A LITTLE EDITORIAL ABOUT PAYING FOR GARBAGE DISPOSAL - AT CURBSIDE?
AND WHY IT WILL WORK, ON ONE LEVEL, FAIL ON ANOTHER
The matter of garbage fees, and paying for the privilege of pick-up, has come up at the District of Muskoka a number of times, in the past term of office, and each time, I think its just some nutter, blurting out a best-case-scenario; that we should offset our deficit in this district by double taxing us, to get rid of our bagged refuse, set out for weekly pick-up. This is another example, of what I have been writing about recently, how a group of elected officials can be led astray, on some of the most important, obvious and common-place realities of our region, to then start handling policy, as if we are a part of city jurisdiction instead. I call this the "fog of public office," which is a sort of delusional office presence-of-mind, where hypothetical issues are studied, as if all life occurs within a vacuum. Like playing in a sandbox, that is situated indoors. Weather, bug, and cat-turd free. Getting outside, into the real dynamic spin of nature and mankind, is quite another story. Yes indeed. That bag of garbage they want to tax with a weekly added charge, will get tossed into a roadside ditch, as a means of toll avoidance. This is life in the real world.
For each councillor, who might in the future, vote for this "garbage bag toll," they should first, all agree, to don the overalls, and jump in a district vehicle, and tour the rural areas of our district now, with the plan of picking up the garbage that is dumped into the ditches and wetlands, of our beautiful but threatened region. Maybe they would think differently, and vote against putting an extra fee on garbage disposal, if they were forced to handle all kinds of greasy, smelly, contaminated garbage, that folks dump out of their cars and trucks, even now, because they don't want to expend the gas, to go to the closest transfer station. Why not just dump it for the wildlife to consume, and the earth to decompose?
Muskoka might be a rich region on this planet, by economic overview, due to the thriving lakeshore community, but even consulting their own social services' statistics, they will be able to assess quite easily, just how many folks are barely hanging in there, as far as household and personal economy. You'd have to be pretty delusional to promote a program, of charging for curbside pickup, beyond the taxes we already pay for this service, when it is a known reality, many residents will have no choice, but to either bury refuse routinely in their backyards, or toss it somewhere else upon our landscape. Here's an example. There has been, over many years, a garbage box, placed for convenience of the cottage community, at the intersection of Muskoka Beach Road, Ennis Bay Road, and Stagecoach Road. Every week on site, it is jammed to overflowing, not by the residents and cottagers it was set-out to assist. I have watched area contractors, and residents I know from both towns, dumping huge loads of garbage in the boxes; items that wouldn't get picked up at curbside; wood and construction debris, and just about anything else, including animal carcasses, because it is free. I haven't noticed it there this summer. So where are people dumping the refuse now? Are they heading to the transfer stations, where you can dump four bags a week, I think, for free, or pay to have a large load disposed of; which is a good deal expense wise, and cheaper than a lot of folks realize. I use this option regularly for house and business cast-offs, some which are good enough to be left in the reuse-it shelter.
The problem here is quite simple. There is the usual, somewhat disturbing disconnect, between elected officials and the world that operates, apparently without their permission, beyond climate controlled environment of the council chambers, and committee rooms. There are far too many risks attached, to charging for curbside pick-up, even if it is a small fee. First of all, the lower income citizens of Muskoka, when forced to choose, as to whether to eat, or pay for garbage disposal, will trend toward a survival option. The already stretched budgets, have to accommodated the purchase of food, cover gas expenses, so the car can be utilized for work purposes, making clothing purchases; and then there's the cost of affording shelter that's more than just a tent pitched in the forest. Considering that Statistics Canada is showing us figures, we already know about, from real life encounters, inflation in many areas of the economy, is beating the crap out of lower and middle-class Canadians, such that they're unable to spend liberally as we, in the retail sector, would wish to continue. I heard a news report about movie ticket sales being at a low point, this summer, and the only information offered, in response, was that the patrons weren't pleased by the latest subject matter; the same old, same old, super heroes of action films. There was no mention of the cost of going to movies, or the shortage of wiggle room in personal budgets, for a big night out on the town. We need to get it through the heads of our local governance, that we're tapped-out, with unreal gas and food prices; so when it comes to paying for curbside pick-up, there would be a very different looking Muskoka out there, and a lot more money spent by the district and townships, running crews out to clean up the area ditches of garbage disposal, done on the cheap.
Muskoka depends on its ongoing good looks, to support its number one industry, tourism. Municipalities can spend a crap-load of money promoting their tourism assets, and lose it all, by having our woodlands acting as convenient dump sites, for those who won't pay for regular garbage pick-up. Even the twice monthly pick-up, and two bag limit per week, has caused problems for the hinterland, and it has forced property owners, burdened by someone else's cast-offs, to haul found-trash to the transfer station themselves, at their own expense. Just because district councillors, or local councillors for that matter, don't see hundreds of bags tossed at roadside, doesn't mean it's not happening, and being thusly cleaned up by vigilant property owners, and environmentally active citizens in this region, who are nauseated, seeing our lakeland fouled with garbage. Even in our neighborhood wetland, The Bog, the local youth toss all kinds of refuse in the abutting forest, from chocolate bar wrappers, to assorted pop cans, plastic juice bottles, and even condoms, which also shows what the woodlands are being used for these days.
