{"id":2395,"date":"2021-11-07T19:44:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-07T19:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/?p=2395"},"modified":"2021-11-07T19:44:19","modified_gmt":"2021-11-07T19:44:19","slug":"maybelle-goes-sale-ing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/maybelle-goes-sale-ing\/","title":{"rendered":"Maybelle Goes Sale-ing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today’s installment of the Chronicles is offered as a special tribute to G-ma’s longtime friend, Amy-Lyles Wilson, in honor of a recent landmark birthday.\u00a0 G-ma has been fortunate enough for many years to participate in Pilgrim Writers, a collaborative writing group guided by Amy-Lyles under the principles of the Amherst Writers & Artists<\/a>.\u00a0 In this and other, related work, Amy-Lyles has coached, encouraged, advised, inspired and empowered scores of writers over the years.\u00a0 Amy-Lyles has contributed to several books and published nationally, but her personal world view is delightfully shared in the persona of a character named Maybelle.\u00a0 This little tale shares a friend’s perspective about Maybelle, a woman of many talents.\u00a0 Read more about Maybelle and Amy-Lyles’ work here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Maybelle might not admit it about herself, being a modest person in all the best ways that we use that adjective, but she is a woman of distinctive style and flair, with wonderfully eclectic taste and a keen eye for the beautiful and memorable.<\/p>\n

And Maybelle\u2019s friends who have not yet joined the ranks of Bargain Hunters Eternal, an open society that welcomes all comers, might be surprised to learn that a primary source of Maybelle\u2019s fascinating, ever-evolving personal collections is that most holy of all bargain opportunities. Friends, we speak here of the mecca of eclectic purchasing, as we bow to the Estate Sale.<\/p>\n

For Maybelle, and indeed for her friends who are fortunate enough to occasionally trod behind her on the Path of Eternal Learning, the Estate Sale calls forth a finely-tuned blend of timing, observation, quality assessment, and financial analysis.\u00a0 While some shoppers might turn away sorrowfully, reflecting sadly on the excesses of American culture, when they see a dusty driveway table jammed with travel knickknacks, or kitchen counters lined with chipped casserole dishes in the popular hues of the style-free 1970s\u2014not our Maybelle.\u00a0 Our girl, swift in her sweeping assessment and undeterred by appalling junk, unleashes her matchless powers of observation.\u00a0 Her keen eye lasers in on the overlooked treasures, perhaps a small, elegant vintage handbag, or the beautiful hardcover book, apparently unopened, by an author she too, always meant to read and still intends to do so.\u00a0 To say that one\u2019s trash is another\u2019s treasure is to mumble a concept that flourishes in the marrow of Maybelle\u2019s bones.<\/p>\n

Maybelle is a discerning and enthusiastic collector, but these acquisitions are not just for her.\u00a0 A thoughtful and generous giver, Maybelle often bestows these finds on others, in the most joyful form of recycling imaginable.\u00a0 One friend was stunned to receive, on her own birthday, a vintage tray emblazoned with the crest of a society in her home state that numbered both her father and grandfather as past members.\u00a0 This ignited immediate memories of bygone times and people, and a few tears came in honor of both.<\/p>\n

Illustrating her adaptability and soul for teaching, Maybelle hunts both solo and in pairs, sometimes even on a team.\u00a0 If one is fortunate enough to tag along and pay attention, one may observe the Master at Work.\u00a0 You may learn, for example, that it disturbs the equanimity of the universe to pay full price, and nearly all prices are slashed toward the end of the session.\u00a0 If you spy a favorite and it is gone by the time price-slashing occurs, you probably didn\u2019t need it, anyway.\u00a0 Also, it is wise to clear the trunk of the car in advance of the expedition, in case a piece of furniture you had been searching for manifests itself and beckons you in an irresistible siren song.<\/p>\n

One recent Sunday afternoon, Maybelle and a friend were en route to lunch after church when she let it slip that a promising sale was occurring on a street near the restaurant.\u00a0 Should we stop? she asked.\u00a0 I think everything is half off on the last day. Does the sun rise in the East?\u00a0 Responded her companion.\u00a0 As they strolled up the street toward the outdoordisplay, Maybelle inquired if her friend was looking for anything in particular for her new home.\u00a0 The companion–who has adopted Maybelle\u2019s discipline of keeping an acquisition target list in the head, kind of a running grocery list for estate sales\u2014admitted that she would love to find a small, round coffee table.<\/p>\n

Hardly were the words out of her mouth when they saw exactly that.\u00a0 Perched in the middle of the driveway, as though plunked there by the Tooth Fairy of Estate Sales, was a small, round coffee table.\u00a0 They could hardly believe it.\u00a0 Still, Maybelle remained her authentic calm, cool and collected self.\u00a0 What do you think?\u00a0 Breathed the friend, excited.\u00a0 I like it, Maybelle responded.\u00a0 Maybe measure it to make sure it is the size you want and then you can think about it.\u00a0 Steeled by the strength of Maybelle\u2019s demeanor, the friend agreed they could go on to lunch and continue considering it.\u00a0 Discussing it further over salads, the friend marveled at the keen balance of Maybelle\u2019s advice.\u00a0 It was supportive but not pushy, enthusiastic but not overwhelming, inspiring but not insistent.\u00a0 It reminded her a great deal, when she thought about it later, of Maybelle\u2019s beloved leadership in another environment, for a different purpose, where they first met and became friends.<\/p>\n

This tale ended happily when the table was acquired at half-price with a small additional discount proudly negotiated by Maybelle\u2019s disciple and eagerly mentioned for the Teacher\u2019s approval.\u00a0 Good girl, said Maybelle fondly. With some maneuvering, it went into the trunk of the car and was unloaded at home with the help of a patient and well-muscled neighbor.\u00a0 When she saw the perfect fit in the intended spot, the disciple could hardly wait to send Maybelle a picture.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today’s installment of the Chronicles is offered as a special tribute to G-ma’s longtime friend, Amy-Lyles Wilson, in honor of a recent landmark birthday.\u00a0 G-ma has been fortunate enough for many years to participate in Pilgrim Writers, a collaborative writing group guided by Amy-Lyles under the principles of the Amherst Writers & Artists.\u00a0 In this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2397,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,1,19],"tags":[214,215,216,213],"class_list":["post-2395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humor","category-uncategorized","category-writers-and-writing","tag-amherst-writers-and-artists","tag-amy-lyles-wilson","tag-estate-sales","tag-pilgrim-writers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2395"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2395\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmachronicles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}