If you want to get a taste of how the economy is treating people, you might take a trip to JR’s Trading on lower Main Street in downtown Waterville.

I spent part of Monday afternoon there, just watching and listening, getting a feel for what people are selling or pawning, and why.

JR’s is owned by John Weeks, a former Waterville police detective, who’s got an eye for what is valuable and what isn’t, what will sell and what won’t.

He’s also got a pretty good insight into human nature after having spent several years buying items and taking in pawn from people who have run out of money and need quick cash.

Monday is his busiest day, because that’s when people are most desperate for money.

“The weekend is done and they’ve had a good time — going out to dinner, to the movies, camping,” he says. “They have nothing left. They don’t have enough money to get through the week.”

The people who come into his pawn shop aren’t all poor. Some are just in a temporary slump, he says.

“I have some really fairly well-to-do people at times in here — businessmen who can’t make payroll. They’ll bring a fairly big item to get money to make payroll.”

That might include an expensive car or boat or other equipment.

If they want to sell it, Weeks buys it for something less than what he thinks he can sell it for.

After all, he’s got to make a profit.

If they want to pawn, or loan, an item, Weeks pays them a percentage of its value.

A person has 30 days repay the loan and to pick it up, but after that Weeks can sell it. Some come back monthly to pay the interest in order to extend the pawn period. But Weeks said he often allows people more than 30 days, especially if they are good customers.

“Some people come in once a month. They’re on disability and they only get a check once a month and they don’t know how to manage without pawning.”

There are regulars who pawn an item, get it back and return to pawn it again, according to Weeks.

“They’ll bring in a pickup truckload of tools they don’t need this week. Sometimes we’ll see the same tools coming back.”

People also arrive with their stories.

“When I first started here, I saw people that literally fell on their knees, crying because they felt their need was so great. They had no other way out. The job’s not always fun.”

There are those who tell little lies to get what they need.

“They come in here, reeking of alcohol and they say, ‘Well, I just got to go get groceries.’ You know what they’re going to do with the money.”

Weeks sits at the counter in his storefront, surrounded by electronics, sporting goods, musical instruments, DVDs, records, diamond rings, swords and guns.

Gold and silver are in demand because the price is up, he says.

“Silver coins sell really well. I do well with gold. I buy a lot of scrap and I sell it to refineries. That has really kept me above water for the last two years.”

As he speaks, customers stream in. One guy has an empty computer case.

“I need a pack of smokes,” he says. “I’ll let you take this for five bucks.”

After some back-and-forth, Weeks gives him a $5 bill, but later acknowledges he’ll probably never sell it.

A young woman brings in a Toshiba laptop, asking to pawn it.

“I really need $150,” she says.

Weeks checks its value on a computer and tells her he can’t do more than $80.

“I’ll be right back,” she says, scooping up the laptop and consulting with a man in the back seat of a car parked out front. She doesn’t return.

A middle-aged man wearing hospital scrubs comes in and pawns a guitar and amplifier; another pawns a fancy pool cue in a case for $50.

Ray Gagne, 51, and his son, Mark, 25, of Winslow, wheel in a large rug shampoo machine and two snowmobile helmets to pawn. Weeks gives him $60 for the machine and $30 for the helmets. The Gagnes are regular customers and he knows they’ll come back, he tells me later.

It’s hot and humid Monday. Ray Gagne, a disabled veteran, has beads of perspiration on his forehead. He says he’s looking for some extra cash for a family outing.

“I just want to buy some ice cream for the grandchildren and gas for the boat, go water skiing, get some hot dogs and hamburgers,” he says.

The pawn shop allows him to do these things, when money is tight.

“It’s a good service, because we don’t have a lot of money. JR’s always treats us good. We’ve brought in snowmobiles, four-wheelers, a boat, sweaters. He’s fair, very fair.”

Amy Calder has been a Sentinel reporter 23 years. Her column appears here Saturdays. She may be reached at acalder@centralmaine.com.