One evening, a local cab driver, leaving the neighborhood, opened his window, and tossed two bags of fast food garbage, onto the pad in front of the community mail box. I was a short distance away, and called to him to stop. It was dark, and I couldn't get the cab company name, or the license plate number, but I did call both companies in town, in an attempt to find the jerk. I was denied the information due to confidentiality, yet the dumb ass reality, was that the road is public domain, and didn't have anything to do with a passenger's right to privacy, or the security of the residence address. It was the run-around, classic of these situations, when no one wants to accept responsibility. Except me. A bystander. I then demanded, that whomever it was, on their payroll, who had driven down this particular road, for a passenger drop-off, at this time of night, come back and pick-up the unattractive cluster of hamburger and french fry wrappers, and assorted crumpled bags. No one showed up, and seeing as I couldn't stand to see it there, at the head of a forest path, I scooped it up like usual, and disposed of it the next day for curbside pick-up.
I was having a pleasant motor-trip along Muskoka Beach one day, and came up a scene interrupted! In the farm lane, for gosh sakes, there was a refrigerator sitting there, with a crow sitting on top. The former owners, didn't want to pay the small fee for disposal, so the bastards left if for someone else to remove and cover the cost. All along that magnificent road, especially through the stretch I call the Cathedral Maples, there are typically two to four bags of garbage, thrown into the deep ditches. Someone needs to go through the bags in an attempt to find any paper, with an address or phone number, that might lead back to the tool that tossed them out of the car.
You don't need more evidence, than to study, up close, what-type of household refuse might make it to roadside, if not for the convenient, main street parking lot, of the Gravenhurst Salvation Army Thrift Shop, on Muskoka Road. Ten minutes after the store closes, those casting off items, (they know will be refused by staff during store hours), are full of glee, dropping off soiled mattresses and stained upholstered chairs, even if it is raining at the time. I have watched these slugs, with full awareness they are doing something nasty, hurrying to unload their trucks and "be-gone," before any one, on staff, can catch them. All to save a few bucks. It was happening in Bracebridge as well, until they had to block off the driveway to stop off-hours indiscriminate dumping; which by the way, costs each store a considerable amount of money to dispose of each year; money that could be used to help the less fortunate instead.
While it won't be an election issue, because I suppose it's not sexy enough, or all that imminent as an agenda item, the fact that district councillors can impose this extra fee for curbside pick-up, on a majority vote basis, means we will once again be at the mercy of elected officials who are ill informed about the actuality of the problem; and contently delusional, because they haven't been forced to go and gather-up the tossed garbage, and old appliances themselves. You see, I would make a good and wicked District Chairman, because I don't care about inconveniencing elected officials, to force them to deal with ground level issues, like volunteering for roadside recovery. Maybe even putting in some hours at the local dinner club, or food bank, to see what social services have to contend with, on that same ground level. Oh geez, they wouldn't vote a guy like me in; my blunt approach is not in their book of council-business protocols.
The problem, once again, is that councils will most likely opt for outside opinion, about whether this curbside fee is a good thing or not. They will completely miss the point, of first of all, what our district can and can not withstand, in terms of environmental stress; the visual and actual pollution, from roadside dumping. And what can be supported economically, by residents, because way too many vulnerable folks, are living too close to the line, to pay extra for garbage pick-up. When the council looks at documentation printed in a handout, and discuss it in an climate controlled, garbage and odour free environment, from comfortable chairs, with a nice table in front, to set their water jugs, these important issues apparently lose the acute aspect; that is so poignant and miserable, for those who make it their responsibility, to clean up the garbage; already contaminating the environment, even before added fees have been approved. This is not a risk we should be taking, at present, especially when it is a known fact, there are residents willing to dump at roadside, whenever the mood strikes; and in an area that economically depends on the health and welfare of its number one industry, tourism, this isn't healthy by any standard. By imposing any additional fees for waste disposal, the outcome is clear in advance, that the budgetary gains, in one department, will be the losses in another. But then, this is pretty much how local government works these days. But we do have a say, and we need to let elected officials know, we're mad as hell, and, well, you probably know the rest of that famous Peter Finch line, from the movie "Network." I repeat that line, now as mantra, seven days a week. Makes me feel better, just like "Serenity Now!"
There are a lot of mistakes made by our elected representatives, who govern according to their experience and wisdom; which is good in some cases, and bad in others. We have multi million dollar corporations, being run by elected officials, who probably wouldn't be considered for a managerial position, with a major corporation, in the private sector. Yet here they are? So if the talent pool is shallow, well then, you can expect a few associated problems; and so it does worry me, that a new council will proceed with this hatchling project, without any worry whatsoever about collateral damage. It would be fine if we could fire them, when a program fails, and we suffer the consequences, because of their mistakes. But we can't. We are tethered to these folks for four year terms, so yes, it is a big risk factor, of electing weak candidates, inexperienced in managing large business and public enterprises as a step-up, to a new place at the council table.
