eBay has been something I've dipped in and out of for the past few years, trying to find the odd bargain that might clutter up our house (oh the irony). And sometimes it's useful, does the job. The hubby, he's cynical, thinks everyone's out to take you for a buck. Me, I'm super trusting.
Anyway, my time came to sell a few bits and bobs. It was a startling thing, to find myself addicted to hunting the house to see what I could sell. Then posting it online and checking every few hours to find, occasionally, that someone was WATCHING it!! Eeee! Don't ask how I was when someone actually bid, it was like I'd been given a golden ticket and the destination was the eBay hall of fame. It's a good feeling. And for the most part I had very little difficulty with any customers, the odd message here and there but hey ho, all doable.
Then somebody by the name of (and the name has been changed slightly to protect the identity of my customer) 13smallchickens came along. I had put up a jigsaw puzzle (and at this point I will be honest and say it was one of mine. Yes, I had a jigsaw phase, 1000 pieces at a time and yes I went to counselling and have put it behind me...please do not bring this up again), and she, the lucky bidder, had won it.
I waited a few days for her to pay me then she sent a message. She lives locally and she informed me that she would come and pick it up. (Cheeky, but I can go with it.) I messaged her and said ok, giving her my address. (Alright, alright I can hear you screaming FOOL at me, but I'm fairly new to this, remember?) I also told her (and this is where I get really stupid), that I would be out in the morning, that she would have to come in the afternoon.
She then informed me that I could leave it outside somewhere safe and that she would drop the money through the letter box. NOW I started to smell a rat and finally got the big guns involved....the hubby. He's so good with this stuff that he's like my own personal ombudsman. He took one look at me as I explained and I could see an inward groan.
I have to also note that at this point I checked her eBay page and she had some pretty awful comments..."possible scammer", "didn't pay", "wanted pick up but didn't want to wait", etc. Oh bother. She's going to rob us blind, bring her older brothers who resemble Barry Island Thor lookalikes, and leave her fag butt on the sofa to prove a point. (So what then does she want with a jigsaw?)
I messaged back with my husbands fine advice and told her that I wasn't happy with leaving my precious Christmas jigsaw outside and that she could come before 10 or after 12 but my husband is ill at the moment and I don't want him disturbed.
So today I changed my plans and stayed home. Then I started to doubt she would even come at all. I was worried I would get a negative feedback on my otherwise spotless background. Oh the pressure. Anyway, 12.30 came and this woman pulled up outside my house and stepped out. She was older, with long greying hair held back by an Alice band. I met her at the door and I gave her the jigsaw. She said
"I came as late as possible because I didn't want to disturb your husband."
She looked at me expectantly, as if I was going to explain what was wrong, but there's no way I'm getting further into the lie. (What would I go for? Lymes disease? Pneumonia?) I just smiled and said, head cocked to one side
"Thank you, yes."
She handed over the money, and that was it. You want to know the really stupid thing? The freaking jigsaw only went for 99p.
No comments:
Post a Comment