Thrift Shopping and Sneers

I decided to check out a few stores on my way home today, including Walgreens and a few thrift stores. Walgreens has a few new items and select overstock from the past year at 50% off. My wife and I are both hoping they'll get some of the four foot skeletons in, so we'll have a pair this year. The folks over at Halloweenforum.com have been keeping the community up to date and they shared some information regarding full-size, poseable skeletons at nice prices, so we may be looking at one of those instead. This weekend will be our first big trip out to peruse this year's haunted stock.

At one local thrift store, I came across what turned out to be a very nice bargain: an animated chainsaw with sound. The sound is very nice for being a replica and I think I made an enemy of the saleswoman when I activated it—but such things seem to be the norm. Perhaps those snide remarks, sneers, and the general disdain directed at home haunters should be expected, but I encounter it far more than I would like. Is it quite this bad in other areas or does living in the Bible-belt intensify things? After all, Walmart already has Christmas items out but that seems to be perfectly acceptable.

But I digress.

The chainsaw cost me a whopping $2.99. After I made it back home (with the saleswoman's reminder of, "you better be careful drivin' home with that toy" still fresh in my mind), a Google search showed the prop to be a Gemmy brand chain saw that retails for around $40.00.

A home haunter's thriftiness prevails, and if I frighten only one person this season with that chainsaw, I know it will bring a crooked grin to the Hermit's face.

A hearty thank you to Kelly for following along. May your pumpkins burn bright this season.