Does this mean, I'm advocating an aptitude test, as a qualifier, in order to seek election for a municipal and regional council. Hell yes! While aptitude doesn't guarantee a councillor won't goof-up, and make bad decisions, it is certainly a bit of security for constituents, that the representatives running for office, have a good understanding of the carnage that can occur by misguiding, and mismanaging civic affairs. I'd be thrilled to know that our elected officials could pass a basic history lesson about their own communities, prior to being given their nomination papers. A cash registration fee? Is that supposed to guarantee we get the best of the best, running for council?
I said to a local council hopeful, recently, that I would support their bid for office, by helping with the campaign, on one condition. That the candidate agree, without reservation, to be tutored about local history, prior to the election, and during the term; enough to satisfy me, that the councillor would become a minor authority, on the basic heritage model, of our community, and appreciate the key precedents of the past, as to how they continue to influence the present. This in order, that the subject councillor, never be at a loss, the critical information, to weigh-in on civic debates, that have deep heritage roots. It's an offer I make to all councillors, who are genuinely interested in improving their understanding, of the region they are representing, at this high level of office. As for the individual, I mentioned above, I haven't had the privilege yet, and frankly, my input is likely viewed as irrelevant and a waste of time; and my endorsement of even lesser concern. My support is never unconditional. But it is also never unfair, or without justification. What we see today, however, is that most of the candidates running, have so much faith in their capabilities, they block out what could actually help them do their job better, for all of us stakeholders.
Many in our town, at least of the political ilk, assume, by my intrusive nature, I am a shameless lobbyist. Well, if I am by definition, a lobbyist, I not only fail to live up to expectation, because I never collect a fee, but secondly, my shortfall, is that I never ask for anything that benefits our antique business, my freelance writing enterprise, my political affiliation, or benefits my family in any way, personal or professional. I think mine is an activism of sensible proportion, and although I am used to fighting for what I believe is important, and no one who knows me, would suggest I'm of the species of shrinking violet, I never leave any debate without a farewell hug. With the resolve, we shall still try to work toward a better home town.
So tell me honestly, that preventing widespread garbage dumping, isn't a worthy issue to pursue. If that's lobbying, then I'm a lobbyist. I'm pretty much just an average citizen, who loves this region, and wants to see it treated with proper and sensitive stewardship by our area councils. I haven't always seen this, and unless we get more environmentally active individuals, elected to these councils, it will always be an uphill battle, to convince them that job-one, is to safeguard Muskoka, ahead of its exploitation. Which by its thriving natural resource, has maintained and grown our most important economy. Tourists don't come to Muskoka to see fridges and washing machines at roadside, or a plethora of torn-open garbage bags spread through our glorious woodlands; because of a council decision based on the black and whites of a policy, that is tested in-council only, not in actuality. What would you think, of councillors being forced, to go and pick-up roadside garbage as our representatives, to see and feel first-hand, the chagrin of a debris field of refuse scattered through the wildflowers? Well, it would sound like this: "Out of order, out of order Mr. Currie, what blasphemy is this?"
Don't put an added fee on curbside refuse. It is a dangerous proposition for our region, because as it is, there is unlawful dumping all over the place, and it is only because of the efforts of property owners, and concerned citizens, new refuse dumping is cleaned up quickly, and disposed of properly and safely. It's heart breaking, to take a walk in the woods, in our neighborhood, and find old boards dumped, with nails pointing up, because some numbnuts, figured it was an acceptable place to infill with unwanted building materials. It's just a forest afterall, with ferns and wild stuff. Wouldn't you love to catch one of these individuals, unloading a truck full of garbage in a green belt near you. I've caught a dozen but that's little consolation for the hundreds that have been successful at the dump-and-run. I never caught the person, who was dumping leftover paint into The Bog, but God help him if it's ever done again. We've got a lot to lose here, and it's going to take a yeoman's effort, to insist local governance smarten up to these unfortunate realities, that cause so much collateral damage; that they are only ever partially aware of, in their respective ivory towers.
I'll close my diatribe with this strange but true tale of dumping in The Bog. Suzanne and I came home from work one night, and found a pick-up truck backed in toward the hollow of The Bog. The vehicle was on the side of the road, opposite our house. We could see, on the drive-by, that the woman was unloading a large quantity of yard waste, with a fair amount of cut limbs and substantial pieces of cut tree-trunk. We recognized the woman, as someone who had a close tie with the business community, and who lived a short distance away. When we approached her, and confronted the issue of unlawful dumping, she explained to us, that she was advised by a neighbor, that this would be okay, in this hollow of the landscape; because it was natural waste. I explained to her, as gently as my flared temper would allow, that if everyone felt this way, it would become a huge yard-waste disposal site, quickly infilled from its present wetland status. I also felt it necessary to point out, that what she was dumping, would add to the danger of slash debris, that could send a small fire, into an inferno in only a few minutes. She didn't understand what slash meant, until I showed her a number of cigarette butts, dumped at roadside. Many still-lit cigarettes are thrown out of car and truck windows every day, around here, and if the dry grass was to ignite, from one of these embers, that slash at roadside, would greatly assist a fire, to raze the surrounding woodland. She offered to stop dumping, but by this point, there was nothing left in the back of the truck, except the bark remainders; which while nodding her head in approval, of what I had just told her, kept sweeping the debris onto the dry grass. So there you go! Insult to injury!
