Garage Sales

I have never really been a huge garage sale person...I'll stop at one if I see it driving by, but I've never really searched them out and planned on going until today. And let me tell you, it was a less than desirable experience. I have been looking for a basketball hoop for Diego and this week I came across one that would be sold at a garage sale for $30 this morning. So all week I have been planning on going and actually getting excited about it because that is such a good deal! So I drive up to the house at 6:50 am and wait in my car for ten minutes. They weren't letting people up the driveway yet, so instead of hanging with the group of old men, I waited in my warm car. As soon as it was 7:00 I walked out there because I didn't want to miss my opportunity to get it. At 7:05 they finally took the tape off. I was amazed at how these old men bolted up the driveway! I started to hurry my pace but realized they were heading for books or something. So I find the basketball hoop right away and start asking a lady about it. She says "Oh, that's Jim's, you need to ask him." Me "Okay, where is Jim" She points to a man at the end of the driveway setting stuff up. So I start making my way there when another man gets to the garage sale and happens to walk up to Jim and ask where the basketball hoop was. I panic and rush up and say "Oh, that lady sent me to you to talk about that basketball hoop" So the three of us go to the hoop. Jim shows us how to put it together, says he got it for $50 at walmart, etc, etc. Then he asks if we're together and we say no. So then he's like "Well, I don't know what to do. I'm asking $30." So this man and I are arguing, well, more discussing...he wants it for his wife, I want it for my son. He says he was talking to Jim about it first which was technically true but only because I happened to ask the wrong individual about it, I was actually at the sale first. Anyway, this man had sent Jim away saying we'd figure it out. Neither of us was backing down and he kept saying his wife was going to kill him if he didn't come back with it. I just kept saying I wanted it for my son. Then he went on about how is wife talked to Jim about buying it cause she saw it on craigslist, I responded with how I saw it there as well. Anyway, I was sick of arguing, I hate confrontation, I am not aggressive enough, so I walked out angry and almost in tears by the time I got to my car. I would have offered more for it, but the hoop really wasn't worth more. I wasn't even sure if it would be okay on our slanted driveway, but I just so desperately wanted to get it for Diego. For $30 I would have done it, but any more than that really wouldn't have been worth it I don't' think. Jim had it in his office, so I don't think it was a very heavy duty one, but still. I really wanted it. and now I'm just angry at myself for not being more pushy like the man at the garage sale. Now that it's after the fact I can think of responses to his stupid comments he made to me, but I'm not good on the spot like that. And I hate hate hate arguing with people. It's not in my nature to battle things out. So instead, here I am angry and bitter about not being able to get the hoop. Boo to garage sales and pushy men!! Boo to me for not standing my ground!!