she’d done with all the clothes she’d moved and she said they were stored out back of the shop. Not that I knew much about ladies fashions, it didn’t seem like a reasonable idea to put things in storage that would be out of style in a short period of time. We chatted a bit and to make conversation she asked if I’d gotten involved in anything new. I really hadn’t but mentioned that Elle was sort of involved in opening a shop at our church for pre-owned clothes. She asked how it was going and I’m sure I laughed. One thing led to another and by the time I left she’d given me the names of the owners of a couple of children’s clothing stores who might help us out. At the door she asked if I thought that the church would be able to sell some of her out of style clothes.

I loaded about 20 pair of women’s slacks, at least 30 blouses and maybe a dozen skirts into the station wagon and all she wanted was a statement from the church that she’d donated the items. She pointed out that the tags were still on most of the goods and we should probably price them at 50 to 75 percent off. Almost all were for larger sized women and in the short time I’d observed the women at the shop the previous Saturday, that fit the description of most. Not having bought anything I felt a bit guilty so went back inside to see if there was anything I thought Elle might like. I chose a sweater. It looked like it was hand knit but Judith said it was mass produced in the Philippines. That didn’t matter so I ended up leaving with a lot of clothes and, hopefully, some that would sell and put some much needed money in the bank for the church.
 
Between the church and Judith’s, time had flown by and it was noon when time I got home. Elle was a bit concerned but thought that I’d gone to work on the race car. When I showed her the the clothes she wasn’t nearly as excited as I thought she’d be saying that the people who go to thrift shops don’t normally buy clothes that had been on sale at an upscale boutique. With that comment I was about ready to give up on the whole project. Then I remembered that Judith had given me the names of some children’s clothing stores where she knew the owners. When I did I told her to get with the other ladies and make the calls using Judith’s name. That seemed to make her happier.

Alan and I worked on the motor until about 5pm. Just to be sure, Joe, Dick and Cliffy took the rear end apart and even though it had been new earlier in the season it was good that they did. One of the main gears had a chip in it and if it had broken all the way it would’ve pretty much ruined it. All in all, we were pleased with what we’d accomplished. Dick told us he’d have at least $150 by the first of the month and Alan gave Cliffy $50 before we left. As I had written not too long ago, I was waiting for some of the others to make a commitment before I did. I offered up $200. I was hoping Joe, who was right there, might speak up but he didn’t. Buster, as usual, wasn’t there but, we’d come to expect that. I, for one, didn’t think we’d see any money at all from him. Cliffy had set a goal of $500 and we now had most of it. I was getting excited.

At church on Sunday Elle brought the other ladies who she’d worked with on the clothes up to date and showed them the things Judith had given to me. I’d gone to the 8am service, as usual, and brought the minister up to date. He seemed enthusiastic and asked if I could make up some signs that they could put out on the sidewalk when the shop was open. The timing couldn’t have been worse what with my commitment to the race car and the “busy period” coming up at work but told him I’d take care of it. At the same time he introduced me to a young man who he’d raised as a foster child. He was just finishing up his Army duty and this was the first time he’d seen the minister since he’d taken over as pastor of the church. I was immediately impressed with the guy and asked what his plans were after being discharged. He said he didn’t know but I heard the minister tell him he’d be welcome to stay with him until he got a job. That raised a few hackles with me because the minister was already housing his daughter, her husband and their daughter as well as his two younger daughters. When the vestry offered the position to him it had been our understanding that only his wife and two unmarried daughters would be living in the manse. Since the church paid all the utilities it was an added expense plus wear and tear on the house. However, I didn’t say anything.

Waiting at the back door at the bank on Monday morning was “Woody”, ‘bright eyed and bushy tailed’. I’d been ’taken’ by her positive attitude on Friday evening when talking with her. It was still there as we walked through the door and into the lobby. I’d thought about her on and off the whole weekend and had become curious as to her background. Even though I wanted to get her working with Peggy as soon as possible and also had to get her paperwork completed I took her to my desk. An Air Force ‘brat’, moving from base to base, she’d also spent time in England with her family. Her father had been stationed at the Air Force base just down the road and she had graduated from the high school located near the base. She told me that she’d loved her time there and the whole area. But, right after graduation her father retired and the whole family moved back to where her parents were from… Iowa. She hated it there and when her best friend from high school invited her to come back for a visit she did… and decided to stay. She’d only been at her friend’s house for a week when she started looking for work… and I had a feeling I’d end up being glad she did.

To be continued…