What To Do, What To Do?

Yesterday (Saturday) I took a few pieces of furniture to my booth to replace some of the larger items sold.  I get it unloaded, rearranged for placement then began tweaking my booth when the owner comes to me and says, “I think you are a step above us here and I’m not quite sure we fit.  I see you’ve opened a second booth in another mall. Did you get your check for May? Did you notice I didn’t charge you rent?  Have you checked into other locations where you can reach a different clientele (began naming places).  I would love to you keep you and I’m only telling you this from a business view point but, we’ll see.”

First, I gasped and then found myself holding my breath, heart pound in my ears, tears wailing up with the room spinning.   I made a hard swallow while looking completely stunned and with a punch in the face or gut feeling started answering her questions.  I was desperately trying to control my trembling voice and not showing total heartbreak.

I say to her, “Oh? No I haven’t opened a second booth, in fact, I was told I would never be considered at the location where she thought I had opened a second one due to lack of experience and my items weren’t good enough.  I also said yes I applied to other locations and was ignored or never asked to come back after a brief  interview.  I got my check thank you, yes I noticed you didn’t charge rent and I appreciated it”, (she told me when I first inquired about moving in and starting setting up exactly one month ago, that she would let me have May at no charge).  She seemed a little surprised and couldn’t believe I was told I was not good enough, ignored or not considered at those locations.  Whiling walking away, she tells me to fill up the space…

I looked at Robin turned around to face the back wall and began sobbing.  I managed to gain control of my disappointment only to gathered my bags up to leave.  Robin and I decided to walk around once again for comparison.  No, I don’t have my booth packed or “filled up” so full that you can’t walk around in it, no my stuff is not thrown, piled, still packed in boxes or hanging haphazardly from the rafters without rhyme or reason and no organization – whatsoever, maybe my items aren’t “old enough”, what’s the difference with this one compared to mine?, maybe this or maybe that….we didn’t have an answer.  As we were leaving she did tell me that if I have a table and chairs I can put them here – showing me a tiny, tiny open spot. I was doing my best to keep control of my emotions and asked about a few collector pieces I have and she said they can be put in display cases.  I thanked her then left.

We got in the vehicle and once again the flood gates opened. I told Robin I could take every one of the booths in that place and make them look like mine using everything they have in them.  It’s all in presentation.

Ninety percent of the furniture, “smalls” and hanging pieces on the wall in my booth came from our house!  The rest was either given to me, purchased or picked up off the side of the road.

I just don’t know…I will pay her for June regardless if anything sold and start looking for another location.  Where? That’s a good question.  Robin tells me not to give up or get discouraged it’s going to be ok and reminded me that we did agree to give it a year.  I said yeah, thinking to myself but this has just been a month…..

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