Poet Horton

That “Feeling Down” syndrome

I’m guessing that my life is finally caught up with me. My health, although by appearances seems to be improving, is not. My multiple back injuries have taken their toll and now I dread having to move at times. I’m losing my memory, my eyesight is getting worse, and I have little or no taste left. Not sure what else is going to fail next but I just hope when it does go it does it when I’m alone so I don’t have to play hard-ass and suck it up while I fall over dead or something.

I’ve managed to pack rat away far too much junk over the years playing citizen and now I’m at that crossroads where I am about to just chuck it all out and say “to hell with it”. I spend my military pension and my entire social security on keeping the house and paying some bills. I reinvest so little to making it at the markets that it doesn’t seem to be paying off. Unable to ride the bike due to the seriousness of my pain problems. I have no social life and my personal life sucks. But I must admit, I do put on a good front. Depression doesn’t help my mood any either. I’ve several doctor’s appointments coming up at the VA this month. I may just check out the sixth floor to see if the head doctors might be able to shed some light on things. It’s a real pain getting old, and I’ve figured out what the worst thing about growing old is…its growing old!

Flea market trends

Spent the day at the local flea market trying to make a few bucks so I can pay some bills around here, again. Seems like the bills keep coming faster and the finances keep getting slimmer and coming slower. hard to sell quality merchandise at a fair price when half the market is filled with dollar store mentality shoppers who are more into strolling and critiquing the merchants then purchasing anything for their homes or themselves. Times are not as bad as everyone is trying to make them out to be. But if the sheep fear the wolf is going to foreclose on their little straw homes or take their job and give it to the burros, then what can you do but suck it up and laugh at the insecure citizens over their ignorance. Things really have to get better soon or I’m just going to have to pack it in for awhile and lay low till the dust settles and people are more willing to spend. Looks like anymore that the dealers are the only ones doing anything about it. Only problem there is that we just seem to be trading gear and passing around the same money from one pocket to the next just to keep appearances up. At least that way we can pretend we’re still making something.

To Show or not to Show..what was the question?

My youngest girl and I really did have a pretty good time at the antiques show in Brimfield, despite the fact we didn’t exactly break any sales records. The price of gas along with the setup fees and motel room rentals and the feeding of our faces takes a bit to catch up on when it comes to such shows. But we did manage to come out ahead enough to make a slight profit and get a few bills paid in the process. This was the second time my youngest got to go with me to this particular event. She really enjoys doing the markets with her Dad. And I really like having her assistance. She’s good company and makes me not miss bringing one of the bikes along. Although she likes taking a ride on the old rat bike nearly as much as her mom does!

“Brimfield”

Once again I got rained on at Brimfield! It would seem that the rain gods just won’t allow me the good fortune to get through a whole show in yankee-land without my getting wet! I’m beginning to have second thoughts as to my continuing to set up at the Brimfield Massachusetts antique show. While many of the dealers that I know continue to talk up their profit margin with tales of them making anywheres from 8 to 75 thousand dollars in three days. I can’t seem to break the 2 thousand mark for the life of me. And its not because of my gear, for crissakes, my gear is as good, and in many cases better, than what they carry. I’m sure some of the braggadocio is simply that. But I do see many of them making the big bucks while my booth is lacking in visitation. A lot of it may have to do with location. I have been offered by several other dealers to set up in their fields for a longer period of time at nearly the same costs. AND, they have more to offer then where I am at presently. Guess I am going to have to give it some serious thought if i am to continue doing the show there. maybe it is time for a change after all!

On to Brimfield…

For several years I’ve been going to a place called Brimfield, in Massachusetts, to set up a booth of Native American gear, cowboy gear, antiquities of all sorts and collectibles ,ranging from the mundane to severely eclectic one of a kinds rarely seen anywhere else. Billed as the largest Flea market in the US, it offers what no other market has. The rule of thumb is that if it can be found for sale, it can be found in Brimfield!
This year my youngest will once again accompany me to the market for 4 to 5 days of working the retail, wholesale, trade and hustle business of the flea marketeer. She loves doing the markets with me, and with Brimfield being the largest and by far the most exciting, she is about as excited as a school girl can get over such things. But she really does have a good time with her ol’ dad, selling and trading our wares with the public at large. Gives her insight as to the character of different people, aids her in mathematics by her dealing with money repeatedly. She has learned different methods of packing and storage, setup and presentation, reading maps and figuring out directions.
This year though, what with the price of gas constantly rising and the frailty of the buying public’s fears about the economy, may be our last hurrah for awhile, at least when it comes to going all the way up to Massachusetts and dealing with paying high setup costs, out of sight gas prices and a faltering economy. We may be stuck doing the occasional yard sale or local flea markets if things don’t pick up soon. Between my failing health, aging and other family issues, long drives several states away could very well become a practice of the past. But you never know, things could always change. And I’m hoping they do, after all, it’s what I do!

On The Road Again!

It’s that season of the year when old dogs like myself pack up our vans, trucks, trailers, cars, or whatever else it is we’re using at the time to head out to fields far and wide to add a little excitement to small towns or county fairgrounds or even the local armory to ply our trade in goods both rare and unique. We add flavor to an age old trade of traveling dealers of items normally not readily available and rarely such a variety of merchandise in such abundance in one place! Yes my friends it is the flea marketeers boggling the minds of many and putting the bull in cow pies, all in order to entertain the masses and make a lousy buck in the process. It’s a wonderful life if ya don’t weaken. And believe it or not, there is a certain amount of camaraderie, a brotherhood of sorts in those who’ve spent the better part of the year traveling from place to place just to set up shop somewheres else. And every so often we all converge on a spot or two, for a day or two. We make a buck or two, have a laugh or two, have a little fun, (some of us more so then others), and then we’re off again, in different directions, with different agendas, until the next time…