The Golden Goose is an odd institution near the gates of Saddlebrooke. It is a charity thrift shop, staffed entirely by volunteers, where people donate their stuff for resale and subsequent good works.Residents here have accumulated a lot of detrius over their lifetimes and apparently it is easier to give most of it to the Golden Goose than to lug it forward to their next home, be it Florida or The Great Beyond.
We drove by the Golden Goose a few times before we actually got in it. Located in a strip center a few miles away, it is open just from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday thru Saturday, so we missed it on a couple of previous attempts. But when it is open, the place is an anthill of commerce. Look sharp for a parking spot and beware of oversized sedans driven by seniors with oversized sunglasses.
Inside it looks like about 3,000 square feet chockablock with books, lamps, beds, furniture, dustboards, knick-knacks, silverware, dishes, appliances, crockery, cameras, rugs, and god knows what else. Spry senior citizen volunteers in red aprons and hearing aids scurry through the aisles, answering questions for the dozens of senior citizen customers. No one really knows what's in there. I asked one gentleman in a red apron for a king-sized headboard. "Sorry," he said, "We don't have any."Not to be discouraged, we hunted around anyway and soon, behind a dresser, we found a trove of headboards. One had our name on it, but no pricetag. In all this chaos, there is a manager. She wears a green apron and a confident attitude so needed in an operation like this. She was quick with a price: $20.
I guarded the headboard while Kathleen stood in the line for the beehive of volunteer cashiers gingerly punching keys on the computers. The sign says you have to load everything yourself. No senior carryouts. Eventually we were motoring down Saddlebrooke Avenue with our king-size used headboard sticking out the hatchback, fleeing like bank robbers.A little sandpaper from Ace, some Kilz, some rosy paint (Ralph Lauren Princess Stephanie) and we are pleased with the result.
What do you think?
