Couple of years ago I stopped by one of these sales. Older gent was so proud to sell his wife's rusted old klunker of a sewing machine mounted in a refinished cabinet that he had very obviously worked hard to refinish and varnish until mirror shiney! Sitting close by wasa HUGE clear plastic tub of fabric pieces. So I asked if he would sell that separate and he finally conceded. I asked what he wanted for it - he said make me an offer. So we chatted about how his wife was a wonderful seamstress and his memories - he asked if I would pay $5 for the whole thing. It took my teen daughter and me both th lift it into the car. Most of fabric was old, but 3 unfinished quilt tops and plenty more for scrappy quilts for the local mission. So one never knows and I learned a valuable lesson that day.
When I took the time to be interested in him and the love of his life - just 15 minutes more out of my life - paid back BIG time. And as my husband tells me all the time when I'm impatient with someone - "remember, hun, you are going to be there one day yourself!!!: