Salvation Army - "Too Good" for Your Furniture?

(Just a note folks, unfortunately, this post may not live up to the high praise given in the last post. See, this is why hyping up something can be bad! We now continue to our regular programming)

When I moved into my first apartment many years ago, I had no furniture. Sure, I had all that crap I had leftover from when I was living in the dorms at college, but it really wasn't furniture. It was maybe a couple of pillows, a rug, a small TV - you know, "dorm stuff."

I couldn't afford to buy new furniture, so I did what anyone in my position probably would have done - I got some "furniture" at a second-hand store: a couch, some nightstands, a mattress that was more springs than it was actual cushion (I don't think I had a single restful night on that thing) - all for probably less than $50.

Of course as the years went on and I had steady income, I purchased new, better furniture. As the new furniture came in, I felt I should give back to the "second-hand" furniture community, so I called the Salvation Army. On separate occasions they happily came by and picked up the furniture - until today.

I was donating my old entertainment center, one of those el-cheapo ones you get at Wal-Mart for $50 and put together yourself. Still, it's served me faithfully over the years. Immediately upon seeing it, Salvation Army man #1 says "We can't sell this. It's too scratched up."

Say what?

Yes, apparently the entertainment center was in too poor a shape for the ol' Salvation Army. They were too good to take my second-hand furniture.

He then told me he could just take it to the dumpster for me, which I said yes to (what else was I to do with it if the darn Salvation Army won't take it?). Guy #1 then left and got in the truck, with guy #2 standing outside my door with a not-too-bright look on his face. I repeated what guy #1 told me about taking it to the dumpster, so he started helping me out with it. Guy #1 then yelled to guy #2, "What are you doing??!"
"You said you'd take it to the dumpster for him."
"No, no, we don't do that! Come on!"

Guy #2 then proceeded to start pushing the entertainment center back into my apartment. I protested, and finally just flat out asked him to just help me carry it to the dumpster. With an annoyed grunt, he agreed. It took maybe 3 minutes. All the while, guy #1 just sat in the truck, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

I've never thought in for a second that the Salvation Army would refuse to take furniture. I guarantee you that someone shopping at the Salvation Army store probably wouldn't care about a few scratches - especially when they're paying maybe $5-$10 for the entertainment center. But I guess the Salvation Army knows better. They're too good for my furniture. I expect in the near future this new, "snooty" Salvation Army will have valet parking at their stores and play classical music over the store speakers.