THE POLITICAL-JABBERWOCKY AND WHAT KEEPS ME INSPIRED - OLD BOOKS
Whenever I get frustrated by local politics, which is more frequent these days, heading into another municipal election, I turn back to my old books, and collecting them, for fun and, yes, the occasional profit. I find comfort in those old and to be cherished books, by some of the greatest writers who ever lived. I'd love to own more first editions, especially of the classics, but every now and again, I get lucky, and find a second or third printing as a "fine" condition copy. I love hunting books, like nothing else, and as I suggested, earlier this year, our book sales at the shop, here in Gravenhurst, have now hit a level quite unexpected; forcing me to work a little harder, to ferret out some of the most popular titles. As I am a "mucker" out there, it means I will have to visit all kinds of weird and wonderful shops and markets, to locate what I need, for our haunted bookshop. I always wanted to have one of those, after the title of a famous book, written by author Christopher Morley, entitled just that; "The Haunted Book Shop." I once owned a signed first edition, but alas, in order to survive as a bookman, I had to sell it online. Actually, for twelve years, our book and old paper side of the business, was all done online, and sales were pretty robust. The mailing costs were killing us, and reducing the profit to a level, that just didn't seem worth the effort and risk. Risk being the fact, shipping across the border, or to Europe, meant having customs agents opening the carefully wrapped first and signed editions, and ripping the dustjackets, and re-mailing them into the system, more exposed to rough handling, than when Suzanne finished the water-tight packages. Believe it or not, we have had book parcels dropped in puddles, by postal staff, literally around the world; so this is how they were packaged to start with, to arrive undamaged by the elements. This didn't include, the poor handling by customs agents, who never resealed the packaging the way it left our home. Thus for a couple of years, I just dropped the whole old-book side of the business, and decided to re-enter the field of general antiques, furniture, glass, art, prints, and nostalgia. I sold off a lot of my best books, without re-stocking, until I had brought my collection down to several thousands books, from nearly 40,000 at one time, when I was at the peak of hoarding. This was my Dave Brown period. Dave Brown, was my book collector mentor, from Hamilton, who had amassed more than 100,000 books, jammed into his small bungalow, at the time of his death. If you don't know about Dave Brown, you can archive back in this blog, for plenty of biographical material.
This year, having sold a lot of books from the shelves of this present Uptown Gravenhurst shop, I decided to delve back into my own biography, and re-invent myself as a more contemporary bookman. This is an almost impossible task, at my stage of life, because it carried tremendous demands, and a high level of ambition. This is where and when you find out, just how much energy you have in reserve, because antique hunters actually get their adrenalin rushes, from being out on the hustings, questing for these holy grails. My choice? Old books! If I told you that coming upon a collection of very old books, at an estate sale, or flea market is orgasmic, you might think I have a shallow tipping point. Every collector knows this feeling, of happenstance discovery, of something that has by the law of averages, been evasive. It's not just about the money either. It would be logical to admit this, because I like profit as much as the next person; but there is something very appealing, about holding a book that was signed, in the early 1800's, by either Washington Irving or Charles Dickens. These books exist, and they are, without question, worth thousands of dollars. For me, the money is the lesser concern, honestly, than actually possessing a book with such literary provenance, down to the delicate ink of the signature, made by the author responsible, for such an amazing literary piece. This is what I consider a most positive transference of energy, and as a long struggling writer, sure, I always hope that their capabilities as word-smithing will somehow, yet profoundly seep into my soul. And the selling price is nice too.
I have been true to my word, and each week now, I'm adding more books to our in-store collection. The difference today, is that with walk-in trade, especially in the summer, I have had to adjust more quickly, to what our customers want. Instead of what I want to collect, and impose upon my customers to like as well. This only works, if you have an antiquarian book shop, in a city location, adjacent to those places of higher learning, that actually make regular use of the literary gems written by the great bards, and writers of world reputation. I can sell them, but only as cheaper reprints, which is okay. I have to meet market demand, and lately that has meant nostalgic classics, like "Lassie" and Frank Baum's later, cheaper editions of "The Wizard of Oz." Dr. Seuss is always popular, and while it is a bit of a stretch, for a history and classics obsessive-compulsive, to buy and sell childrens books, and what can only be considered "nostalgia of the printed kind," it's what a bookman in a small, hinterland town has to do, to turn a wee profit. When the five hundred dollar books won't sell, then suffice that the five dollar Dr. Suess sells in multiples through the week, as does the work of Stephen King, believe it or not, in hardcover.
If there is anything that bothers me about this book trade now, at least in the "used" and "second hand" side of the profession, it's the disorder of it all, at least in my opinion. There is no common thread, where there was always a clear history and art theme, along with the classics. While you could sum-up my biography, by quickly browsing through my choice of books, even five years ago, today, you'd think I worked part time as a carnival barker, and comedian, because the serious patina, is gone, I expect, forever; due to market demand I've had to get way, way out of my comfort zone. We have actually sold more books already this year, than we did in the last two years, selling them online. They are just a little left of centre, from my usual fare, and I'm getting used to this diversification. I still specialize in autographed and inscribed first editions, of all kinds, and lately there have been some big finds in this regard.
