I love a good “street find”. Oakland can be generous that way. 
Among other discards/scores are a large, heavy, wood desk that barely (doesn’t really) fits my apartment. But it’s solid and austere, like me. I got old analog speakers (they were crap tbh). Vinyl. Beautiful Gustav Klimt prints. Never a book that I actually read though, but my batting average has always been poor.
On the flip side, I’ve witnessed the ruthless efficiency with which scavengers swoop on perceived treasures. An ex brought a solid steel juicer home that must have dated from the 40s. She plugged it in and the noise was deafening. I remember the counter vibrating. We wrangled it downstairs to the curb. When we popped out minutes later it had disappeared!
Someone left these brand new shoes out a couple of months ago and I snapped them up. I was gonna wear them to an event, but when I put them on, I looked clownish. Like Gothic Ronald McDonald. Back to the curb with them!
