They trudge up from the basement and pause to confer in the doorway.
“It’s gonna be close” says one. He turns to me and inquires whether I have a tape measure.
Tape measure? Of course. There’s a 25 ft one on the table in the front hall, a 12 ft in my desk drawer, 2 more in kitchen drawers, a small sewing tape in the bottom of my purse. I think we even have a 50 ft one with all the tools. I do a swift search… and come up empty-handed. Inexplicably, I can’t find a single one. I produce a roll of string and he nods, disappears down the stairs to get the width of the washer and dryer I’ve sold him so he and his buddy can bring them up the stairs.
Two days later people are wandering in and out of rooms, picking up things I’ve offered for sale prior to the move.
“This might fit in your room James” a woman is saying to her 11 year old son. They’re considering a piece of furniture. Without thinking, I tell her I’ve got a tape measure… then go through the motions feeling foolish as I know full well I won’t find one. We both agree on the approximate dimensions and she talks me down on the price a bit. Her son has wandered over to the books I’m packing and picked out the Tolkien Bestiary. I hadn’t planned to sell it but I note the look of interest on his face as he tells his mom “It’s Tolkien!” and I tell him he can have it for $5. Hardcover, with the dust jacket, perfect condition.
“You have to pay for that out of your own money” his mother says, and he beams at her as her digs in his pocket and comes up with it.
Twice more during the day people ask measurements of items and I have to admit I don’t have a tape measure in the house.
“You know,” a quiet voice says as I’m again sorting books, “the thrift shops mark the waist size on pants but you can’t tell the length.”
I glance up at the speaker, an older gent in neat but well-worn clothes. The stubble on his face is pure white. He holds out a palm full of change and picks out 2 quarters.
“This is exactly what I need. Would you take 50 cents for it?” In his other palm is a small tape measure. I grin at him and say no, but I’ll take a quarter. He grins back. Sold.
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