Taking Inventory

 

Taking Inventory

I’m experiencing one of those bittersweet moments this week.  Tomorrow I will be picking up a brand-new pickup truck that I recently purchased.  That’s the sweet.  The bitter part came today as I sorted out all kinds of stuff that my current truck managed to accumulate in the twelve years that I’ve owned it.  I took mental inventory as I put the stuff I wanted to keep in one plastic bag and the designated trash in the other.  I think the contents of each bag says some things about me.

The trash bag was much less full.  I should clarify on the outset that you should note that I did not state that I ‘cleaned’ out my old truck.  I hadn’t cleaned the truck when I made the deal last month.  I had taken it in for an oil change and tire rotation which led to an innocent conversation about the need to replace the tires which led to a statement about looking at what they had on the lot, which led to a purchase of a new vehicle. 

I figure that we agreed on the trade-in value with the cab needing a major vacuuming, so that’s the way they will get it tomorrow.  Most of that mess consists of pine needles, bits of crumbled leaves that got dragged aboard during a decade plus of hunting and fishing expeditions.  I’m going to let the dealer have those at no extra cost.

I obviously didn’t really take time each spring that the license plate was renewed because all of the registration renewals were stacked up in the glove box.  The same goes for insurance renewals.  All but the current forms went in the recycling.

Under the passenger seat I found half a dozen slips of paper with addresses to places I had to get to over the years.  There was also a grocery list and a list for Fleet Farm.  Since neither list contained any perpetual or current needs or wants, they both got tossed.

The bag containing the stuff I decided to keep, or at least not throw away (they are not the same thing) was bulging.  I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of fishing gear I came across; it will all be potentially handy now that I have been reminded that I own it. 

First, is that “pocket-sized” tackle box that holds six topwater baits for largemouth bass.  This is what I carried when I used to fish out of my kayak, and didn’t have the room to take my large tackle box with me.  I bought a real fishing boat a couple of years ago, so I have been taking my large box the past two seasons.  Finding these was great because not only are these my favorite topwater lures, they are also now selling for two to three dollars more apiece from when I first bout them.  I figure that find alone netted me about $15 of value.

I also found two small packages of crappie tube jigs, two small packages of swivel snaps, about two dozen loose split shots, a spool of spare two-pound test line for my ice fishing pole, a three pack of leader tippet for my fly rod, a three foot spinner and leader for steelhead fishing and a package of imitation salmon eggs, and two foam rubber spiders for when the bluegills are spawning next May.

And I found not one, but two needle-nosed forceps that do a great job of extracting a fish hook from a fish.  I had wasted a half hour last summer combing through my tackle box last summer specifically looking for these.

You can tell that I don’t care much for filling up my pockets with change.  I dug out coins from all of the front and rear cupholders and the center glove compartment.  My under the seat search netted another 63 cents.  I didn’t quite find enough loose change to cover the cost of my new truck, but I can buy a couple of dollars of fuel.

If anything, I did learn to “be prepared” when I was a boy scout because I found enough tools stashed to open up a repair shop – not to say that I have any idea on how to repair much.  There was a 15' tow rope that has come in handy a number of times. There were three additional lengths of rope of various strengths just in case.  There was the spare tie-down strap for when I haul the kayaks that thankfully has never been needed.  Also cans of sun screen and bug spray which are surely part of being prepared except that they both seemed to be empty.  So, they aren’t of much use now, but at least I can say that I tossed them in the back seat and didn’t litter.  There was an assortment of medically-related gear like a travel-sized bottle of migraine tablets, assorted bandages, and a tube of Benadryl.  Time was when I surely would have found a bottle of antacid tablets, but I stopped needing those after I retired five years ago.

My role as a deacon was also well-represented.  There was a Pastoral Care for the Sick book in the glove box and a communion pyx.  I found three in-tact rosaries and two that had broken apart.  There were three small hand crucifixes that I give out occasionally during hospital and nursing home visits.  There were a dozen or more little devotional booklets.  I never know what to do with them.  There were three remembrance cards for parishioners whose vigil service or funeral service I led.  One was Ruth’s.  I smiled at her picture.  She was a holy and kindly person who always sent me a birthday and Christmas card each year with a encouraging and heartfelt handwritten note inside; I miss her.

There was also an armful of stuff that I removed for now.  I set them aside in the garage because they will go right into the new truck tomorrow – things like a snow brush, an emergency blanket and the electrical connection that I need to make the lights work on my boat trailer.

I’m going to guess that much of this stuff will re-accumulate over time in the new truck because most of it came from things I still like to do.  All things change I guess, except for the deacon!

His Peace <><

Deacon Dan