I don’t go to garage or tag sales very often. It always feels like I’m intruding on another person’s private life. “Look, they used every day China every day, even on holidays.” or maybe, “Last time I saw a vacuum cleaner like that was in an antique shop.” You know how it goes. Still, every so often I feel the need to venture out to pick up a few things for my own collection of stuff. Our car still fits into the garage so there’s lots of room.
This photo shows a small section of the workbench. The man who had lived here was someone comfortable with tools and used them often; see the wear spots on the wood handle. He fixed things or at least gave it a good shot. Maybe this was his man cave, this workbench, for it looks like he didn’t clean up all too often. Men don’t mind working in a mess or leaving one, it adds character. Yes indeed, here was a man who knew how to take stuff apart and put it together again. Not all that many left these days. If it breaks we throw it out and get another, the more modern version.
When I think back I should have bought that tool with the wooden handle and put it up on a shelf in my own little man cave. I wouldn’t use it, mind you, but having it would be almost like knowing someone who could and did.
-Mike Stevens
