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Health & Fitness

The Topic is Gossip

How far will you go to find the answer to a story?

Is it an advantage to get to the sale first? Well, the 20 people on line ahead of you would probably be a good indication that they think it is.

I have been so fortunate with my method of randomness to urban archeology that I typically choose not to flock with the early birds. However if it’s selection you want and money you have then by all means get there first. Remember, your haggling skills will be weak no matter your persistence because early in the day little is negotiable. 

Early birds will find the best items up for sale and, depending on what you’re looking for, this may be your only chance to get it. For example, when I attended the estate sale of CBS commentator Andy Rooney in Norwalk last year I hoped to purchase his beloved typewriter. While I might not have been able to afford it, by the time I got there, I didn’t even get to see it.

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This past weekend, I played the part of the early bird and it almost worked. As I explored the Danbury area townhouse I didn’t know what to expect. You don’t often find dusty attics or ancient basements in townhouses, but it’s good to look anyway because stories come from the oddest places. It was a friend of the owner who was clearing out the house for the family and as soon as I said what I was looking for –old paper- it was revealed that all of it had been thrown away. Yikes!

While she pointed me to a few things, a book on Amelia Earhart with a few clippings, and some old pieces of furniture, nothing seemed to left from a lifetime of living. I was leaving when I noticed the pen and ink portrait on a chair. “Who’s that?” I asked. “Oh, that was her father.”
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Greg Van Antwerp is a Brookfield resident and blogger, who can be found on the weekends in search of a good “dig” or a good story.  You can read more about his adventures by visiting his blog: www.videomartyr.blogspot.com  

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