Can't Make this Up

 

The Universe Speaks

True confession: I am an avid thrift store shopper.  It destresses me to browse the aisles of a thrift store in search of a “treasure” that someone else has discarded.   One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, as they say.  You never know what you might find, and I think that produces a dopamine rush in the brain.  Unlike other stores whose inventory is predictable, the choices are new there every time.  I have several friends who also love to shop at thrift stores.  One of my friends, a fellow thrifter, had a Birthday and of course, I went shopping for her a gift at our local thrift store.  She would not mind receiving something that was not new, as these “finds” are more unique and usually not available in the typical retail stores.  These are vintage items that are nostalgic and uncommon, something she wouldn’t already have.  I thought I had found her the most perfect gift when I found a rather dainty decorative glass dish with a lid and a small matching saucer.  It was heavy and made of beautifully cut clear glass with a pretty yellow accent color.  I pondered about getting it and even left it there the first time, but I went back and purchased it after giving it some extra thought.  This is something she would like and probably doesn’t have already, I imagined.  I wrapped it up so it would not get broken and presented it to her at our weekly trivia night dinner at a local restaurant.  As she began to open the gift, a broad smile came upon her face, and she immediately asked her daughter to close her eyes.  She said how funny it was and that her daughter would tell us why when she saw it.  Slowly she opened each of the 3 pieces until she had the little dish on display.  Now her daughter opened her eyes, and they began to laugh.  My friend had actually donated this to the thrift store, and it had been in her daughter’s bathroom prior to that.  I had given her a gift that she had donated!!!  I was so embarrassed.  I wanted to become invisible at this point.  I never ever dreamed that she could have been the donor.  Honestly, I don’t think you could make up a better story.  Out of thousands of items to choose from, I had chosen the perfect “treasure” to her.  Apparently, the universe wanted her to keep this precious little glass dish.  And so, she did.

Tammy Harvey  7/15/2025