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Sunday, January 01, 2006
Sold and solved!
By Ariel Hans C. Sebellino
* As early as Friday of the first week of December, most of the clothes, including mine, were on display; blazers, polo shirts and blouses hung loosely on window grills, tee-shirts randomly folded, footwear lined up and small items placed in boxes.
IN THE beginning, we just wanted to get rid of old clothes and purge the abode off knick knacks that were stocked, and gathering dust and cobwebs in the storage areas of our house. Giving them away was the whole idea. Save for the really nice and usable ones that were intended to be dismissed for garage or yard sale.
Earning was not a primordial consideration. If it was such, it was just a bonus that came after an unending struggle to heave them out of the house, and yes, off our sight. Long before we thought of 'selling' them, we already have donated clothes to churches and cause-oriented groups in the community, which in turn turned them over to areas then damaged by natural calamities.
Bazaars and tiangge are everywhere. But ours wasn't that kind of business, so to speak. My fashionable sisters Pam and Nina were sure that if their extra and dormant clothes, bags and accessories were for sale, these would be up for grabs and in no time, the garage would be empty. The whole house, which was donned with yuletide trimmings since second week of November, has turned into a warehouse of sort. Thanks to our youngest sis who has let go of her belongings, which have sentimental value to her.
As early as Friday of the first week of December, most of the clothes, including mine, were on display; blazers, polo shirts and blouses hung loosely on window grills, tee-shirts randomly folded, footwear lined up and small items placed in boxes. Everyday after that, new items were added. As soon as they were visibly strewn, neighbors who normally passed the house could not help but take a second look and eventually curiosity led them to scramble for the sale items.
Some had prices plastered on collars, tags and sleeves of clothes, while the rest depended on spontaneous costing. These were not ukay-ukay but personal clothes and stuff that have been begging to be worn twice or thrice from the day they were bought. Bond-size printouts were on the gate, which were enough to spur awareness that some activity was going on in our premises. We were the only resident in Villa Hemosa that has so far done so. By this time, other residents would have entertained the idea that the way to rid off 'mess' is to sell.
To fast track selling, we had to price the items rock bottom, and if one had bought several of these, one item or two were free. We attracted homeowners, mothers, house helpers and tricycle drivers to pick their choices from the piles of wearable. The income was modest and not bad for an exhausting seven-day haggling and pitching.
It was a revelation. We gained friends and finally knew names of our neighbors, when in the past it was just all smiles, hellos, and his to get us by as we bumped into each other in the neighborhood.
A mother from another block came and eagerly reserved her picks of the day. She would only come back a day after she had set aside some amount for payment. She has a blue baby (congenital heart disease) who is turning five-months old in January 2006, and was told by the doctor of the fact that any time in the future, no sooner than she expects, her angel will be gone. The mother has exhausted all means to solicit help to sustain the life of her baby who is occasionally rushed to a near-by medical clinic. The last time her baby was seriously admitted, she has owed a hospital in Quezon City P30,000.00 and is now required to settle the medical bills in four-months time. If only to make her happy this Christmas, we gave the reserved items as presents.
Two house helpers could not think of what to bring when they go home in the province for the holidays, the only time they consider apt to give gifts to their loved ones who they haven't seen for the last eleven months. They admitted new clothes are expensive, and if they choose between clothes and foods, they rather spend on the latter from their meager salaries. We priced their items fifty-percent off from the totals.
Give it up for the kids! Isn't Christmas a time to make children happy? We were kids once and because adults like our parents were responsible for making us feel that it was Christmas, we thought this is about the only time to bring back good memories of our childhood and thank God for the blessings in the past by making children feel the spirit of giving and receiving. We decided to give our stuffed toys to the mothers who came with kids in tow.
All told, the whole idea of cleaning was a relief. Giving made it even more significant. Selling was merely our expression of creativity and entrepreneurship. From the point of view of one mother, simple joys and perks in life are a matter of choice in these difficult times, especially this yuletide season.
An Inspiring New Year to all!
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (January 1, 2006 issue)
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