Saturday's Wild Ride

It is a beautiful Saturday in November and it is the perfect time of the year to go antiquing.  I have agreed to meet my friend, Patte, at a nearby consignment store called Switch for a quick cruise and then down Scottsdale Road to the antique district.  I am almost finished putting on my makeup when all of a sudden I hear the sound of the horn from my car honking inside the garage. But the sound it was making was rather odd.  It almost sounded like it was saying  "HURRY" 'HURRY" "HURRY!"  I quickly grab my purse, go to the garage and I find the car is already running, fumes smoldering out of the pipes and the horn is still blaring "HURRY" "HURRY"  "HURRY!"  I slowly approach to see if there is anyone in the car when all of a sudden I am forced in by sheer energy, strapped down with my seat belt and reversing out of the garage, down the driveway.  WHOA!  I feel out of control as my car is driving wildly down the street, out of my neighborhood to Pima Road.  Wait, there is a red light, you have to stop!  Thank God, my car obeys and I try to take control of the situation while waiting for the light to turn. Ok it's green, time to go. I think I'm ok  and that the car just  needed to get out of the garage for awhile to blow off some steam.  Cruising down the road, 45mph, 50mph, 60mph 70mph! Wait! This is too fast!  No longer in control, my car is barreling down Pima Road at 75MPH!  Darn!  The speed camera just took my picture!  Quick right onto Princess Drive barely slowing down. WATCH OUT!  There is a speed bump in the road and soccer fields with hundreds of kids out practicing!  I try to put on the brake, but no use, the car is making a left on Greenway-Hayden and is picking up more speed.  Now the horn is honking again  "HURRY" "HURRY" "HURRY!"  Well at least it knows the way to Switch so I will try to gain control.  My car must think it is an emergency vehicle because all of a sudden it starts to make a sound like a moaning siren right as we pass a store called Casa Hermosa.  60 - 70% OFF...TOTAL LIQUIDATION....EVERYTHING MUST GO!  Before I know it, my car gets into the left lane, flips a quick u-turn and pulls into the parking lot, inches in front of the sign that says EVERYTHING...Now I hear the honking sound again but it is coming out of  me!  But my sound was more like "GO" "GO" "GO!"   Hold on Ginger!  I have to meet Patte!  No time for this right now.  I convince my car that we will come back as soon as possible but we need to get to Switch first. The car reluctantly sputters out of the parking lot and away we go.

I see Patte already checking out with a few great finds for her mountain home in Flagstaff, Az. She has found a lot of great things here at good prices and I can't wait to see what she has done with them. A quick cruise through the store...nothing I want, so I tell Patte about the liquidation sale at Casa Hermosa.  We decide to drive together in her car, sadly leaving mine behind.  We are almost there when all of a sudden her car starts honking "HURRY""HURRY" "HURRY!"  Entering the store we see several big pieces of Spanish influenced furniture.  She has been looking for a big buffet and a desk and there are a couple that may work.  We hear from the salesperson why the store is closing and feel sad that another business is shutting down. Walking through the store we see mirrors, tables, lamp shades, desks but nothing that neither of us really needed. We decided to go into the warehouse and look around.  Nothing really catches our eye until I see approximately 10 or so unstained wooden dining room chairs that still needed to be upholstered. I wasn't really zeroing in on the chairs per say but the sign above that said  "ALL CHAIRS $25.00" Hmmmm....these are interesting.  It seemed however that none of them really matched and if I were to buy any, I would need at least 4.  But gosh, $25.00!  The average dining room chair like this easily retails for $1,000.00!  Spending a few minutes wondering how I could make these work, I decide not to buy and sadly leave the store . Why was my car behaving so strange? Was it taking me on a wild goose chase?  Patte and I say our goodbyes, wishing that we had found something for our homes, but it's ok. After all it is a beautiful Saturday in November and there are other fun things to do.

Getting back into my car, everything seems to be  normal so I decide just to go home and stop shopping for the day.  The car is doing what it is suppose to do...drive...when all of a sudden another weird honking noise occurs "SLOW" "SLOW" "SLOW'' and then "TURN LEFT" 'TURN LEFT" "TURN LEFT!"  Obeying, of course, I pull into the parking lot of another consignment store called Fabulous Finds. Walking in I instantly did not get a vibe but cruise a little, when what do I see?...6 dining room chairs, all upholstered, just like the ones I just saw at Casa Hermosa. EACH SELLING FOR $999.00!
This is a consignment store. A little pricey don't you think?  So I leave and head back down Greenway-Hayden towards Casa Hermosa.  Should I go in one more time just to look again? Well I did not have the authority here, because as I was pondering, my car was pulling into the parking lot.  Thank God, the horn wasn't blaring but I swear I thought I heard the sound of heaving breathing coming out of the engine.  I walk back into the store and the sales person tells me he found another chair so I go back to the warehouse to look once again at the others.  Ok, something is not right here. They look different than before. There are 3 that match perfectly, and 2 exactly alike only a little taller. These 5, along with the 1 in front all look great together.  No time for hesitation!  I am going to buy them, find fabric, something maybe a little orangish, golden, coppery, find an upholsterer, maybe I will learn to upholster, no better not, I will stain the legs to match dining room table, find a centerpiece to match new chairs, set table, all in time for Thanksgiving dinner!  No, this is not an impulse but an important purchase and decision that I am making for my home.  I am confident in my decision!

Driving home with my 6 new dining room chairs and receipt for $150.00, my car seems to be content as the sound of the horn I am now hearing is softly saying "THANK YOU"  "THANK YOU"  THANK YOU!"  So girls, the next time you hear the sound of your car calling out "HURRY" "HURRY" HURRY" or if you hear the engine panting kind of wildly, hop in and let your car take you where it wants to go.  The unexpected journey just may take you someplace you were destined to be!