May Madness

Every year the Music Academy of the West holds a huge sale of furniture, clothing, and household items on its grounds in Montecito. Every year I have missed it until today.

As Jen and I sought a parking space, we saw women leaving the sale carrying a lot of plastic bags filled with stuff. I couldn't help noting the women's sizes and styles, hoping they did not snatch up things that would have fit me. My friend and I split up, meeting again at the Rack (the Music Academy's consignment store) an hour later. Yes, there were a lot of clothes: some were fabulous, a lot were not.

The pros really scored though. You could tell them by their focused vision, their aggressive method of going through the racks, and their cries of joy when they found a particularly great garment or accessory. You know what they say about one man's trash, right? This was the place to witness that truism to an extreme. I saw a sweater in a garish print my oldest daughter would call "pollution" and was just about to make a snide comment about it to my friend when a woman ran over to it, grasped it ecstatically, and paid for it without even trying it on. Wow.

I ended up finding a stunning pair of gray python pumps for a mere $25. My friend almost bought a vintage vinyl black purse but did not think it was worth the price. I watched a woman pay $45 for an Escada sequined top that was priced at $250. I am not sure how that happened, but when I raised an eyebrow at the buyer, she gave me a look that said, "Don't you dare say anything [to the clerk]."

If nothing else, May Madness is a fantastic people-watching venue and I imagine there were special things for sale the minute the doors opened. Maybe I will get there early next year.