caritas
On Saturdays, when I try and go to the farmers market, my excursion is almost inevitably accompanied by a quick trawl of the legions of charity shops nearby.I am frequently struck by the way that certain objects will nearly always be present (unless you actually need them, of course), there will be some dodgy brassware, mugs with the name of some defunct software purveyor and screeds of half-read chick lit. What truly mystifies me, though, is that if you find one specific book, for example, then there is a good chance you'll find several more copies as you progress. I'm not talking about the Tony Parsons or Nick Hornsbys that are omnipresent, but why would seven people discard their copies of 'The Incident of the Fingerpost' all at the same time? It's not the discarding of that particular work that surprises me, it's the timing; some kind of bookclub suicide/recycling pact?
This phenomenon isn't confined to books, I have also observed clusters of Stoneware hot-water bottles and most bewildering to me; breast-pumps. Maybe this is an occurrence confined to West London? and the close proximity of a population twice that of Iceland is causing a strange charitable synergy. Perhaps because I don't spend that much of my time in the borough I haven't been gripped by the urge yet?
I'll keep you posted, in the meantime feel free to add your own charitable congruities.
posted by Lampy @ 9/29/2005 01:25:00 pm
3 Comments:
As someone who enjoys tickling the ivories one of my pleasures before leaving the lake district was going to the local save the children and asking if they had any sheet music. Every time I was presented with the same box with the same rubbish I didn't want the previous time, only every so often I would find some new gem that took my fancy.
Imagine my joy when during our recent visit back to cumbria I went to Save the Children and asked the same question. Same box, Same rubbish plus 1 years worth of deliveries. I purchased 9 different titles, including Beethovens complete bagatels. Paying the princly sum of one British pound for the whole lot.
What really gets me though, is that the same book in one of the antique shops within 3 minutes walk would have cost £10 to £15. Can you explain that?
nope : )
It has been my experience that you can be almost certain to find Edmund Crispin's Frequent Hearses (one of my favourite books)on the charity shop shelves. In fact you might even find my old copy there as I have given all my books away in a sort of cathartic tidying-up exercise.
I was in one such shop the other day when a woman came in asking for a dinner jacket and trousers for her husband. They went into the back room and came out with a brand new outfit in exactly his size.
However, you will never, ever, find six matching sherry glasses.
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