Lessons from Dad

On another blog my sister and I both commented about something we learned from Dad. I had thought of what I wanted to say before I read what she said. Hopefully the stories say much more than the fact we apparently sell bad stuff at yard sales!


My sister's comment:
But here's what my dad probably doesn't know he taught me: One year we were having a yard sale, and a poor-looking couple bought an old but still working refrigerator we had for sale. Several hours later they were back saying it did not work. (Probably because they had laid it on its back in the truck - have read that that messes up the condenser.) They were obviously in distress because the $50 or whatever we charged was huge $$ for them. Well, we all know that yard sale purchases are final. Dad told them that, and they were still pretty unhappy. Dad thought about it a minute, and said "If you will take it to the dump, I will give you your money back," and he peeled off $50 from our yard sale proceeds and gave it to them. They were stunned even though they were grateful.And from that my dad taught me to treat people right and to consider the circumstances before the profits. I thank him for that lesson.


My comment:
Funny you would tell that story because I have another yard sale story from Dad that taught me a several lessons. Quite late in the afternoon of our yard sale an older man pulled up in a bright yellow truck and bought several pairs of Dad's pants for $2 each. About 15 minutes after he left Dad got all disgusted and said he forgot to take a pair of pants out of the stack because the zipper was broken and he didn't want someone to pay for a broken zipper. He said if God ever brought that man across his path, he'd give the man his money back. Less than a week later Dad and I were driving back to Decatur from Huntsville and Dad saw this man in his distinctive yellow truck. Dad flagged this man down, and on the side of the road by the Racetrac gas station, Dad explained the situation and gave the money back. As a young college student I learned about prayer and integrity.