a thrifter's lament

Is it just me, or are thrift shops getting crowdeder and crowdeder? I mean, of course I want others to discover the joy of thrifting: to experience first-hand the thrill of the barg-o-rama. I want that for others in the theoretical sense, just not in the practical sense as in the people in my actual town. To those folks I say, Back Off, Peeps. 

I mean, back in the day, before thrifting was cool, these places were a lazy haven where dust motes and a few select shameless scroungers like me would gather to paw through the wreckage. Now, it seems that Goodwill is the new Neiman's: the shop in which to see and be seen. Horrors! 

Today I hit two different shops: one Goodwill another a local brand, both packed with folks frantically looking for the Hope Diamond accidentally left tucked into the pocket of some donated jeans. Seriously. These people need to get a life. Me? I already have a life: a Goodwill life, and I was here first. 

These pictures  represent today's scanty finds. Not much, but what the heck; I had fun looking. And those other folks? Well, I guess it's okay. As long as they leave the mushrooms alone.