"A couple years ago I found a very old wheelchair - wooden, very large -- on   
   the curb near a friend's house. She let me roll it down the street and put it   
   in her storage building for a few days.  I contacted a store which raises   
   money for a charity which also has thrift stores -- the items that are worth   
   more as antiques or collectibles go to this store.  (I've gotten some nice   
   dolls there.) Later I went to the store and they had the wheelchair displayed   
   at the door, with some quilts hanging on it.  The next time I went in, it was   
   gone.  They said it was purchased by a doctor or other medical professional,   
   which is what I had hoped -- a doctor would appreciate it and have a large   
   enough home to display it!  There were some other things on the curb that day   
   that probably were also antiques but too much for me to handle.  I feel good   
   that at least I saved one item which was pretty special!  Jacque E, Roanoke,   
   VA"   
   =-=-=-=-=-=   
   "Hi Phil,  This may not be the my most valuable curbside find but it is the   
   funniest.  Before I left my summer home after my car was packed to the rooftop   
   with trash treasures-sterling silver, furniture, depression glass -much of   
   which I sold, I took a ride on my bike around the little village.  Lo and   
   behold did I spy by the curb a fabulous 6 drawer oak dresser with a splash   
   back and owl's eye bails!  It had 7 coats of various paints but was beautiful   
   to my eyes.  Of course I couldn't carry it on my bike.  I asked the owner if   
   it was being thrown away and if so, could he help me carry it to the back of   
   his house. He said no one would take it but I knew better.  We hauled the   
   drawers to his back yard and I proceeded to pedal as fast as I could home.  I   
   had 2-3 miles to go.  Now I had an old bike with 3 sometimes working gears.    
   My legs were flying as I'm racing home to unload my car which already had a   
   dresser hanging out the trunk.  As I'm going down the boulevard I notice I am   
   going no where.  The gears on my bike gave out.  My legs were spinning and   
   nothing was happening.  I was in a panic as I didn't want anyone to get that   
   dresser.  Finally after what seemed like ages, one gear caught.  I got home,   
   unloaded my car and flew back to the dresser.  Just as I was pulling up a man   
   stopped on his bike having seen the dresser ready to put a claim sign on it.    
   He was very disappointed when I said I'd "seen" it first. I still a laugh   
   about trying to bike home with no gears and needing to really hurry to get my   
   treasure.  I still have that dresser and it will stay with me always just as a   
   reminder of humorous roadside finds.  Stephanie"   
   =-=-=-=-=-=   
      
   --------------------------   
      
   --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Dada-1   
    * Origin: Prism bbs (1:261/38)