life's little synchronic moments

Who can judge good from bad?     Example:

 

Yesterday morning Hubris and I were both to leave the public / police dock for the A-9 / cruiser anchorage.  Well Ben left and I did not.  My engine finally died in earnest.  She wouldn't start.  Ben went on and I was left to take apart my fuel system to find the cause. 

After a big mess I found a faulty injection pump.

After a bit of networking I found a guy who could test it and repair it on the cheap.  Not so bad.  It would cost me a few nights more at the public dock; I'd have to pay a bit for the repairs--no choice there.  I'd simply try and make the most of the time and mess to change my oil, fuel filters, and fix a leak while I'm in the bilge.

 

However, a positive I could never have foreseen emerged as I sliced an orange for breakfast this morning.  Some guy at the other end of the dock was talking loud enough for me to ease-drop without really paying attention.  But I tuned in as he said, "yea, I've got a bunch of stuff to sell.  You know, doesn't hurt to get the word out."

I thought, damn right.  I need to get my hot chocolate and walk on over there and see.  I didn't have great hopes.  The things I need aren't really the sort of things most people sell--shackles, blocks......  Oh, but was I mistaken.

He was selling everything.  As it turned out, Jay,   was selling his boat.  For some reason, this meant he wanted to liquidate everything in it.  (I would leave all my equiptment with my boat should I ever sell it, seems fair.)  Cheap used good are hard to come by.

I've been stressing some things, filters mostly--one for fuel and one for water.  Both were gonna run me around a hundred bucks.

I got both, essentially, for a total of twenty bucks.

Not to mention a bunch of shackles, blocks, carabiners, a dinghy anchor, zincs.  It was a virtual windfall.  It was huge.  Spectacular.

 

So, the point here:  What seemed like a bummer, my engine pooping out, turned out to be a grand opportunity.  If I had left yesterday I wouldn't have met Jay and I would have had to spend much more (granted, for a higher quality product in some cases) for what I needed.  Plus, it was fun.  He didn't even bargain.  He just accepted my first offer.

A good day.