Monday, December 29, 2008

City-wide swap meet ends

For as long as we have lived here in Portland, there has been a "large item pickup" in the spring. Usually, the pick up for our neighborhood occurs the week of the heaviest rains, but not always.

People put out their large items: furniture, mattresses, plumbing fixtures, etc., etc., and then go riding round the city and pick their choice from other people's items.

Seen outside a house one spring, a sign reading "FREE" surrounded by household items, including a dining table. Next day: all items gone. Following day: same sign, surrounded by chairs. Next day: all chairs gone. Day following that one: same sign, "FREE," surrounded by teenagers. Next day: all teenagers gone.

So you see, a swap meet can accomplish many things...

Even so, budget cutbacks have forced my fellow city-dwellers and me to think up other ways of distributing our good fortune.

1 comment:

Pheidias said...

Funny, I never really thought of you living in a city. With the river, and the depth of the lot, it always felt more country, notwithstanding the airport.

Our cheek-by-jowl situation is distressingly city, especially now that our neighbor has hemmed us in some more with their new wing.