A Riddle: What Do Hitchhiking and Selling at the Market Have in Common?

On the surface, it would appear that hitchhiking across Canada and selling one's wares at a local farmer's market have relatively little, if anything, in common. But having lots of time to think about it today while spinning yarn at the market I came up with a number of points of commonality.

(1) There is a lot of time to think.  As I wait for a ride, sometimes in rather lonely spots along the road, I have hours to think. Being ready to sell at the market at 7:00 AM and not selling anything until 11:00 - gives me lot of time to think.

(2) There is a lot of preparation for both occupations. Before I start to hitchhike I have to make sure my signs are well laid out and visible from a distance. On the road I need to make sure that I am standing in safe spot and one that gives a driver the maximum amount of time to see me. As cars speed past me I must ensure that I am standing straight, that they can see my eyes, that I am smiling and that in general I look presentable. At the market, I spend not only a lot of time spinning and weaving, but I also have spent considerable time making sure that my display is attractive and inviting. I also have worked on my "speech" and how I look (and yes people do notice).

(3) Every time I see a car approaching I must view that vehicle as a potential ride. No matter how frustrated I may become when it (and many others) cruise past me, it is important that I wave or at the very least do not display that frustration. At the market, regardless of how many people approach the booth and then walk by without looking, or how many stop - ask questions, all the while blocking others from seeing what I am selling - I must see every person who approaches the booth as a potential customer. I must maintain a sense of calmness and satisfaction with my lot in life.

(4) No matter how long I have waited for a ride, no matter if I am wet or cold- the second I see a car slow down, stop and then sometimes even back up a bit - I get excited. And excited is too mild a word - I get higher than a bird at the thought of getting a ride. It doesn't matter if they are going ten minutes down the road or ten hours - all of the frustration dissipates within a millisecond. At the market the exact same thing happens. It gets depressing and boring when people either ignore one's stuff or decide not to buy something. Today it took four hours before I made my first sale. But the second the person said "I think I will take this one" - I was higher than a bird. While of course, I would prefer a ten hour ride or a person buying a $125.00 rug the length of the ride or the size of the purchase does not affect the sense of euphoria that I feel.

So either hitchhiking and selling my crafts have a lot more in common than I thought - or I just get excited really easily.