I just picked up a book authored by a sports-writer friend of mine, Ross Brewitt, on former Maple Leaf, Eddy Shack, that was signed by both Shack and Johnny Bower, at some NHL veterans' event. I gave Brewitt the idea to finish writing the Shack biography, that Paul Rimstead had begun shortly before his death. I told Brewitt his writing style and Rimstead's (former columnist for the Toronto Sun), were close enough, to make Eddy comfortable with the continuation. Of course Brewitt had known Shack for years before this. I had a chance to go to the book signing, in Toronto, to pick up my personalized copy of the book, but I had to turn back at Orillia, because of a wild winter storm. I now have a signed copy for each of my sons, because I was so proud to have been a small part of the Eddy Shack story. He was always my favorite Maple Leaf, and it was the reason I started cheering for the Buffalo Sabres, when he did a stint there, with Bracebridge born goalie, Roger Crozier, in the early 1970's. By the way, I've been a sideline coach, or better stated, information source, for dozens of books, especially written about Muskoka history. I like to have at least one copy each, to show my family, that I actually did make an imprint in this mortal coil afterall.
This little insert snipit of information, was to let readers know, I'm going to be writing a lot more about old books and antiques, in the future, mixed with local history, versus carrying on the near-useless pursuit, of hammering elected officials for better governance in our region of the province. I get hopeful positive change will come, and then it's all dashed, when the best a council can do, is find another ridiculous place to hammer-in a stop sign. I promised myself, I wouldn't get started on that one again. One day, I'll get Robert to snap a photograph, of the most irritating stop-sign intrusion, at the top of Lakeview Cemetery. Talk about busy-work.
Maybe I'll see you out on the hustings. If you see me hunched over a box of books, back off, they're mind! I'll be done in a minute!
SO HOW HAS THE ANTIQUE BUSINESS BEEN GOING THIS SUMMER, YOU ASK? NOT BAD, NOT BAD AT ALL!
Although the local talking heads, have no interest in finding this out for themselves, (because that would take coming in to our shop), yes indeed, it has been a very good start to the summer season, as far as our antique business is concerned. I wouldn't lie about this, because it would fly in the face of everything I believe, about honest portrayals of business success and failures. I never want it said, that my glowing reviews, convinced someone else to open an antique and collectable shop. Heaven forbid, that I should embellish any overview, to give a better profile than it deserves. We have had solid days of sales, for the first two weeks of the summer, which can, by tradition, be a disappointment for retailers, who wait ten long months to get back in the thick of things. We have had about five of those days, where we have doubled from the statistics of the years before, and overall, we have a thirty percent increase from 2013, which was a good July despite a mildly slow start. Is it all it can be? Not even close. We have one of the most diversified inventories of any time in the past, so we should be at least another twenty-five percent higher, based on stock level and better quality pieces. So I suppose, there has been a slower start, when you look at the sales, based on inventory levels. Offsetting this, of course, is the fact we have been drawing on our private stash, which we have owned for more than a decade. So our out-of-pocket expense has been a lot less than normal.
The most aggressive days, as every retailer in Muskoka must appreciate, are those that are overcast, rainy, with a wind chill. These are long, and hard days, but compensating the slower days, that are the ones best for cottage, resort or camp site recreation. Today has been one of the slowest this month, but with it being hot and sunny, who the heck wants to be stuck in a shop with old stuff; and old folks like us. Cooler weather, especially in August, onward, is the best time for antique shopping, and we always have our peak inventory, by the first week of that month. There's something compelling in our industry, about the harvest season, and antiques. So, as optimists, we believe the best of the summer season is yet to come. But as an uptown Gravenhurst business, we have no complaints about the business we've had so far. But then again, for the past two years, we've had great success for a fledgling venture. We attached our business to the already thriving vintage music shop, operated by our sons, Andrew and Robert. They have never experienced what could be considered a "depressed," or "recessionary" economy, on this street, during the eleven years they have occupied this storefront. Even after our major fires, and the large-scale construction work on Muskoka Road, a few years back, their stats were still positive for a start-up business, that began without a bank loan or a line of credit. So we're all proud of the fact, we have stuck to our original game plan, and been positive about each day's successes.
We don't get too far ahead of ourselves, or cocky about what might happen next. We are vulnerable to all the usual things that obstruct an economy from thriving. The price of gas, food and shelter, is impacting the way we shop. We've had to buy our inventory for a lot less money, and that requires a lot more hustling around, and avoiding some pieces that are over-priced, even on the wholesale scale. On top of this, we have reduced prices, and included tax on all purchases in the antique wing. If the ongoing geo-political strife with Russia escalates, and impacts gas prices, we will have to lower prices even further. We, in the antique business, don't always react accordingly, but in contemporary times, survival depends on being adaptable to every economic blip or obstacle. Our customer respond pretty well to "a deal." We're not waiting for the end of the summer, to get cracking, and offer discounts on select inventory, to get things moving. We're not running a museum afterall. To be perfectly honest, antique dealers thrive most, when they can buy more stuff. So we like to get rid of the present "old" inventory, so we can seek out and purchase new "old" stuff.
In summation, as I've written about many times, we're happy with our Gravenhurst store-front. We're just not crazy about the political posturing in the neighborhood. But we've learned how to ignore it.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
DAVE BROWN AND THE AUCTION COMPETITION - DAVE 1 HISTORICAL SOCIETY 0.
