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Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,889
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

I'd posted the other day about cleaning out my parents condo. 

 

In my thread I mentioned my father's three tennis rackets. That he really labored over donating them even though he's almost 87 and is recovering from a stroke and hasn't played in five years. We donated the rackets. 

 

Yesterday, that really started bothering me.  This morning, I had to meet some people at their condo, painters and furniture movers. After I left, I stopped by the recycling center.  It was packed with people because they were having a shredding event. 

 

I talked to the guy outside the Kidney Fund donation truck and told him that I was unsettled about donating them.  He said "well, let's get them back". We walked over to the truck and it was crammed full of things. They were going to take the contents away today. They had boxed and bagged all the donations up. I told him that I didn't want to put him to any trouble since they'd boxed and bagged everything and to just never mind. He said no, we're going to find them for you". There was a worker in the back of the truck. The head guy said "3 tennis rackets" and the worker said "I know exactly where they are". He literally reached in to the mass of boxes and bags and pulled out a bag and there were the three rackets and the racket bag. I got all choked up.  They both told me how nice they thought it was that I came back and got them. 

 

And when my husband and I stopped to see my dad and bring the last of his things, like his yearbooks and some jackets,  I said "look what we have" and I showed him. He was so genuinely thrilled to see them. I offered to hang them next to the bed (since there really is not much empty space left there) and he said no.  So my husband found a place in the closet to put them and my dad was happy as a clam. 


Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?
Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,163
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

@gidgetgh awwwwwwwwww good for you! Glad you did that and got to them and got them to your dad. Good job kid!!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,341
Registered: ‎04-19-2010

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

I did not see your orginial post, but I had to respond to this one.   Sometimes it is not about the stuff, but the memories they represent.  Memories for your dad of when he was different.  Good for you.


-- pro-aging --


Rochester, New York
Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,126
Registered: ‎06-20-2010

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

Awww, so glad you did that.

 

Sometimes, it's the little things that can make all the difference!

 

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,616
Registered: ‎10-01-2014

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

I love happy endings! Thanks!

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop
Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,889
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

I'm so glad I went back also. If I'd gone back tomorrow, it would have been too late. 


Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,520
Registered: ‎03-04-2012

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

You should write a letter about those gentlemen who helped you find the rackets - most people would have given you a story that they had already left in another truck.  How sweet of them to help you out.  Glad your dad enjoyed them. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,775
Registered: ‎07-09-2011

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

@gidgetgh

 

Thank you so much for letting us know about the tennis rackets.  It really hung around in my mind, maybe because my 88 year old Dad was a maniac tennis player.  

 

So glad to hear you were able to retrieve them, and your Dad has them back!

 

Best wishes.

"Animals are not my whole world, but they have made my world whole" ~ Roger Caras
Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,820
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

People are good!  What nice people to help you get the rackets back

Honored Contributor
Posts: 54,410
Registered: ‎03-29-2012

Re: Update to my clean out the parents condo thread

@gidgetgh

Ever thought about upcycling them for his room?

Tennis Racquet Coffee Table by SouthernNightsCo on Etsy, $500.00:

Tennis Racquet Wall Hanging. gazaboo on etsy (28 dollars):

 

Tennis Racquet Upcycled Wall Shelf:

50 Creative Ways to Repurpose, Reuse and Upcycle Old Things:

Side Table w/ Tennis Racquet Base on OneKingsLane.com: