Record Buying Zombies ;) I walked into the home not knowing what to expect. They were milling about with a determined look on their faces, not paying any attention to the other items around them. Were they zombies in search of brains to eat? No, worse, they were record hunters at the opening of an estate sale. And even worse, I had been infected. Dun, dun, dunnnnnnnnnnnnn! I woke up at 7 A.M. threw some clothes on and hit the road. Printouts of yard sales and estate sales in hand. I hit a few yard sales, but came up dry. I knew there would be records at this estate sale, but they didnt open until 9. I got there at 8:30 and felt guilty being an early bird. Boy was I wrong. The place was already hopping. This was the first time I went record hunting this early. I usually show up later after the swarms have been through, taking what was leftover or missing out completely. I went in and saw a few boxes on the ground and a guy feverously picking through it, pulling records out quickly as he went along. He seemed to know what he was doing. I didnt know what the protocol was for jumping. I said can I jump in on this other box, there was a grunt. I guess that was an OK. I start digging and noticed they were asking $4 each for records, yikes. I would have to be selective. I find a Billy Joel Greatest Hits and know the wife would like it. I put it aside. I see some others, but they dont look that great. Mean while the guy next to me is pulling albums like a madman. Am I missing out? The woman running the show says there are more in the basement. Great, I head down there and there are three more guys going through boxes. These records were in worse shape than the upstairs boxes. I find a Dire Straits debut album and put it aside. I have been wanting this one for a while, so score one for me. I then see a John Mayhalls Blues Breakers Crusade and put it aside. I have learned by now that even if I am only thinking about an album, pull it aside and decide later. Then I find a Stevie Wonder Song Book album with all my wifes favorites on it. Bam, easy decision. There are a lot of McCartney Wings albums, but they are water damaged and pretty beat up, pass. I take the four albums up stairs and start check condition more closely. They seem fine enough, not the greatest, but I dont want to leave empty handed. I also dont want to pay $4 each. I see another guy and he has like 20 albums. He asks the woman how much and when he finds out they are $4 each, he starts culling them down. This is when I ask the woman if she was in charge. She says yes and I say $4 is too much, would she take $3? She tells me the home owner wanted $4, but she would hook me and the other guy up at $3 each. Cool. I got a deal and I even got the other guy a deal. I check out. I get in my truck and post a picture of the Billy Joel and Stevie Wonder albums to Facebook with a caption about how my wife has the best husband in the world and she scores great albums for herself from the comfort of our bed. As soon as I post it, I look closer at the Stevie Wonder Song Book and notice a another name under it. Motor City Rollers? What? What the hell are the Motor City Rollers? Duh, I bought a cover bands album for my wife. This is what I get for not drinking my coffee before the hunt. Oh and I survived the record zombies, or am I now one of them?
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 14:31:41 +0000