« the move | Main | Friday cat blogging »
November 29, 2007
the not-so-easy holiday spirit of giving
Two stories.
In the process of moving and it being nearly the Holidays I took 2 full truckloads of perfectly good furniture and clothing over to Goodwill. The Salvation Army's soonest pick-up date was mid-December.
The first trip was a box of clothing, mostly gifts with tags still on the items. A big man came out put on a GLOVE and picked through the box, like it was HIV infected blood.
Do you have pets? he asked. Yes, but they didn't hang next to my clothes like bats, I said. He didn't want to take the clothing until he spotted a pair of faux leather pants, and then he changed his tune.
Apparently, the California liberal bullshit means po' folks are too good to have clothing from a home with pets. When I was just out of college and starving to death, sleeping on a hardwood floor -- I would have accepted a heavily used mattress from a whorehouse.
Meanwhile a couple of guys dropped off a working microwave and a few nice glass end tables. The big burly man said, "Thanks bro, you gave me a lot more stuff to throw out tonight. More work."
I thought that was bad -- so to torture these people, and gather more stories for my blog and radio show -- I brought over 3 perfect bookshelves, a lamp and a few framed pictures today. Didn't think I could hear anything worse than I did the day before. Damn it, I was wrong. And I hate to be wrong.
A different burly guy came out and said, "we don't take beds." I told him it wasn't a bed, it was a bookshelf. You know, you can put books on it, those things people read. Someone could even use it for clothing but not a mattress. Unless you are doll-sized, blonde with big boobs and date (but never marry) Ken.
So he had to investigate. "Damn that nice." I agreed and said I enjoyed it for many years and no longer have the space for it.
I hope you are sitting down for his response.
"Time for those n*ggers in the hood to have it. I see how you people work."
Oh and now I am enlightened and see how his people work. I didn't realize there was a difference but there is -- if someone gives me something -- I thank them. Even if it ends up in the trash. Or god forbid at Goodwill.
It's hard to enjoy giving things to charity when they act like they are doing YOU a favor.
It's even worse when you are made to feel guilty for donating something you could have sold for real money. If you are giving it away, it's not the holiday spirit, it must mean there's something wrong with it. And that's plain old wrong.
Tomorrow, I'll tell you about a lovely, lovely lady in my old neighborhood. I call her the curb enforcer.
Love,
Mox
Posted by Moxie at November 29, 2007 9:08 PM
|
Stumble It!
|
| del.icio.us
Comments
I can not believe how rude he was.
I wouldn't give them anything else.
Hope you are doing ok.
Posted by: Heather at November 29, 2007 10:53 PM
Mox,I am so so sorry you are having so much trouble and im stuck here n cant do a dam thing!.....Nino
Posted by: Nino at November 30, 2007 12:04 AM
I have had similar experiences at Goodwill. The last time I got flack for dropping off used clothing/kids toys I flat asked the guy if this was indeed Goodwill, a place that is supposed to be a drop off for used clothing and other items. He pretty much got the message.
That was the last time I went there. I give everything used to the Salvation Army now. I should have done it from the start because that is where all of my "new" clothes came from when I was growing up. Great people, working for a higher purpose. Give it a try.
Posted by: Dan from Madison at November 30, 2007 6:17 AM
That is hi-larious.
Posted by: Saul at November 30, 2007 7:58 AM
Ditto Dan's experiences above. The folks at the Goodwill in OC won't even look you in the eye after you're done donating your things, and they'll hardly take half of it - no matter what shape it's in. Fortunately, there is a Salvation Army right down the block that gladly takes what you can give them, helps you unload it, and thanks you politely for your donation. Because I have four kids I am always shedding things that they have lost interest in or outgrown, and what I can't give to friends I donate (I've never been any good at selling things anyway). The Salvation Army gets my biz every time. Give them a shot...
Posted by: steadyrock at November 30, 2007 12:02 PM
Goodwill and the Sally Army are soon to be obsoleted by the Craigslist "free stuff" section. Drag old furniture out to curb. Post announcement on Craigslist of where to come and pick it up. Come outside an hour or two later and find it gone.
The lack of a tax write-off is more than compensated for by not having to schlep the stuff to the drop-off location.
Just don't leave upholstered chairs out the day before a rainstorm without knowing whether anyone is going to come get them ... like my dumbass neighbors did a few weeks ago.
Posted by: Alex at November 30, 2007 3:03 PM
Out of the Closet will take virtually anything.
Last time I moved, I dropped off two carloads of stuff and they were more than happy to take it.
Posted by: The Ugly American at November 30, 2007 7:31 PM
There's always Craigslist. I've gotten La-z-boys and couches. With young kids, I don't want to invest in "good" furniture yet. As my youngest is not yet 5, I'll be in my mid-50's before I'll even consider "respectible" furniture I'd plan on keeping for more than 10 years. Oh, and I've never had problems with the Goodwill on Pico between Fairfax & Crescent Heights. I think a digital pic and putting things in the "free stuff" section of Craigslist is at least a way for stuff to go to someone industrious enough to use/fix/make a profit on it.
Posted by: Aarons CC at December 1, 2007 6:21 PM
When Goodwill got too uppity in my part of OC, I went to the Catholic relief sociey...whose name escapes me... St Vincent De Paul. They took it all, helped unload and gave me a receipt. They even gave my Father In Law a bottle of water as he was getting a bit peaked in the midsummer heat of SoCal.
Posted by: MunDane at December 1, 2007 6:58 PM
Been out of the loop for a while. I see there's alot to catch up on.
As for charitable giving, I've started avoiding Goodwill quite so time ago. The Salvation Army donation centers are a bit friendlier and I ring the bell for them every year. Yet, my monetary donations now go three ways: the Red Cross, Hubbard House, and a local Lutheran Social Services. LSS and Hubbard House are happy for anything given to them.
And, United Way...screw 'em. They get only what it takes to get them off my ass at work.
Posted by: jmflynny at December 1, 2007 9:20 PM
You know, had he said to me, I'd have packed it all up and sold it on e-bay just out of spite. F that noise. What an asshole.
Posted by: Doug Dever at December 2, 2007 7:05 PM
You might see if you have a local Freecycle. You post items you want to give away or items you need in a yahoo group, and people email you to say whether they need or have what you're needing or offering. Then you work out whether you're dropping it off at the person's house or they're picking it up at yours. I gave a ton of stuff away through Freecycle before Frank and I moved. One thing about Freecyclers (at least the ones I've come across) is that they are almost always friendly and thankful and rarely rude.
Posted by: sarahk at December 26, 2007 7:05 PM