SOMETIMES AUCTIONS BRING OUT THE BEAST WITHIN
I WOULD HAVE PAID DAVE BROWN TO MENTOR ME IN THE FIELD OF ANTIQUES AND COLLECTING IN GENERAL. I WOULD HAVE OFFERED HIM FOLDING MONEY, LOTS OF IT, TO LET US KNOW HOW TO BE THE BEST BOOK COLLECTORS, THE MOST PROFICIENT ANTIQUE HUNTERS, THE MOST THOROUGH HISTORIANS, AND HOW WE COULD IMPROVE OUR ACQUISITION TECHNIQUES. I ADMIRED HIM THAT MUCH! IT WAS UNDERSTOOD, HOWEVER, THAT PAYMENT WAS ALWAYS THE SAME. A PLACE TO SLEEP ON TRAVELLING WEEKENDS, FOOD AND CONVERSATION. DESPITE WHAT DAVE MIGHT HAVE LED US TO BELIEVE TO THE CONTRARY, HE WAS OFTEN QUITE LONELY, AND JUST LOVED SOCIAL OCCASIONS TO TALK ABOUT LIFE AND TIMES. MOSTLY HIS. I DIDN'T MIND. THAT'S WHAT DINNER AND LODGING PAID FOR. ON MANY OCCASIONS I EXTENDED THE LENGTH OF DAY JUST TO GET ONE MORE HOUR OF CONVERSATION OUT OF DAVE, BECAUSE HIS STORIES WERE FABULOUS. AS HE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SAID…..I DIDN'T HEAR IT THOUGH, "NEVER LET FACT GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY." DAVE NEEDED US, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATED HIS COMPANY. I'M PRETTY SURE HE KNEW I WAS STUDYING HIS STORIES, LIKE A UNIVERSITY STUDENT HANGING ONTO THE WORDS OF AN ECCENTRIC PROFESSOR…….NOT SURE WHAT IT ALL MEANS, BUT NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES; EVEN THE CRAZY STUFF, WILL PROBABLY FIT SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW IN THE FINAL BIG PUZZLE OF THE "BIOGRAPHY."
DAVE BROWN DIDN'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT MY FEELINGS. IF HE THOUGHT, AS A COLLECTOR, OR AN HISTORIAN, I WAS MISSING THE MARK, OR MISINFORMED, HE LET IT BE KNOWN. I GREW UP THROUGH THE MINOR SPORTS PROGRAMS IN THIS PROVINCE, AND I WAS PRETTY USED TO HOCKEY AND BASEBALL COACHES BERATING ME FOR SWINGING AT A BALL, AND LETTING IN A FLUKE……I WAS A GOALIE IN HOCKEY, AND THE COACH USED TO CALL ME "FUNNEL". I HAD SUGGESTED THIS, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT MY PARENTS HEARING HIM CALL ME "SIEVE," WHEN SCREAMING FROM THE BENCH. I WASN'T A BAD GOALIE OR A POOR BALL PLAYER, BUT WE ALL GOT YELLED AT BACK THEN, AS THERE WAS NO POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OR SENSITIVITY AWARENESS POLICIES. AS WITH MR. BROWN, HE CALLED IT THE WAY HE SAW IT. WITH ME, I HOPE HE THOUGHT I WAS A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH, BECAUSE HE REALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO SHAPE ME UP FOR THE BIG LEAGUES OF COLLECTING. AS HE HAD APPOINTED ME HIS BIOGRAPHER, JUST BEFORE HE DIED, HE HAD A SERIOUS AND VESTED INTEREST, IN MY EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF OLD BOOKS ETC. SO, WITHOUT FEELING THAT BEING PUT-DOWN BY THE EXPERT WAS A BAD THING, I LISTENED AND MADE COPIOUS NOTES ABOUT OUR DISCUSSIONS.
NOW, THIS DOES NOT MEAN I AGREED WITH HIS STRATEGIES, OR HIS METHODS, BECAUSE I DIDN'T. I STILL NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM, AND HOW I COULD CIRCUMVENT, TO HANDLE IT DIFFERENTLY, WITH MORE SENSITIVITY, AND ACHIEVE SOMEWHAT THE SAME RESULTS. IF YOU THINK THIS IS A LONG-WINDED INTRODUCTION TO THE STORY, BELIEVE ME IT IS REQUIRED. DAVE COULD TIP-TOE THE ETHICS BETWEEN HONESTY AND DISHONESTY LIKE A RAZOR-THIN TIGHT ROPE……AND NEVER LOSE HIS FOOTING…..BUT ALWAYS LEAVING THAT FAINT IMPRESSION SOMETHING WASN'T QUITE RIGHT. WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS ETHICAL, TO ME, WASN'T ALWAYS SO. FOR EXAMPLE, HE HATED HISTORICAL SOCIETIES…..NOT BECAUSE OF THE WORK THEY DID CONSERVING HERITAGE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT BECAUSE THEY ATTRACTED, IN HIS MIND, A COLLECTION OF "KNOBS," AND "THE FRIENDS OF KNOBS." NOW WE HAD AN IMMEDIATE CONFLICT, SORT OF, BECAUSE I WAS THE FOUNDER OF ONE OF THESE ONTARIO REGIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES. IN THE WINTER OF 1978 I SET ABOUT TO ESTABLISH THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AS THE FIRST STEP IN SAVING AN OCTAGONAL SHAPED HOME, IN TOWN, FOR A NEW COMMUNITY MUSEUM……WHICH ACTUALLY OCCURRED A FEW YEARS LATER. I WAS ONLY A SMALL COMPONENT OF THIS, AND A FUTURE PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY, BUT STILL IT PUT ME ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH DAVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARGUED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE OF PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF ARTIFACTS AND PAPER ARCHIVES, AND PUBLIC STEWARDSHIP. DAVE WAS FOR "PRIVATE IS BEST"……ON LOAN, WORKS FOR EVERYONE. HE WAS PRETTY SURE OF HIMSELF, IN THIS REGARD, SO THE STORY I'M ABOUT TO RELATE WILL MAKE SOME SENSE.
