Stock

The stock stuff is what they keep on hand because it is in demand, ordinary, on the shelf, expected. Stock has the feeling of ‘ordinary’, don’t ya think There is such a demand that the depot keeps a ‘stock’ of that item in store, expecting to sell it fairly quickly. And thing is, if it does not sell, it is no longer ‘stock’ but something else way less complimentary. So, what are you? Stock? Or something way else?

What about stocks, like in the stock market? Those represent the shares held by investors in a company. They demonstrate a percentage of ownership in the corporation. When the value of the company fluctuates, the value of the stock/percentage fluctuates with it. I can make or lose money buying and selling stocks. I don’t know who wins, or I don’t know of anyone who has won big doing this. Do you?

Lawyers charge for their time and knowledge in giving us advice. That is called their stock and trade. And that is the substantiation for charging for every minute. A stock yard is where you would find cattle being readied for slaughter. Interesting that until they are processed they are called live stock. Not exactly like stock card, meaning a heavy (almost cardboard) paper you might have with your other stationery.

The stock of a rifle is the, usually wood, part to which the firing mechanism and barrel are attached. It is the part that one leans against the shoulder to absorb the recoil action when the rifle is fired. In times long past a criminal could be placed in the stocks, out in the town square, which was a device to hold the arms and head (some versions also held the ankles) so the criminal could be seen by all. Ouch

Stock seems to mean standard, ordinary. Well, and it can also mean that the item is so popular that it is brought to the store in quantity, so quite beyond just ordinary. Might be something here about being taken for granted too. We expect certain things to be held in stock and can forget how it got to be such. In our relationships with others, is being available a reason to treat them as stock?