Feb 5, 2012

hattie

This morning I made a mistake, over shot my turn off....and drove a few blocks out of my way. Circling around, I happened on a garage sale. For no good reason, I decided to go in.

It was chock full of old lady stuff.
Hats and more hats


clowns and pierrots
a full set of Rivergate china.  (Only New Orleanians would ever care, I guess.)
bizarre, but wonderful print.
a large box of old greeting cards from the 40s and 50s, it seemed like.....next to a huge old album filled with them.




The old lady had clearly saved every card she'd ever gotten in her life....kind of like I do.
 I'm ashamed to say that I teared up a bit thinking about her.

Anyway, when the guy holding the sale saw me return to the box of cards again and again, he came up to me:

"Hey, I got lots more of those," he said eagerly. " Pretty, huh? You want to see more?  I found them up in the attic of this place.
You know, the old lady who used to live here:
Hattie Brown from Backatown, they used to call her,"
he chuckled.
The ones I couldn't help but buy. 
It's like Hattie's with me.




12 comments:

normadesmond said...

love the "sorry you're ill" card.

"i'll just play my concerto anyway."

Mistress Maddie said...

That's a pretty cool story I have to say! At first, when reading I thought maybe it was a yard sale at Norma's.

normadesmond said...

i'd NEVER sell my hats.

mrpeenee said...

There, there, dear, we know how attached you are to those nose length veils.

Where on earth would you have eaten in the Rivergate? And why?

Mar gar et said...

I was hoping you'd hook up w/the guy, and he'd give you the GOOD stuff, hehehe.

Your car is driving itself to yard sales. Obedient.

Good stash. Send me a card.

BrooksNYC said...

I totally get why you bought those cards.

:)

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

'kay Jason, I'm curious to know what you'll do with all them now~ I shall stay awake thinking abt it!

lucitebox said...

I know it's too early to tell having only met you once, but I'm pretty sure we're kindred spirits. I collect old greeting cards, too. And, I would have bought that set of diner china even though I'm not a NOLAian.

Thombeau said...

These make me happy.

ayeM8y said...

It's always that missed or wrong turn that can end up fateful. I would have been digging around that sale licking my lips with dollar signs in my eyes.

David Toms said...

Jason, I would return Norma's hats if I was you!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you bought some cards, that's a good thing.