IT WAS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE ON THE AUCTION CIRCUIT, IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO, THAT DAVE BROWN WOULD BE IN ATTENDANCE TO BID ON HISTORICALLY RELEVANT BOOKS AND ARTIFACTS, ALSO BEING THE CHOICE ITEMS OF THE LOCAL OR REGIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES. THEY ALL KNEW DAVE. TO SAY THEY LOATHED THE MAN IS QUITE CORRECT, BUT GENERALLY, IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT, HE MOST DEFINITELY LOATHED THEM. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PREVIOUS CONFLICTS DAVE USED TO TALK ABOUT, THAT TAINTED HIS OPINION OF CERTAIN MUSEUMS, AND THE CORRESPONDING HERITAGE SOCIETIES THAT OFTEN PROVIDED THEIR ADMINISTRATION. HE COULD GET ALONG WITH CURATORS AND SOME DIRECTORS, BUT WHEN IT WAS A FORCE AGAINST HIM AT AN AUCTION SALE, HE MADE IT A PERSONAL WAR TO OUT PLAY THEM.
THERE WAS A PARTICULAR AUCTION, TOWARD THE END OF HIS LIFE, WHERE THIS PLAYED OUT BEAUTIFULLY. I WOULD HAVE GLADLY PAID, TO HAVE SAT IN THE GALLERY, WATCHING THE PRE-AUCTION HUSTLING OF SOCIETY MEMBERS, AND DAVE BROWN, SCREWING WITH THE BOXES OF OLD BOOKS AS PART OF THE ESTATE SALE. SO HERE'S WHAT THE CONFLICT WAS OVER. OF ABOUT THIRTY OR MORE BOXES OF OLD AND SOME RARE BOOKS, THERE WERE SOME IMPORTANT REGIONAL HISTORIES SCATTERED OVER THE COLLECTION, STREWN ON A SECTION OF LAWN; BOOKS THAT WOULD BE SOLD OFF SOME TIME IN THE AFTERNOON. IT WAS A BIG SALE. WHAT ANGERED DAVE, WAS THAT THE "OLD FARTS" FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WERE TAKING THE BOOKS THEY WANTED, AND BUILDING A "SUPER BOX," OF ALL THE ONES THEY WISHED TO PURCHASE THAT DAY. NOW WHAT THAT MEANT TO DAVE, WAS THAT THEY HAD JUST ENOUGH MONEY, TO MAKE A GOOD STAB AT WINNING THAT ONE BOX, WHICH WOULD CONTAIN POTENTIALLY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF REGIONAL MATERIAL. HE DIDN'T WANT THE SOCIETY UNLOADING THEIR SPENDING LIMIT ON ONE BOX, BECAUSE HE WAS INHERENTLY FRUGAL…..CHEAP. VERY CHEAP. SO HE WOULD GO BACK, AND CHANGE ALL THE BOOKS THE SOCIETY HAD BROUGHT TO ONE BOX, BACK WHERE THEY ALL CAME FROM…..A RATHER PAINSTAKING TASK.
"OH THEY WERE WATCHING ME TED," HE SAID. "EVERY TIME I MOVED THE BOOKS BACK TO THE BOXES THEY HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM, ONE OF THE MEMBERS WOULD REVERSE IT BACK AGAIN, SO THEY COULD BID ON ONE BOX INSTEAD OF THE LOT." IN THEIR OPINION, DAVE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE CAPABILITY OF OUT-BIDDING THEM ON A BOX BY BOX BASIS, VERSUS HAVING ONE SUPER COLLECTION OF BOOKS IN ONE NEAT AND TIDY CONTAINER. DAVE WAS WAY AHEAD OF THEM, AND HE KEPT REVERSING THE BOOKS, EVERY TIME THEY'D MAKE THE CHANGES. "THEY WERE GETTING MAD," HE SAID. "WE MUST HAVE DONE THIS BACK AND FORTH THING FIVE OR SIX TIMES, BEFORE I FINALLY GOT FED UP AND WENT TO TALK TO THE AUCTIONEER." FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW SOME OF THE PREVAILING AUCTION PROTOCOLS, THE AUCTIONEER COULD HAVE SOLD THE BOXES "ON CHOICE," WHICH IS DIFFERENT OF COURSE, THAN HOLDING THE BOXES UP INDIVIDUALLY, AND HIGHLIGHTING THE CONTENTS. THE SOCIETY WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE DRAWN MORE BIDDERS TO THE "SUPER BOX," AND THUSLY A MORE SIGNIFICANT BIDDING COMPETITION. THIS IS TIME CONSUMING. SO IT'S TO BE EXPECTED, THAT THE AUCTIONEER, WOULD SELL ON CHOICE, AND THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT BOX WAS "STACKED." THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT, SO TO SPEAK, WAS THE FACT DAVE WAS WATCHING CLOSELY, AND THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR IN THE SALE. DAVE MADE IT HIS BUSINESS TO WATCH THEM, EVEN IF HE STOOD AT THE BACK, AND LOOKED THROUGH THE ARMS AND LEGS OF THE CROWD IN FRONT.
