Simplicity

Simplicity is a concept I’ve always been drawn to but sometimes struggle to practice. Recently, I had a personal experience that perfectly illustrated this theme. 

This summer, we got a new patio umbrella through a friend’s discount sale, and our old one ended up sitting unused in a corner of the backyard. 

When my husband suggested I sell an old dog crate on Kijiji, it gave me the idea to list the umbrella as well. Though it was still in good condition, its red fabric had faded, and summer was over—who would buy a patio umbrella in the fall? I listed it for $20, hoping for a quick sale.

I’ve sold items on Kijiji before, but the process has often been frustrating. Some buyers asked endless questions, made promises to show up, and then vanished. Plus sharing my contact information sometimes led to scams. There were people who even asked me to ship the item, which made me suspicious of their intentions.

This time, however, I only received one response. A man named Tim politely asked if the umbrella was still available. I didn’t see his message until the next day. When I told him it was, he replied that he could come pick it up right away. No questions, no bargaining—could it really be that simple? I wondered if it might be another scam. Since I wasn’t home at the time, I asked him to come another day, even though my husband was home. I decided to handle this myself, as I felt my husband could be a bit too trusting at times. 

Of course, I wasn’t going to let him into the house. I planned to lead him directly to the deck from the backyard gate. Before he arrived, I locked both the front and back doors. Meanwhile I found a five-dollar bill and put it in my pocket, thinking I might need it to finalize the deal.

When I stepped outside, I saw a tall man in his 60s approaching. “This way,” I greeted him, leading him to the backyard. He grinned as he approached. “Only 20 bucks? Great price!” His cheerful attitude instantly put me at ease. Without thinking, I pulled out the five-dollar bill and waved it at him: “you think so? I actually had this ready, just in case.” He looked surprised but waved it off with a laugh, saying, “No, don’t be silly.”

“I didn’t expect to sell it,” I told him. “Who needs a patio umbrella now that summer is over?” He chuckled. “That’s why it’s the perfect time for a good deal!” I pointed out that the color had faded, but he didn’t seem to mind. He handed me the money, took the umbrella, and left without a second thought. What a straightforward guy!

I followed him to his car, still holding the five-dollar bill. There was something about his simplicity and contentment that I really liked. On impulse, I handed him the bill. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Yeah,” I said, “just want to make you even happier.”

It struck me then that he hadn’t even inspected the umbrella before taking it. His trust was a stark contrast to my own cautiousness. As he drove away, I called out, “Let me know if there’s any problem!”

A few minutes later, I got a message from him: “I got home and set it up. It’s beautiful! Thank you!” He even added a smiley face emoji.

I replied, “I’m glad you like it.”

At that moment, I realized that human interactions really can be simple and pleasant. Sometimes, in trying to prepare for the worst, we overcomplicate things and miss out on the ease that comes from genuine connections. I couldn’t help but feel my last-minute gesture of offering him a discount kind of spoiled the simplicity and was unnecessary at all.