Help can come from the most unexpected sources to remind us that people of all walks of life can join forces to work together.
Last night, I was rewarded for my extra hustle, but also had a moving experience with a complete stranger at 4 AM.
A story for renewed faith in humanity:
After taking two arms-full heavy trips back with $450+ of high quality free salvaged stuff from my first 30 minutes on the curbs, I did my Steem Fitness Challenge reps/post. Tired from carrying those trips (one was a large flawless quartzite countertop) and my exercises, I wanted to go to sleep.
Fortunately, my drive to succeed pushed me to pony up and go back out to look for more. I'd found enough that night for 30 minutes, but I'd barely done my full route, and I had to get the job done...
Thankfully I did.
Just three blocks from my place on the third deployment, I found a snowboard. It was nothing special, but I wanted to take a pic of it to send my friend who might've been interested. I put it on top of a mattress for a backdrop and took this innocent shot:
I have a sharp eye for value and quickly noticed the prominent label on the mattress. I usually ignore mattresses since I don't have the space to collect them, and for sanitation reasons, but there's good money in reselling the luxury ones. In fact, there's a van that drives around all of the time that exclusively collects the good ones to resell.
This one was a GEM. It was from 2017 and absolutely spotless in its bag. It was clear by the other stuff around it that someone just moved out.
Drumroll...
This specific mattress model originally retailed and still retails for $3,200 new!! Used models sell for $1,000-$1,200!!
BOOM!
Now this is only part of the story and half the battle...
I checked the mattress out meticulously to confirm that it was flawless and decided that I'd take it home. It weighed 71 pounds and was 14" tall, so this was going to be really f'in hard. It was a Queen and very floppy. It was going to be near impossible, but I thrive in the face of adversity. The box spring was also there, but I didn't have room for both.
Time to plan...
I started thinking about how to slide it along the curb. The snowboard!!! I tried, but it didn't work.
Nope...
There was also a metal shelf system I put it on (and with the snowboard) as a sled, but it was too hard.
Nope again...
I stood there a few minutes trying to think about my options. It was too big for a cab of any type, but it was too perfect and valuable to leave (even if I kept it for myself).
Then this happened...
A sketchy large man with rings on almost all of his fingers walked up out of nowhere. He was looking for valuables as well, but came up right to me. I carry a pocket knife for protection and to cut twine, but I wasn't prepared if he was on an offensive because I was holding the mattress. It was very awkward for a moment, but I kind of broke the ice by bringing up my struggle to feel him out... I'd take a guess and 99% of people would react the same way I did, but I judged a book by its cover in the name of logic and self defense at 4 AM on a dark city street.
He asked how far I lived (3 blocks and half an avenue I answered), and he shrugged before walking off to disappear into the night. Relieved, I went back to trying to think about the problem at hand.
A few minutes later, out of nowhere from the other direction, the man came back... Oh Sh*t...
But here's the kicker. He had a cart with him he went and found for me! A poor sketchy intimidating guy went off on his own to find something I could use when I didn't even ask for help.
It was really moving and felt like divine intervention at the time when I had no good options..
Joined forces! BING-TO-THE-F'N-O...
The snowboard on top of the cart looked like it'd work perfectly. He helped me get it centered on top and that was it. You could tell that he was happy inside his calloused shell to have helped me out. I didn't have any money on me, so I apologized, and he made it seem like he wasn't expecting anything. I offered to return the card, thoroughly thanked him, and he disappeared again. Smiling with relief, I easily pushed the cargo back to my place and muscled it up to the base of the first floor.
Reeling in the whale. Great Success!
I truly felt joy bringing this one back smiling the entire way for the man's gesture and beating the odds. It was a great memory.
Back home:
I tried for an hour (yes, an hour) to get it up 3 flights of stairs to avoid a fire hazard, but it was impossible. I could barely get it up the first 10 steps because it kept getting stuck or falling back down. After exhausting myself (noting I'd already burned out my arms and legs before), I gave up and left it on the first floor with a note on it to keep. The note also said that'd I'd have it brought up today so my landlord or super didn't get upset.
I texted my best friend asking him to come up and help me, which he did since we planned on hanging out today anyway. It was hard with two people, but we brought it up. It's now in my apartment, still spotless and listed for $1,000. Yes, they sell used around here. I might keep it, but a "firm" $1,000 would surely give me a good night's sleep.
Safe and sound...
This is also on top of a full box of electronics (including a nice Nook), a $200 working Electrolux vacuum, and the quartzite countertop... roughly $1,500 of free salvaged/recycled inventory for the night! I only did 1/3 of my route too!
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. I put in the work to find this and you can as well if you try.
The highlight was the man's kind gesture when I was completely stranded. Hopefully my story captures the essence properly, but you kind of had to be there to feel the extreme high, low, doubt, concern, and joy...
Time to do my Steem Fitness reps and go outside to save the environment for all of us some more.
...Oh, and my friend came to check out the snowboard tonight, but it had a small issue and he passed. My friend also wants the countertop as a perfect fit for her apartment half a block away. Always trying to help others...
Thanks,
@steemmatt