Something sad happened.  But something cool happened first.  But this post is sad.  

Last Friday, before Mother’s Day, at the Club Retro gig, there was a huge garage sale that was being set up for Saturday.  My wife found the coolest bookshelf-hutch-thingy that was all distressed and old and awesome.  It was pretty legit—even I thought it was pretty great, and I don’t usually get excited about furniture.  She wanted it!  They were selling it for $80.00, which seems like a ton for a garage sale but it was totally worth it.

The problem was, they wouldn’t sell it to her until Saturday.  We weren’t going to be around on Saturday so she was seriously bummed.  (That’s not the sad part.  It actually gets better before it get sad).  After she told me they wouldn’t sell it to her, I got excited because I like challenges and so I set off to try to talk someone into selling it to her. 

So!  I found out that the garage sale was in association with Club Retro and, I thought, sweet, I have an “in.”  I tracked down Steve and asked if he could pull some strings.  He said that he wasn’t sure but he would try.  Sure enough, he came through for me.  He talked to the guy that was running the sale and got him to agree to sell it to me.  I bought it for my wife for Mother’s Day and I was the biggest hero ever.  She jumped up and down and giggled and all that fun stuff.  It was a good moment. 

Are you ready for the sad part? 

I was driving down the road yesterday afternoon; my phone rang and there was some guy on the other end of the line:  

Some Guy:  Hi.  You bought a hutch from us the other day at the garage sale at Club Retro

Me:  Oh yeah.  What’s going on? 

Some Guy:  Well there was some sort of mix up.  The hutch that you bought belonged to a lady that was storing it in one of our rooms and it wasn’t supposed to be sold.  It’s a family piece and she was hoping we could track it down and get it back for her.

Me:  … (speechless)…

Some Guy:  Hello?

Me:  Serious?

Some Guy:  Yeah, if you want to talk to the lady I will give you her number so you can….

Me:  No, it’s cool.  I believe you. 

Some Guy:  we feel so bad but we would be happy to give you your money back plus 20 bucks.  And we could come pick it up too.

Me:  Listen, I understand, these things happen.  My wife is going to be devastated but… (Celestial calls on the other line)… hey can you give me a call back in 20 minutes and i will get you my information.

Some Guy:  OK… no problem.  Sorry again.

Now, there was a little more to the conversation than that—and obviously it’s not verbatim because I don’t record my phone conversations and I’m not a  savant—but that was the gist.  They came and picked it up last night.      

So that’s that.  Pretty lame huh?  What would you do?  You pretty much have to give it back right?  It was someone’s family piece.  Any thoughts?

My poor wife was so sad about it!  If anyone has a one-of-a-kind distressed hutch that’s really ridiculously amazing then… can I have it?  Please?  I need my “wonderful-husband” points back.