I realize how suspicious it looks. I wouldn't believe it either, I mean, if I could figure out what I was looking at, I wouldn't believe it. One should always pay particular attention to junkyard custom vans and motorhomes. Beside the fact that you might find some pristine custom van pagoda roofed sofa in the back or a custom built-in with the 2 through 13 B&W, there is a much higher likelihood of finding an old diary or love letters. I'm a snoop and always have been.
This is obviously a plant, but not by me. In the cratered out, destroyed headlamp cavity of a mid-70s custom van I found (and stole) this Sony microcassette. I have tried to be on the up and up and purchase the odd journal or book that I have found in a junk yard car and invariably, they think I am up to something sinister. Now I just steal these little discards.
At last weekends garage sales, I tried to remember that I was looking for a microcassette recorder so I could listen to the tape. Once or twice, after I was back in my car, I would remember that I had been looking for a microcassette, but it is anybody's guess as to whether I actually saw one. Successful garage saling depends on speed and that requires looking at 200o items at a glance to determine if it fits in with anything you are searching for. Sometimes, it takes 3-4 weeks of looking to even remember I am looking for something.