On occasion I'll take a look around and wonder why we acquired all these "things." The closets bulge, the garage swells, bookshelves sag, and the shop groans. Having yard sales occasionally or donating to church rummage sales does little good. In a month or two all the storage space is full again. In fact, we often attend those sales and buy other people's cast-offs. There I was yesterday buying books at the library sale, and apparently not having enough, I went back there this morning and bought three more. I mean a good deal is a good deal.
Antique value drives a lot of the collecting. At various sales I've often heard a naive, prospective buyer ask, "What do you think this is worth?" Experience tells me it's only worth what you can sucker someone else into giving for it. In our community a multi-level antique store operates in a co-op format where many people can display their treasures and offer them for sale. None of it seems to be worth much since the display changes little.
And that's just so-called collectible stuff. When I drive through my neighborhood or any other there sit by many houses motorcycles, campers, boats, snowmobiles, and cars in front, beside, behind, and inside. Does the one with the most stuff when he dies win? I've heard two different clergymen relate the story that never when they have buried someone have they ever seen a hearse pull up to a gravesite with a U-haul hooked befind.
