As previously canvassed on this blog, I’m a great fan of the discarded furniture and such that’s often found in my back laneway.
At a philsophical level, my view is there’s enough crap in the world without adding to the level of consumerism by polluting the planet with even more useless crap.
Clearly my neighbours disagree, as they’re prone to discarding the most fantastic array of items, most of them in good working order.
I’m happy to salvage the miscellaneous items they have decided are no longer fashionable on the basis that a) I’m doing my bit for the environment by recycling things; and b) they’re free, and doing so is saving me a lot of money.
So far I’ve managed to salvage a very good computer desk, a really lovely light fitting, and a bookcase, amongst many other items.
That said, I have completely turned into a man who collects aluminium cans, having recently bought a new fridge and having spent a small fortune, obscene amount on a vacuum cleaner.
Today, though the back laneway has yielded another discarded gem: a Sony sound system.
I wasn’t the only one who spotted it though. There was a bloke about 50 metres up the lane way who spotted it just seconds after I did, and was walking towards towards it at an increasing pace, as he obviously noticed my interest.
But I was there first, and so it was mine.
“It’s a nice system”, said the young man as he approached, realising he was already too late.
“Yes”, I said, as I picked up the first half of the sound system, making it completely clear that it was “finders keepers” on my part.
By the the time I arrived back to pick up the second half of my “haul”, I realised he’d taken his own little souvenir: the remote control. “What a prick”, I thought to myself.
But by the time I got upstairs, had plugged in the system, and started enjoying the superior sound of the system to my old system, all of the angst had disappeared.
Not only does the system sound significantly better than my old one, it’s fully working. They’ve obviously thrown it out because they’ve bought something better. I, of course, am happy to have such a hand-me-down.
At the risk of pre-juding comments on this post, I think Graeme will be appalled, while MsA will be mightily impressed.
What a pillock, taking the remote. You can get those universal ones. But surely it’s permanently tuned to 702 on the radio and The Best of Abba in the CD player!
I’d be a bit scared of electrocuting myself plugging in random electronics… but I guess so long as it hasn’t rained overnight you’d be reasonably safe! :)
Agree with you about the bloke taking the remote. Not sure if I entirely agree with you about my listening habits, though! :) As for electronics, I’ve always been a nerd when it comes to this stuff. I spent half of my childhood in my bedroom wiring things in the most unusual ways, and the other half on our roof erecting antennas to pick up remote radio and television signals. Even now, I spend half of my holidays visiting my family in Lismore erecting antennas and wiring things for them.
If he lives nearby he’s probably hoping he can use the remote to control the volume of the EuroPop emanating from your apartment!
Do you repay the favour? Are you a Hard Rubbish Day giver as well as taker?
Yes, I have given the cosmos a fridge and misc other items.
Things tend to go very fast around here, if you see something appealing on the way to work, there is no chance of it lasting until you come home, so you have to strike quickly and hang getting to work on time.
I did grab a nice-ish old silver sugar bowl last week, but I definitely think a winner is you for the stereo. Excellent score!
Silver sugar bowl? Obviously you live in a far more upmarket part of town that I do!
If I had a Sony sound system, I’d throw it out too. :)
Really, I *am* mightily impressed, James, not just with your find but also your acquisition style in the face of direct challenge. You evidently sized up your enemy and made the correct moves; the small matter of losing a skirmish (the remote) is nothing in the face of ultimate victory. Very Sun Tsu. Crank it up to 11 and enjoy!
xx
Heheheh. Actually, it’s a good system. My previous system was an almight Yamaha which still sounded great. But which had lost the LED on the tuner which was a bit annoying.
Now when this one blows up James and causes a fire-ette, don’t say I didn’t warn you! I just couldn’t take rubbish from the street, I just couldn’t. Put it down there for others to take – have done so many, many times. But do it myself…arghhh!
It’s just that I live in an area where things are thrown out when they’re perfectly good. New fashion, new item. I’ve bought a Bose to replace the Sony. You know what I meam? Consumerists everywhere.
Doesn’t anyone just ‘hoard’ anymore???
Who knows when you’ll neeed that cassette deck from 1983 again?
Or that cassette walkman from 1979?
good pick up! nice looking stereo :)
can’t believe these well off types- too lazy to even bother selling or donating to an op shop…I need to find myself one of these treasure trove laneways…would be a good way to supplement the impoverished student life where your texts alone cost a small fortune! :(
This is one of my favourite new sites…. http://www.freecycle.org.au/