I needed a four by four post, two to three feet in length. I needed it to build a scratching post for my furry friends. I have a major home improvement store two blocks away and it sells lumber. Problem solved, right?
Wrong….
I went there, to the large, well stocked lumber section. Found an employee who was working in that section, assigned to it, not just passing through. I asked her where I could find scrap lumber, and if there were any short lengths of four by four. She said there wasn’t anywhere I could buy scrap lumber, that they threw it all away, but I could buy an eight foot four by four instead. I said fine, left.
I found my one by twelve board I needed for the base of the scratching post, and grumpily picked out a six foot section of two by four. Perhaps I could cut it in half, nail the halves together, and make a four by four, I thought. When I found an employee to run the saw, I asked him if there was any place I could buy a section of four by four – and he said maybe.
We went to the scrap lumber section (that didn’t exist according to the other employee) and sure enough, there was a big ten foot four by four at 70% off! We talked about it, he realized he’d been looking for some chunks of four by four as well, and we ended up each taking part of the wood.
Amazing how hard it is to get a short piece! I’ll remember that for next time.
Mindflight 