When J.D. Salinger scribbled a note to his maid in 1989, he had no way of knowing that some day it would be worth about $1,600 a word. A Nevada-based company is selling the nearly-illegible note on eBay for $50,000. It reads:

Dear Mary — Please make sure all the errands are done before you go on vacation, as I do not want to be bothered with insignificant things. Thank you. J.D. Salinger

The listing doesn't explain how the seller obtained the note (or why he used his full name with his maid), but someone could have made a good career out of routing through Salinger's trash.