Lost Treasures

I pass this small industrial park each morning evening as I go to or return home from work. I have written of the industrial park before when talking about the place where I often pick up glass and mirrors. I have watched, with interest, over the years the operation of a laundry. The laundry was pretty large taking up two of the office in the industrial park. I was intrigued by the place since it seemed to run either a very late night and early shift or they ran round the clock. The laundry always had their lights on and they were always venting steam from their buildings. A couple weeks I noticed the lights were out in the building as I past the building on my way to work. Then last Friday when I left the office early in the afternoon, there were huge tables racks sitting out in front of the laundry. I swerved off my homeward path to get a better look at these items and happened to run into one of the guy pulling items out of the laundry with a little tractor.

Sure enough, this place was no longer the laundry. They were not going out of business, as I feared, but moving to an even larger facility. The guy on the tractor saw me coveting the tables and racks told me I could have what ever I wanted.

Two huge folding tables which would no way ever fit in my garage or even the concrete space between my garage ad the fence. There were also two racks and nine foot table with metal legs. Of all the tables the table I most wanted was the table with steel legs which I would have to modify if I were going to be able to use the table effectively. I wanted all the stuff jus t because it was free! I probably got my lust for items free from my dad who would have my brother and I squander a perfectly good autumn afternoon dragging three quarters of a ton of free coal from a basement to the pick-up because it was free coal.

Yes the tables and rack are salvage items going to the trash unless someone carts the stuff off. Even if I could figure out as way to the items from the laundry to my house I don’t anywhere I could store the tables until we could clear such a space. Even if I were to get my table with steel legs; how long would it be until I could get someone over there with a torch or saw to cut the legs down to my size??? So painful as it has been I have left the “free” items be. Maybe someone else will take the items and be able to use them. I have almost learned the lesson: that even though a item might be “free” I might be money ahead if I just purchase the right item for the job intended or have someone with real skills build the item to MY needs.

To nights my panel discussion over at Westminster College, remember: easy duty, 7:00 to 9:00. The boss just stepped in and indicated she would try to get to the discussion. I think the panel will be fun. I wore a white turtle neck and I have been slaving all day to keep the garment clean and the shirt still is---just a few more hours. I’ll be wearing my black sports coat as a cloaking device.