Pawn Shop Blues

Has anyone ever looked at the actual meaning behind a pawn shop? It’s not just a mere local business trying to make a buck. Behind it all, that is the business stand point of a pawn brokers business or any other persons business. When it comes down to it, there is a much more realistic, gritty, ugly existence behind a pawn shop. A pawn shop is like a museum of broken hearts.

 

Look closely at the items in an established pawn shop next time you are doing any type of business there, or just looking for a good deal on an item that you have in mind. The cases of jewelry, the tools, the musical instruments, the guns. Everything has a story behind it. When dealing with a pawn shop (in Southern Ohio, anyways), you are dealing with people’s hard times. Peoples lost hopes, dreams, aspirations, tools of trade, every item has a story of letting go and doing without the things that meant or mean the most to them.

 

I’ve frequented pawn shops for the same reasons that everyone else has frequented them. I run short on money and pawn something that I know that I can afford to get back once I’m back on my feet again. I’ve pawned everything that I’ve held dear at one time or another. Usually, I’m able to get them out of pawn and everything is fine. I basically took a high interest loan to get me through a rough patch. However, there have been other times that I never made it through the rough patch, and some of my favorite items have been lost to the pawn broker. Gone. It has worked out for the best at times, particularly with musical instruments. If I pawn a beloved guitar that I’ve had for a while, it isn’t so hard to let it go. It was time for a change anyways. Other times, when I’ve been on a real rough patch, I know I’m never going to see it again no matter what the sentimental value of the item is. Those are the hardest to deal with. I’ve bounced back a thousand times and lost out a few times. So it goes. Sadly enough, I’ve been to the pawn shops due to hard times rather than to shop.

 

Anyways, on with the point. Every time I’ve been in a pawn shop, whether I’m selling, pawning, getting something out of pawn, or just looking around, I’m always overcome with a sensation of melancholy. I look at the jewelry cases, with all of the wedding rings, engagement rings, etc., and I see broken hearts and spite in a glass case. People that thought they were in love, just to let this big bully of a world get to them. Their love turned sour, love turned to hate, love turned into a $200 pawn on a $2000 ring. It’s sad. I look at the watches just to see junk mixed with the occasional heirloom of a long-lost relative, dead forever with their only memory on display for someone to pick up for a cheap price. I see power tools on display. Most of which are probably stolen and sold to provide some zombie’s fix. Others, trade tools that were put to work at one time, only to get pawned when the person was laid off and couldn’t pay their gas bill. I see instruments and amplifiers on the shelves and walls. At one time they were probably tools of dreams, aspirations, and bright eyes, sold for a low price to the pawn lord to either get a fix or food. I’ve fallen into that category quite a few times.It’s sad.

 

So the next time you are out thrifting, looking for a good deal at a pawn shop for whatever reason, just remember. Every time you are in the pawn shop, you are perusing people’s broken dreams, broken hearts, and bad luck. You are looking at pawn shop blues.