GARAGE SALE
by Ari Fadyl
It was 8:00am. The sun never shone this bright on a Sunday morning. That day, enormous stacks of jeans, sweaters, suits and other appealing items which were donated to BEMAL were ready to be sold to the community. As a mean to raise funds, the bi monthly Garage Sale coordinated by the devoted BEMAL members, had always attracted numerous visitors who eagerly awaited this event. The early bird catches the worm, so to say, the morning customer who arrived the quickest, got to pick the best goodies for sale. Over the past year, this garage sale event has captured many loyal customers who never forget to bring their extra large trash bags and even shopping trays to satisfy their spending spree. Most of the buyers are Hispanic customers and fortunately there are a couple BEMAL members who are fluent conversationally in Spanish. Their sharp bargaining-skill never fails to impress us as they keep pushing the price to almost null. Yet once we explicate where all the cash will flow to, they'll usually give a kind understanding and become more generous in spending their hard earned money.
The day typically starts at a lively pace, but that day we could hardly encounter any patrons. At one point, skepticism started plaguing our minds. But when the clock hits 10:00am, people began to flock our items and only then did smiles of joy spread among us. Neatly aligned shoes, some even designer pairs, were catching by-passers' sight. Piles of 25-50 cents child apparels were selling like hot cakes. Varieties of utensils and bags scattered on tables were continuously shuffled by shoppers who hope to find a hidden treasure amid the lot. Shoppers mostly brought their cute little children along, and we can't help but squeeze their cuddly soft red cheeks and make funny faces to make them giggle and enjoy the time with us.
Recently this event also became a breeding ground of new comers to the BEMAL organization. Initiation ceremonies highlighted the event, as new members are persuaded to wear the most ridiculous combination of outfits ever known to mankind. One of the male new comers bravely dressed himself in a pink polka dot skirt combined a lovely red v-neck shirt on top and high heel shoes, that puts even the funkiest drag queen from New Orleans to shame. Once they looked all snazzy and ridiculously blatant, they were asked to attract customers by running around the block and tell uninformed pedestrians about the event. All the credit is certainly given to the creatively minded BEMAL old-timers who founded this idea. It is truly a brilliant way to instantly break the ice and welcome the fledgling members to entertainingly show how devoted they can be to make BEMAL a success.
As the day passes, so did the frequency of buyers. And so, shortly before dusk, we commenced in agreement to tidy up the chaos created by the bargaining frenzy. Folding the remains of the giant stacks while counting the amount of funds we have raised for the day, gave us an exalted and rewarding feeling. This is what we are about, working in unity for a noble cause.
So, the next time you see the ad for an upcoming BEMAL Garage Sale event, make sure that you won't miss the date. If you choose to attend the event, hopefully you'll get a slight sense of fulfillment that we have felt since BEMAL was founded 3 years ago. It might not be the life changing experience, but it might give you a better sense of living more meaningfully.
