kookamart

Just when I thought it could not get worse . . . .

I woke up yesterday with Punk in my face, ranting like a used car salesman. "You have GOT to get up. There is a whole store in Kooka's room - KookaMart, and it is FULL of great deals." I hate getting up anyway, and waking up to this is a little more than I can bear, but he is not letting up, so I roll out of bed and follow him to Kooka's room.

There are dozens of items set out - all labeled with purple price tags. None of them less than a dollar. Stuffed animals on the floor, hair accessories on the desk. "This stuff is dirt cheap," Punk says, "Perfect for selling at a garage sale."

I am still pretty groggy, not much of this is making sense. "But we're not having a garage sale."
"Yeah I know. It's snowing out - nobody would come." He shakes his head at me like he's talking to Rainman, and speaks more slowly. "BUT, the thing is, you could BUY this stuff at our low prices, then sell it at the garage sale for MORE money, and make a huge profit."

He's totally serious. And while I admire his grasp of economics - nobody - especially me, is gonna pay $2.75 for a set of used hair clips that I already paid for once at Target. They cost me a dollar-fifty NEW.

I want to be supportive - really I do - I appreciate the endeavor, but what a rip off!

And speaking of rip-offs . . . .I look to Kooka, standing at the cash register. She's wearing a side ponytail she's fashioned herself, chomping her gum, with one hand on her hip. I rub the sleep out of my eyes, because I cannot be seeing what I think I am, covering the table in front of her.

"Wait a minute - that is MY stuff!"
She shrugs her shoulders, "Yeah - so?"
"SO?! You can't sell me my OWN stuff!"
"Why not? We found it."
"FOUND it?!"
"Yeah - it's no big deal, you can buy it back."

I am completely speechless. They both look at me like I am the crazy one -like the finders keepers rule applies to everything we own. And while I applaud their entrepreneurial spirit, I do have my limits.

"Come on Mom," Punk says, "We made it cheap."
"No you didn't . . . and that's not the point!"
"Oh COME on - it's not like we took anything GOOD. I mean - who would want this stuff anyway?"
"ME!"
They look at each other and roll their eyes. Then he motions to her with a giant stage whisper, "You better let her have it, I mean nobody else is gonna buy that junk anyway."

Kooka sighs heartily and gathers my things together - 4 books, my favorite lipgloss, a pair of earrings that were sitting in the bathroom, and my car keys.

I bundle my belongings up in my arms, stare at them through sleepy eyes - still not sure if this is a dream. They seem genuinely disappointed that I didn't buy anything. And I am genuinely relieved that they are still too short to reach the china or my jewelry box.