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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Are you for real?

The following is a true story based on actual events that occurred within the past 8 days. Names have been omitted to protect the victim and to help the victim avoid any potential lawsuit for which she could be charged with slander by the insane woman and/or members of her family involved in the story. Warning: It is nearly impossible to tell this story any shorter without losing very important details. Please be patient. LOL
About a week and a half ago I began to ponder the big items that we still need to get before Baby Jrew is born. One of those items is a pack ‘n play with bassinet attachment because we are going to use it upstairs for his “sleeping quarters” the first few months. I have also recently become a Craigslist freak and have actually found a few really good deals in this manner. Last week, I contacted a lady who had listed two playpens for sale. I should’ve known I was entering the twilight zone of weirdness just by the title alone. Travel Playpen/Bassinet & Maternity - $150 Exactly how does one sale maternity? Then, upon clicking on the item title, the following appears: PLAYPEN with BASSINET. $95 GREAT to use this while at beach/vacation for baby's personal bed, church & while visiting from home. It folds up into a matching carrying box. I hated having to lay my babies on floors someplace with only blankets, then having to wash them all up when we got back home...this is why I bought one for daughter & she got one from shower.
The seller goes on to list two playpen brand names and a tag that mentioned maternity clothes for sale as well. So, according to the post here, can anyone figure out what is $150 and what is $95?
NONE-THE-LESS, I decided to call the number attached to inquire about the items. The lady said she had two pack n plays that were both brand new. One was beige Eddie Bauer and the other was Winnie the Pooh. I said I was interested in the beige one. I asked her if it had a pattern on the inside. She said she wasn’t sure b/c she had never look inside it. I asked her if it came with a bassinet? She said yes. I asked if it also came with the changing table portion and she said she wasn’t sure. I told her that usually these items are pictures on the box. She immediately responded as if I had caught her in a lie with “Well, I’ll just tell you. I don’t have the box. I bought it from a lady last year who was trying to sell it to a second-hand maternity story that was refusing to buy it from her. So, I met her in the parking lot to buy it. She said it was brand new. I just really want to get my money back from the purchase. I paid $50 for it. In fact, you can have either one for $50.” As we continued our conversation, I explained that I couldn’t come that day but could came later during the weekend. She said she was very busy and it would have to wait until next week. I agreed.
It took a few more conversations on the phone with her before we could nail down a time, but finally we were talking Tuesday evening about coming Wed. am to look at it. I got directions and told her I was bringing along a friend. She said to please call her when we exited the interstate so she would have time to “put her shoes on”. To be continued…
Arriving between 9:30 and 10:00, our said appointment time, I realized I had forgotten to call. I called her and apologized but that we were pulling into her driveway shortly. She huffed (I think) and said okay. We walked to the front door b/c we thought that was the polite thing to do. The daughter tapped on the window and motioned for us to go to the backdoor. We did and were basically waiting on the back patio, where there was a 3-ft blow up kiddy pool. It was empty but nevertheless…. The woman poked her head through a cracked door and said give me a few minutes and closed the door abruptly. Then the daughter arrive on the patio with her tiny newborn boy in her arms. She seemed very young and began telling us that she had the baby natural “right there in the pool, except we put the pool in the living room”. She said she didn’t need one drop of pain medicine. We were polite and congratulated her on the baby, all the while trying to avoid making eye contact with the pool behind us.
So… finally the mom came out. She expressed that she had to get dressed and didn’t have time to do so since we hadn’t called. We apologized again. She said she was going to get the playpen from the garage. Not having seen a garage, I asked if we were parked in her way (in case she needed to drive down the road). She said no and repeated that she was getting it out of the garage. Apparently, she was referring to the storage building located near the road. We followed her off the steps and my friend tried to make small talk with her. She ignored us and kept walking. Very quickly, she slipped in the door of the storage unit and closed it behind her very fast. We waited and she returned empty handed. She said it was located outside as she directed our attention to two very large and long piles of “junk” covered with two long blue tarps covered with mud and dirt. She began by lecturing us that she had carpal tunnel in her arms, a lot of things to do, etc.. and so whatever we undid we would have to put back together. I said “We’re not going to undo the whole tarp. We just want to look at the playpen”. “I know” she said, “but I don’t know how to set it up and I can’t get down there so….” My friend interrupted and said “That’s why I came. I have two kids. I can set it up and put it back together.” After she pulled it out from under a blue tarp, we dusted it off and set it up only to find that it didn’t have promised bassinet or changing table that was in question. The woman said she would get it and returned from the storage shed a few minutes later empty handed. She called the daughter who joined us outside and motioned that it was under the other blue tarp. It was actually the changing table and was covered in mold and dirt. I asked the lady where the bassinet was and she said that was the bassinet. I explained that it was the changing table and pointed to the warning label which said “do not leave child unattended on changing table.” She was certain that was all there was to the playpen and my friend showed them a picture of the bassinet. The daughter, finally, said “Ohhhhh… that’s in the blue bag under there” pointing to the first blue tarp. It was there, in a small blue paper bag. I showed them how it was supposed to hook into the top of the crib and the woman replied “Ohhhhh, that’s what those loops are for.” Then, as my friend began packing it up, I asked the lady if she would take $40 for it since the changing table was covered in dirt and mold. She vehemently declared she could get more for it ($75 or more in fact) and wouldn’t sell it for less. I handed over $50 and she took a sharp turn toward insanity. She said “No! It’s $75.” I reminded her that she told me I could actually have it for $50 and had even offered me a choice between the two playpens she had. She declared she had told me I could only have the playpen for $50 if I had come that same day. Looking very confused, I shook my head and said that is not what you told me. Long story right… well she wouldn’t let down and I refused to pay $75 for it. She handed over my money and my friend “unpacked” the playpen and changing table piece from the car. As I was getting into my car I couldn’t help myself and I said to the lady, “Good thing we showed you how to put it together.” I noticed she carried the changing table piece inside with her as we left… sure to clean it off for the next stupid customer.

5 comments:

Chrissy said...

I don't know what to say except..yikes.

Mary Beth Spann said...

Okay, I was totally laughing out loud at this story. In the ad...was she talking about hating to wash up all her babies after laying them on the floor or hating to wash all the blankets after laying them on the floor? I guess she doesn't wash her babies or her blankets if they lay in a pack n play.
I have a feeling she will wish she took your 50 bucks.

SockMonkey said...

Hahaha! Gotta love it! I have fallen in love love love with Craigslist as well. Luckily, I've have nothing but good stories to tell. Congrats on the baby! I'm so excited and can't wait to see pics!

dixie said...

insanity

.:Meghan:. said...

hahahahahaha this is great!!