Recently I won an auction lot for just $20 that had a bunch of old baseball memorabilia. Just wanted to enjoy the nostalgia of the knick knacks from the collection. Each item wasn’t worth much at all individually, but there was so much that it added up to a really good deal. Plus, it would be an interesting one-time detour from my usual nothing but cards, cards, cards.
Sent the payment and got the package. Noticed it cost him 10 bucks to even ship it to me. He basically got next to nothing. Decided to do something I normally wouldn’t (and certainly won’t be able to when profit margins become vital again once I get back in this business soon, but anyway)…..
Messaged the guy and said “hey, this just isn’t right. I’m unofficially doubling my bid to $40. Sent the rest to you already”. He replies and says “thanks, I’m just a 72 year old guy who has no one to leave my collection to. So I hope it ends up in the hands of people who appreciate it”.
Wow. Talk about something hitting home. That news basically turned my entire screen into a mirror.
If I manage to make it to the year 2047, I will still remember the day 27 years prior when a lonely older man from Michigan not only put some faith in a stranger, but unknowingly showed him a troubling glimpse of his future too. But despite how that look down the road is pretty sad, at least a little something better can come from it now.
Because I will always protect this modest part of his collection like it came from my own childhood. He seems like someone who deserves that.
Hopefully when I’m in the same shoes at that age, I will too.
Mister A's domain 