WHEN THEY SAW THAT DAVE HAD LEFT THE SCENE OF THE "BOOK SWITCHING CAPER," THEY WENT TO WORK ONE LAST TIME, TO GET THEMSELVES ALL THE BOOKS THEY WANTED IN THAT ONE SPECIAL BOX. DAVE KNEW THEY WOULD. HE ALSO PREDICTED, THAT WHEN THE AUCTIONEER TOOK A COFFEE BREAK, SO WOULD THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. AND HE WAS RIGHT.
SO HERE'S THE SCENE THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERS GOT TO SEE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. MR. BROWN LOADING HIS RED PICK-UP TRUCK WITH ALL THE BOXES OF BOOKS THAT HAD BEEN PUT UP FOR AUCTION AT THAT ESTATE SALE. EVERY BOX, EVERY BOOK, EVERY HISTORIC PIECE OF PAPER, WAS INCLUDED IN THAT JOB-BLOT OF PRINT HERITAGE.
Well sir, what a scene that must have been. "What are you doing with those boxes," they demanded, of the portly little man, with dirty t-shirt and shorts….and really big running shoes. 'Well, I'm loading the books I just bought, onto my truck…..is that okay?" "What do you mean, your books," questioned the officials of the local heritage group…..most standing with stunned looks etched on their sunburnt faces. "Go and ask the auctioneer….I just purchased these books while you people were having coffee."
What was trademark David Brown, was that he had reached a point of frustration with the society members doctoring the boxes, and decided to call a favor of a friend….a long time buddy, the auctioneer, asking if he could please sell off the books as soon as possible, because he had to attend another event that day. Dave was a huge buyer of books at these auctions, and auctioneers knew he'd remove them all, leaving none behind at the end of the day. He was an asset to them. (They would otherwise have to deal with the left over items themselves). I've used this excuse about a dozen times in the past, and it has never failed to work as intended. They don't want to lose my cash contribution to the sale, so they are usually willing to bend if the audience approves. So the auctioneer agreed, told the audience in front, what the next auction lot would be, and without moving more than a few feet, started the bidding. He wasn't the only bidder, and it probably cost him quite a bit of money, but the boxes were not sold "on choice" as the society had hoped would be the case. So he got all thirty odd boxes, and the members of the historical society were left to "hiss" in unison, at the bad, bad, bad bibliophile who had, in their minds, pulled a fast one. If only it ended there.
Dave knew the books that were in that auction. There may have been thirty boxes of old books, but there were only about five exceptional texts, amongst what the society had wanted to purchase. One of the five was missing when he got home. I can imagine he let out a Homer Simpsonesque "doah!!!", when he realized it had been removed from the collection. In about a month's time, he made a point of going to the local museum that had been represented by the historical society, and when he went to look at their archives collection of regional books, he found the copy that had gone missing. He didn't accost them, didn't make a fuss, never called a cop, a lawyer, or had any kind of reaction to the folks who ran the museum. What it did, for him, was justify his actions at the auction, and made it a personal mantra thereafter, to have nothing to do with historical societies. All kind of crazy stuff, but this is not uncommon behavior amongst the vested interests, who attend auctions and estate sales. The auctioneer was doing what he was supposed to do……looking out for the client he was representing, and regarding customer service to be of the utmost importance. Just because the historical society was out of earshot, when the announcement of an order change was made, didn't mean there was any slight of protocol on his part. Dave played fair. He asked a question…..that in his mind was the same as a favor, and put the jockeying for position to rest. This was the way Dave acted for decades, to get what he wanted out on the antique hustings. He was a gentle man in most other ways, and a wonderful teacher to thousands of kids in Hamilton, but he was a champion at getting the big deals out there……and he outplayed many dealers and collectors with similar methodology.
There are those folks who go to auctions, and have no idea how rough it can get between competitors for important and valuable pieces. I've been with Dave at auctions, and he could lock-in like a heat seeking missile, when something of value was coming up. Friendship meant nothing at this point.
I confess to borrowing some of Dave's strategies for acquisition but I won't ever balance on the high wire……in that tippy-toe between honesty and dishonesty, because I don't ever take things that seriously, to wager a reputation on a box of old books. But none the less, I needed to see just how determined some collectors and dealers get out there, so that when I see them clench their teeth, while bidding against me, they're actually wishing I might vaporize, before I dare bid them up one more time.
It's hard to be a pacifist out there, and still come home with something for your efforts.
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