Today’s comic is based pretty closely to something that actually happened to us about a week ago. Cami and I were cleaning out our basement as part of our great “staycation” and we came across maybe four or five boxes stuffed with old VHS tapes.
“We never watch these,” she said. “We should get rid of them.”
It was hard to argue with her. I don’t even think we have a VCR in the house anymore. I believe we gave it to my sister-in-law for her to use in her classroom.
So instead of listing the individual movies of our collection (or even bothering to list it a as lot) on eBay or craigslist, we decided instead to gather up all the boxes and see what we could get for them at the Half Priced Book Store.
They took over 20 minutes to inventory our collection and, when it was all said and done, laid down the offer on the table: $4.50.
I can’t describe the reaction brewing in me. At first, it was outrage. Because you can’t believe someone else doesn’t place value on something you found so important at one time. Then futility sets in. Because you’re not going to haggle with them. What are they going to give you for the trouble “Oh, okay. I’ll give you $6.00 for it.” Eventually, regret sets in. You can’t believe you spent so much time and money amassing something so worthless. But in the end, you find acceptance. At this point, you just want the damn things out of your house. Nevermind the fact that it’s a dead format. They’ll probably hang onto them for a year before pitching them.
But, yeah… When Cami made the observation that we probably spent more in gas bringing them to the Half Priced Book Store than we did earning any money for their sale, I was a little annoyed. We literally would have made more money (and saved more time) if we had simply dumped them in the trash.
CAPITALISM WORKS!
Not much else to talk about this morning except to remind you to check out The Triple Feature talkcast tonight at 9:00 PM over at TalkShoe.com. Tonight we’ll be talking aboutSwing Vote and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Be there!
I'll take them to the second-hand store and see what I can get for them.
$4.50?!
There's got to be over 70 movies in there!
That's my offer - take it or leave it.
But I spent that much in gas just getting here! I would have made more money if I just threw them away!
Do you seriously expect any sympathy from me?
I work at a store that sells used VHS tapes for cryin' out loud!
