The Garage Sale

  “There’s one, to the left! Pull over!”

The middle aged couple were out adventuring, doing all they could to keep their

relationship as exciting as the first few months. They were successful. Every week they’d come up

with some kind of excursion, whether it be a matinee movie, a trip to a thrift shop or garage sale

hunting, like today. Neither of them expected to end up on Antique Roadshow or anything of 

the sort, it was more about the time spent together. The situations you’d otherwise not see them 

involved in. 

As they put the beige SUV in park and swung the doors open, the sun reflected off of his 

clean shaven bald head. Jackson was bald by choice, it just fit the shape of his head better.  Missy

was the complete opposite, but for all of their differences, they felt like it made them work. Her long,

flowing brunette beauty hung to the edges of her shoulders ever so perfectly, as if she was a 

Renaissance painting come to life. Personalty wise may have been the key. He, a ‘no worry, I got this 

and you’ kind of guy, juxtaposed to her anxiety ridden day to days. He calmed her storm, and she both

loved and appreciated him for it. Each door slammed shut simultaneously as they converged in front

of the vehicle to approach the garage sale.

They both engaged in small talk as they stepped ever closer to the tables spread out

among the lawn, unable to determine what was being offered within the garage. A beautiful day,

one they were not so accustomed to as of late. They were beginning to wonder whether there would

actually be a summer. Nevertheless, they finally arrived at the first table. Hardly any other patrons

were alongside them. Not counting themselves, there was a single mother with a child in a carriage 

and an elderly men just looking. 

Spread out on the black draped table were kick-knacks, trading cards, figurines. The usual.

“Not much here,” she remarked to Jackson. He let out a grunt, affirming her observation but

only for a moment. 

“We haven’t checked the garage,” he said.

“Well yeah, but you’d assume you’d put out your best at first glance. First impressions 

and all.” 

Internally he agreed, logically it did make sense but he lead the way into the garage anyways. 

She followed shortly behind. As he made his way in he greeted the woman sitting in a lawn chair that

didn’t have a price tag on it. Maybe she fancied it. He fingered his way through a rack of clothes that

were clearly for sale but nothing caught his eye, nor hers.  

“Hey, do you mind if we ask you something? Just to satisfy my own curiosity, but why are

you selling everything off?” She stood to her feet and approached the couple. Wearing a light yellow 

moo-moo, she couldn’t come off less threatening if she tried. 

“If you want the bullshit answer that I give everybody else it’s just because it’s been an 

eye sore for a very long time. Which is partially true, but I can tell you two are actually in love. Look 

like people who would appreciate the honesty so the real answer is that my husband past away. I think

it’s a part of moving on.”

The tale hit home for both, but prompted a response from Jackson. “That’s a very sad story

but I think hanging on to things is more essential than ridding yourself of them.”

She pondered his response and then asked why he felt that way.

“Well, because I live it myself. Maybe not this extreme, which once again I am incredibly

sorry for your loss,” before he continued, his wife touched his shoulder. He continued, “if you don’t

have mementos, something to hang on to, you’re always going to forget. Not everything, you won’t

forget them as whole, how they made you feel, but some things… are just moments. And need to be 

held on to.”

She returned back to her chair and sat silently for a moment before finally speaking after thirty 

seconds or so.

“Sale is over. Enjoy your life together. Hang on to the memories and the things you get from 

them. In all my years, nobody had ever broken it down in such simple yet important terms. You have a 

gift. And you, my darling, an even luckier woman. Please do me a favor and take the sign out out of 

the yard when you leave.”

They did as they were told, fully understanding that one conversation changed the lives of all 

involved.