The flea market where Hick operates his Storage Unit Store has something for everybody. Hick sent me a picture Sunday morning when people were setting up. It surprised even ME.
It is SO like Hick to send me such a picture with no explanation. Other than: "Only in Backroads." Yes, that IS a camel. And yes, Hick still has his signature picture-taking style. Small subject in the middle of a vast expanse of surroundings.
"Wait! Was that camel for sale?"
"No."
"Don't tell me they're keeping it in a storage locker!"
"Nope. They have a business that gives pony rides and camel rides. They have a unit down at the other end, where they sell stuff at the flea market. So they just brought the camel to have in front of their place, to drum up business."
"Did it work?"
"I don't know. They're down at the other end."
"You'd think it wouldn't be good for a camel's feet to walk on that gravel."
"I guess you could put shoes on a camel, like on a horse."
"WHAT? You can't nail a metal shoe to a camel's foot! They have toes. They're like dogs' feet. Pads on the bottom. Not hooves. They're made for sand. They spread out as the camel walks. Like a snowshoe keeps you from falling deeper in the snow. If you made a shoe, it would be like a leather tie-on shoe. Not nailed!"
"Oh. I thought they had hooves."
I'll give Hick this one. After all, HE knew that England was an island. Then again, he flew there for work...
Anyhoo... that's not Hick's stuff set up on the tables. It belongs to his buddy next door. He's got a typewriter, and a TV. A blender. A set of speakers. Some green plastic pellet thingies for a pellet gun. Lots of jars of jewelry, sold by the whole jar, not piece by piece. A wicker basket. A sewing basket. A picture on an easel. But that tablecloth underneath the stuff is not for sale. That would have been my first choice.
It looks like a marvelous place.
ReplyDeleteIt's more marvelous on Saturdays, rather than on a Sunday morning. On Saturdays, most of the units are open for business, and trucks are parked down the middle to sell for the day. They buy a special pass for that, which annoys the regulars who pay rent on their units.
DeleteIt's been 10 years, but for some reason I crave a cigarette.
ReplyDeletewill a camel do?
Deletewhen I was much younger, I heard about people smoking camels and thought they meant real camels, since I didn't yet know about Camel brand cigarettes.
You and the security guard I worked with at an insurance salvage store. Although I doubt he ever quit.
DeleteRiver,
DeleteI guess you hadn't seen the pack, and the merchandise with Joe Camel. Almost seemed as if they were marketing to kids...
You made me scroll back to see the tablecloth which I didn't notice first time. I was wondering what those filled jars were. I wouldn't mind a camel ride, just for the experience and to be able to say I rode a camel once.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was candy in the jars, so I was disappointed to hear it was "only" jewelry! No camel ride for me. That's a long way to fall.
DeleteWow! What a selection of goodies.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine you sitting on that camel! I bet Liam, Alex, and Charlie would have been impressed by that critter.
Delete