Yard Sale Addict

Alto Ave.- Inman Park “Gold Mine”

The gold mine was flooded. This seller should be given a perseverance award. In the yard of this Victorian bungalow are about a half dozen tables with plastic sheeting protecting the stuff being sold from the morning downpour. On the porch a number of customers are huddled around boxes of books and a variety of clothing. On a table on the porch I find a Diane Sawyer interview with Howard on VHS as well as a promotional video for Leafguard. Next to them are several CD’s including “Sounds of Turner Classic Movies” and several discs put out by Oxford American magazine. Also on the table is a box of Hanukkah card, below the table among a stack of Lps I find “Sinatra the Concert”
Boxes of books cover almost half the porch. Some titles include the contrasting cookbooks, “Electric Bread” and “Atkins for Life”. Two other contrasting titles are “Why buildings stand up” and “Why buildings fall down”. Other books scattered about include “ Growing up Absurd”, “ Legal Thesaurus”, Alende’s “Eva Luna”, ‘The Tailor of Panama”, “ How to win a local election” and “How to make a fortune on the information superhighway”. There are also travel guides for Costa Rica and Tuscany.
On the clothes rack are some very reasonable priced leather jackets. Near the clothing is a Walkman Professional still in its original box. On the front porch swing is a box of pillows with a sign noting that they are “perfect pillows”
As the rain begins to subside I take a look at what is on the tables. Under a cover of plastic I find vacuum bags, Christmas wrap, hacksaw blades, a deadbolt, some candles and scores of miscellaneous hardware.
I buy an Ultra suede jacket for $10. On the way out I notice that they are also selling an unused pack of postcard like reminders to their recent wedding.

Highland Terrace- Virginia Highlands “Moving Sale”

The inside of this brick Tudor is stark and nearly empty. All that is left here are a few pieces of modern furniture and some paintings and prints still hanging on the walls. The furniture is mostly black or white leather. The tables are glass topped and the chairs metal. Out on a leaf covered back deck I find a massive egg shaped grill next to a sunken hot tub. In one room the only item is a glossy modern desk. Some of the prints include signed posters of the 1996 Olympic games. One signature is by Brigit Ellis, the words Bronze 88 follow her name. Above the mantel is a large painting of a eerie beach scene with nets drying under a dim blue sun. This could be the cover of a Frederick Pohl novel.
I buy nothing.

Lenox Rd. – Morningside “Antique Sale”


This sale is a disappointment. As you approach the stately home a missing cat sign is taped to the mailbox. In front of the home are three tables with a few items on each table. One contains a used mouse pad selling for $1. Another a pair of silver candelabra for $200 and the third a Raggedy Ann cookie jar selling for $3.
I buy nothing but look for the missing cat as I drive away.

Clifton Rd.- Candler Park “Porch Sale”

I came across this sale on my way home. It has the best signage of the day as the highly readable sign is placed on a garden trellis bedecked with balloons. There is not a lot on stuff up on the cement gargoyle flanked porch of this brick bungalow. Among the items are a box of Indian corn, a large gourd, two rollaway beds, an 8 mm movie projector and some women’s clothes.
I buy nothing but as I am leaving the seller asked me if I read. When I respond she thrusts a paperback copy of Dennis Lehane’s “Sacred” in my hand and pleads “I got to get rid of this stuff.”

Rogers St. – Kirkwood “Yard Sale”

As I’m about to turn onto McLenden and head home I see a pink sign for this sale on a pole in front of the Flying Biscuit. When I see the address I suspect I know what it is. When I arrive at in front of this house on Rogers I find my suspicions are correct. This is the first sale Dennis Coburn is holding to divest himself of the salvaged remains of the late Art Farm.
The studio theatre complex recently came to an end after the building was sold to developers to create even more loft apartments for suburban types who want to move into places like Reynolds Town so they can be near fun and arty studio theatre complexes like Art Farm. Sadly there are less and less places like this because they are all being torn down to make more lofts. It’s all a vicious cycle. Soon suburban intruders will have to go to the new “Bed, Bath and Beyond” on Moreland for entertainment.
Anyway some of the scraps of the complex are scattered around the house and yard as well as some artwork and children’s toys. The toys include a large play wooden train engine and biplane. On the porch are a pair of tall Peavey speakers and an array of ceiling fans hoping to one day be reinstalled. In one room are crammed rows of church pews once used in the Art Farm theatre. Now they sit empty facing a hearth with no fire. One of the art pieces is a writing desk with shoes nailed to one side, a car’s rearview mirror on the top and a portrait of Einstein that looks back at anyone writing at this desk.
I buy nothing.