What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Thrifting...or Shoplifting?

Whenever I go to the Super Cheap Thrift or The Attic Thrift Store, I always take one of my big reusable totes from Target. I unfold it when I walk in and hang it off my shouder. When I see things I want to buy - in the bag it goes. Every volunteer at both of these thrifts know I always bring in my bag. They always comment on what a good idea it is and how they wish more people would do it too.

Pair of California Art Pottery floral candleholders for $1.00.

So, today I walk into the Super Cheap Thrift, open my bag and begin perusing the Christmas items. As I walk across the store to the housewares section, I spot an old felt stocking that I pick up and place in my bag. As my eyes glance from one aisle to the next, I notice a lady in slow motion putting her finger up to point saying, "That's wrong!" Then her husband says, "Don't worry about it."

Four ladies floral hankies for 50¢.

I continue to shop, finding a few more things along the way that I place into my bag. As I look at the kitchen gadgets and dishes, that lady saying, "That's wrong" keeps popping up in my head. I keep trying to figure out what she saw that was so wrong. Hmmm..think, think, think. What did she see? Hey - wait she saw me putting things in my bag. Surely she didn't think I was stealing, did she?

Sweet vintage tablecloth for $1.00.

When I go up to get in line, the "that's wrong" lady was directly in front of me. She kept turning around and giving me the stink eye while I was standing behind her. My shopping bag was completely stuffed at this point so I had it sitting on the floor, pushing it along with my foot as we moved along in line. After she paid, she turned one more time to give me a up and down look. Hurumph!

Made in Sweden by Heidi Lange. Cute, huh?

When I stepped up to the counter to lay out my purchases, the lady said, "Oh! You brought in your own bag - now that is a good idea!" I said, "I don't know about that, I think a lady thought I was shoplifiting today!" I laughed and she said, "Oh, surely NOT!" That's when the other lady that bags things said, "Yea, she came and told me a lady was stealing, so I went to look. When I saw it as you , I told her that you are one of our very best customers and you were just shopping."

Suh-weet Remington Ten Forty Typewriter for $5.00. In Turquoise!
I hope that if some terrible, horrible, awful person ever actually is caught stealing from the Super Cheap Thrift that they will get spotted and reported. But, wasn't me! Scouts honor!

6 comments:

  1. I think your were very nice NOT to say something to that lady. I agree that shoplifting is so wrong, but when you are putting things in a 'shopping bag' well....ok so I'm a grump today. Your goodness was rewarded with great finds! Love the tablecloth so cute. I love being a good customer at my local thrifts!

    huggs..............Linda

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  2. It is not fair. You have way better thrift stores than we have in Maine. Admittedly, I have found good stuff at Goodwill (Everybody's favorite store) which I have posted on my blog, especially for all the Vintage Christmas Monday posts, but you have been showing such great finds. I am so jealous. By the way, at such cheap prices, don't you feel like you are stealing! A very Merry Christmas to you.

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  3. I love it! I would have tripped over myself trying to explain to the "wrong" woman! I want to be like you! Love the hankies!

    Anna

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  4. Wow you got my dream typewriter! And for $5! Jade & I went to The Attic today and I got quite a few good things including a pair of ice skates (we can skate free in Chicago if we bring our own skates). I would like to bring a Target bag to thrift stores but am afraid people would think I was stealing!

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  5. Don't you just HATE that? Just having someone 'think' that I would do something like that really bums me out! LOVING on that hankie!!

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  6. What a funny story - love the candleholders and typewriter

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