I wanted to share this little experience I had yesterday in a local Winners/Homesense.

I was poking around the store finding a few things of interest when I came across the clearance aisle. On the bottom shelf there were a bunch of coloured rectangular wooden boxes. Each had a faux leather handle with two metal clasps on either side to secure the lid. I knew right away what these boxes contained just by their looks - art supplies!

I crouched down to take a gander and, to my horror, saw why they were in the clearance section. None of the boxes would close properly. I picked up a red coloured box and opened it up. Inside were tubes of watercolour paints but they wouldn't snap into the plastic tray lining the box. Some were missing lids. A slot where a mixing tool should have been was empty. I'd tried to close the box, but the plastic tray liner had fallen out of place and refused to let the box close until I tucked in its edges.

At this point I'd gotten onto my knees right there in the middle of the aisle - I shit you not - and using both hands I placed the box on top of the pile; handling it as if it were a newborn babe. I grabbed another box: green. Inside was a collection of oil paints and nice brushes. It too had been pilfered. I closed it up as best as I could and grabbed the blue coloured box. This one contained acrylics. It came with a palette and brushes - all disheveled and scattered. A black box contained a drawing kit with charcoal and coloured pencils. And one of those little posable mannequins. But again, it had been virtually destroyed.

These boxes had been priced $7. A steal for paint. And yet stolen they were. I stood back up and pondered.

First of all, what the hell is it about me and art supplies? I love them. Their smell. Their feel. What they let us create. I wanted to buy every single one of those boxes - save them - like I was the fucking SPCA or something.

I dunno.

TL;DR - Neglected art supplies made me cry.

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what