This prompts something that I’d forgotten… my mom was a fan of the Sears surplus store, especially at Christmas. It was down in the area now called “Sodo.” We’re talking 1970s/early 80s. Though my father had a great job – he was a vice-president of SeaFirst bank, running all their computers – he kept us on a tight leash. But we never, ever went without being spoiled – thanks in part to Sears surplus.
But there was a downside to that store – and, to be honest, mom’s excitement probably clouded her eye for detail. For Christmas or birthdays, whenever, once in a while we’d get a great toy or something that would be… incomplete. Or broken. Something wrong with it; a lot of stuff at the surplus store were returns — and there were no returns on returns. I remember getting a New England Patriots jersey that I’d wanted…. without any numbers or lettering on it, for example. Or a football helmet with the decals all wrong.
But, after the first time, my brother and I learned to hide our consternation, and appreciate what we got. Because we didn’t want to hurt our mother’s feelings. I remember opening a box once at Christmas, seeing whatever it was was slightly damaged, and creatively hiding the fact from my mom. Being occasionally, momentarily disappointed was one thing, but seeing disappointment on her face was something we couldn’t bear. She really tried, and her batting average was better than most.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, and happy holidays. Appreciate what we’ve got, eh?
