作为一个初到美国的危地马拉人，我无法眼睁睁地看着那些好端端的东西被当作“废品”白白丢弃。于是，我开始了我的周末“庭院旧货出售”淘宝生涯，而远在故乡的父亲，也由此开始了一项欣欣向荣的生意。
ThefirsttimeIwentforawalkaroundmyfather-in-law’sneighborhooditwasgarbageday[1], andIwasshockedtoseewhatpeoplewerethrowingout.
BeingfromGuatemala[2], wherefamilieswishtheycouldownaradio, atelevision, oranyofthoseelectricalappliancesIsawbeingdumped, Iwastemptedtopickupeveryitem.[3] ButIknewmynewAmericanfamilywouldnotapprove.
Thenspringarrived. Thiswasbackin 1981, andIrecallgoingforawalktoapondnearwheremywifeandIwereliving. That’swhenIsawallthesepeoplegatheredinsomeone’sfrontyard.
AsIapproachedtoseewhatwashappeningIgotmyfirstintroductiontoyardsales[4]. ForthefewdollarsIhadinmywallet, Iwasabletobuymyownseven-inchblack-and-whiteportableTV[5]. Ialsoboughtaflashlightinacountrythatalmostnevergoesdark, becausemymindwasstillthinkingofGuatemalawheretheelectricitygoesouteverynightduringtherainingseason.[6]
Thefollowingweekend, atanotheryardsale, Isawa 14-inchcolorTVbeingsoldforalmostnothing[7]. IfeltIcouldnotmissthisofferandboughtit. NowIhadtwosetsandcouldn’twaittoseewhatelseIcouldaffordthenextweekend.
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