Free Market Review

So I have a friend who told me about some free stuff. I like free stuff. I've written several blogs about free stuff, but not in awhile. Since my last blog about free stuff, I have been visiting very few free food outlets and instead have been getting free food from a husband of a friend of a friend who is given WholeFoods Cary's castoffs about once a week. I have not really been using Freecycle, but that's because I don't need too much right now that I have time to work for or gas to burn for, and I am saving everything I would be giving for an upcoming yard sale. I have also been waiting all year to go to the UNC rummage sale, where supposedly students can drop their stuff at the close of the school year and us crazy older people can buy cool dorm fittings and designer clothes for a few dollars per bag. Sweet! Unfortunately, you can't find actual information about the sale anywhere, and the person who was supposed to tip me off must have forgotten. So next year!

That leads me to this other friend who told me about the Really Really Free Market in Carrboro. (I hear there are other Really Really Free Markets around the country and world? See reallyreallyfree.org to see if there is one near you.) It happens every first Saturday of the month where the Farmer's Market has just shut down for the day, from 230pm-530pm. My understanding is that it has been going on for several years. The idea is that whoever wants to come can come and absolutely nothing--neither the entertainment, services, or goods--can be bought or sold. You just come and give or come and take, no strings attached. I was kind of hoping for a free hair cut or a free massage (which sometimes happen, I am led to believe), but instead got a bag of t-shirts to refurb, a few "cool clothes" (this is how I was instructed) for Kevin, two pair of boxers for Boy, some Lincoln Logs to add to our small collection, two books, some sweet tea (to enjoy in the spot), some watermelon slices for the kids, and some ambient music performed by a young man with a guitar. There was going to be a puppet show, as well, but Boy kept wandering off in the blazing sun and--on my bum, purple, bug-bitten ankle--I just quit.

It's definitely a place to check out, and even to go to when you can if you need for something, want to share something, or just want to stick it to the man. Crunchy? You bet. Smell like BO and unidentified smoke? Definitely. But also full of smiles and outstretched hands; people ready to loan you a bag or oblige your children with fresh fruit. Although, it would be much easier to navigate and explore the piles of goods (literally piles, not much else) without kids, and it would be helpful to sort of know what you might need and limit your pickings to that, and then wander and enjoy the free randomness that happens. Or it would might even be fun to share something yourself. I think I'll make a trip up there sometime after the yard sale and sprawl out my own offerings, proving, as they like to say, there is SO such a thing as a free lunch (or a free Dora figurine, whichever comes first).