Today I was in a store devoted entirely to estate sales. Folks were happily walking up and down the aisles looking for bargains.
The experience felt odd, and at first I couldn’t figure out why. But eventually it occurred to me.
The entire existence of the store was predicated on the concept that you’re buying stuff that used to be owned by people who are no longer alive.
The phrase “estate sale” is a pleasant euphemism, but it glosses over a deeper truth. A truth that tells a far more compelling story.
On the other hand, I suspect the truth might not sell as well. People might not want to go to a store that was called “stuff previously owned by dead people.”