Thread: Off Season Reactions

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When shopping for Halloween props/supplies, etc during the off season do you ever tell salespeople that you need whatever you’re buying for Halloween? What reaction do you get?

We were recently at a flea market looking at surgical instruments for Halloween use. I was picking up various clamps and also looking at the dental tools. The seller asked, “Are you looking for something in particular?” I asked, “Is this the biggest clamp you have?” Then Mr. L said, “We’ll be using them for Halloween props.”

The sellers eyes opened wide and that questioning look came across his face. He opened his mouth but no words came out. You could almost see the brain process at work...the face slowly regained it’s composure as the inside brain said: don’t think about it, don’t ask, they are actually buying. The seller went on to demonstrate various clamps/tools and make deals with me.

Then we went to another area as I needed some fish hooks. I picked up a package of the largest looking fish hooks and the seller said, “what kind of fish you wanting to catch?” I said, “I’m not fishing I just need the largest hooks you have.” There it was again....the incredulous look. He went on describing the kinds of fish you can catch with that hook and that look stayed on his face the whole time! Who knows what he thought I was going to do with those hooks as I never mentioned Halloween. His face looked so relieved when we started to walk away. LOL

Funny the spontaneous reactions people have!

I was at the dollar store yesterday standing in the checkout line and everyone around me had carts full of Easter goodness while I stood there with a package of bats and a handfull of rubber snakes. Didn't get any comments though as they were more interested in the fact that I was wearing my kilt and I am neither Scottish nor Irish. That's always good for a puzzled look or two!

DB

When I have done the low lying fog I have used dryer vents with frozen water bottles in them.

I had an extra heavy duty vent that I bought last year.

We had a new washer dryer installed and I had forgotten to pick up a dryer vent so I got out the extra one that I had, when the guy came to instill the dryer he had a vent that would work better for my situation (and cheaper). He suggested that I could return my vent if I had the receipt, so I HAD to explain to him what I use them for, at first I got a wierd look, then he loved the idea!

Dusza Beben: LOL...yep, I bet your kilt gets the same face reaction I saw on the two sellers! I see you’re from NE Ohio. I was born and raised in the Cleveland area. Is it warm enough there yet to be wearing your kilt...brrrr!

2 weeks ago went shoping at the hardware store , usually we cant get anyone to help us ,their always busy or you cant find em when you need help , we wore looking quietly for materials to build props , plungers , ligh fixutres , stuff like that and every department we went their was always someone asking us what we need the things for if they could be of help and when we wore telling them what we wore doing with them they just laughed and looked clueless , so we laughed too and said no we dont need any help but thanks LOL they were just saying we wore early for halloween shoping but we told them this year we wore trying to build some props so we cant start at the last minute for the display we are building....

then yesterday went to the dollar store to see if by any chance they had new stuff , and in the toy section they had bags of tiny body parts (hands, foot , eyes etc so i took all the bags home thinking these would be perfect for my jars of witches for goblin body parts the lady at the cash registered looked at me funny with all the bags i was buying she asked me if i had a daycare , just told her nope and didnt say more so left her puzzled

I have gotten those open mouth no body at home looks too when buying things for props.
I love it!!!!!

Last weekend my wife wanted to buy some material, so we stopped in at jo anns fabrics store.
While there I was looking around for some cheese cloth for my props.
A sales clerk stopped me and asked if I needed any help so I told her what I was looking for.
When asked what I was going to use it for , I told her I was going to put it on a corpse.
I quickly added the fake corpse was a halloween prop I was making.
She smiled and showed me where the cheese cloth was and we started talking halloween for 1/2 of an hour.
Thank God my wife is a patient woman, she stood there and silently waited for the clerk and I to finish our discussion.

What a wonderful time I had that day.

Unfortunately or fortunely depending on your point of view I deal with a regular group of suppliers. Where it does get fun is when they send (intentionally) the new people my way or i get a new guy at work and someone tells them to save what couldnt be fixed because Ill want it for halloween.

Originally Posted by strange1

When asked what I was going to use it for , I told her I was going to put it on a corpse.

I can just imagine what was going through the clerks head when you said that. Thank goodness you added the rest. LOL

You never know who you'll come across when searching for stuff.
Years ago in August, I approached a Dental Mechanic (Dental Technician in today's vernacular) about acquiring the materials to make dentures. I got the quizzical look, and the predictable "What do you want this stuff for?" When I told him about the Haunted House, how many visitors we got and the need for realism, minute details and so on, he got right into the spirit. We ended up getting custom made appliances for the Werewolf, the Vampire and Quasimodo, FOR FREE! And the guys kids were too small that year to bring into the Haunt, so he showed up that year, and subsequent Hallowe'ens, with his nieces and nephews. They'd show up late and we'd give them the "VIP Treatment.

Originally Posted by Mrs Leatherface

Dusza Beben: LOL...yep, I bet your kilt gets the same face reaction I saw on the two sellers! I see you’re from NE Ohio. I was born and raised in the Cleveland area. Is it warm enough there yet to be wearing your kilt...brrrr!

It was practically 40 degrees that day, a regular heat wave! I'm about 40 minutes east of Cleveland in Geauga Co. Only been here a couple of years now but we're loving it.

This thread reminded me of a trip to the hardware store last fall. Bought a machette and two gallons of tiki torch oil. The clerk looked at my selections and said "Is the oil for burning them after you whack 'em with the machette?"
I just smiled.....

DB