My mom has always been pretty independent and liked to do what she wanted without anyone else telling her that she couldn't. This especially came about when my parents got divorced and then no one really could tell her no.
Story #1
When most people buy things out of a catalog it's not a very high dollar item. Usually clothes, seeds, or fantastic fundraising items from WOW fundraising. My mom has gone against the grain on this one... TWICE.
While having her Lebaron serviced at the local Chrysler dealership she saw the sales brochure for the Plymouth prowler back in 1996 (I think) and thought I just have to have it. So she went onto a waiting list for this car and waited over a year for one of these cars. She waited so long that they were into the second year of production before one became available. She waited so long that the dealership was sold to someone else in that time. That became a little bit of a thing with her since the new owners of the dealership didn't have the old waiting list and told her she would have to go to the back of the list. That kinda sucks going from #2 on the list to somewhere waaayyy down the list. But actually the list wasn't that long since all of the other people on the list either changed their mind or went somewhere else to pick it up. She finally got her car and paid way to much for it. The cars were being sold for much more than list price up at the Kruse Auction, but that was last year. She didn't buy it to sell she bought it to drive. The car was pretty to look and and turn heads,but it didn't have any power under the hood. She owned that car for about 5 years and hardly ever drove it (I drove it more than her). She ended up selling the car with around 2,000 miles on it and took about a $10,000 bath trying to get rid of it. I told her to keep it since it will probably become worth something years from now.. kinda like a Delorian.
You think she would learn... Nope. A few years ago we were having dinner with her and she pulls out a brochure for a new boat. "Look what I just bought" she said. I just looked at her stunned. "You What?". She informs me that a guy at the Marina had talked her into buying this new type of boat which was basically a pontoon boat with three "toons" on the bottom and a 400 Merc Cruiser I/O engine. Again, paying way too much money. Oh and by the way it wouldn't be in for a few months. Sigh. So we finally got the boat and it was a freakin pontoon with a big engine. It went pretty fast in a straight line, but not quite fast enough to pull a skier. (at least no one brave enough in my family). You dare not try and corner this boat fast since it took half the lake to turn it around. she basically could have bought a couple Ski Nautiques for what she paid for the boat. Again, years later she tried to sell the boat and was informed that it would be hard to sell since no one bought those boats since they sucked and that my mom, I think, had one of the only ones in the State. The boat was finally sold at Auction with the rest of the cottage stuff (another story later) for a substantial $$$ loss.
She doesn't buy things out of a catalog that much anymore. Not that she wouldn't, she just can't afford it.
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