How not to sell stuff:

So Thak and I have been looking for a normal-height kitchen table so that the kids can use it more easily, plus Orren's high chair doesn't work well at our pub-height table, so we just need something lower. Being that we don't want to spend a ton on something that's probably going to get pretty hard use over the next few years, we've had our eyes on craigslist and other local ad sites for something old and kind of beat up, but that we can refinish to our liking. Our only requirements are that it be solid wood, and that it be sound.

I found something that seemed to fit the bill yesterday, and the $100 pricetag was almost too good to be true. (We were planning on spending up to $250.) so I emailed the seller, and asked if she still had it. I told her my husband and I were looking for an older solid-wood dining table, of regular height, to refinish, and we would be interested in coming and having a look at the one she listed.

She emails me back and asks me to come NOW. Well, sorry, but Thak's at work, so no. I'm not going to go and buy something for him to refinish, without him looking at it, too. Plus, what if he doesn't like it? It's his house, too... So I said no. I really couldn't come NOW.

Well, she emails me again, asking if I'm SURE I can't come NOW.

I began to get annoyed, but kept my cool, and said that I was indeed certain that I could not come NOW, because I couldn't quite well fit a table and four chairs into my car, and my husband has the truck. I told a little white lie that he goes directly from work to school, but honestly, if I hadn't she would have hounded me even worse.

She emails me back, asking if I'm 100% sure I can't come tonight, and couldn't I ask my husband to ask his SGT to release him early. I explained that asking a SGT to release his boss early probably wouldn't do anything, other than get a laugh out of the whole unit, and once again told her that I was absolutely certain that I would not be by that night. I also once again explained that my husband is the one who refinishes furniture, and he HAS to have a look at it before we even decide if we want it.

She emails me back and tells me to come the following morning, and gives me the directions to her house. OK, see, where are you not getting the part about "Must bring husband with."? But the directions confirmed what I had expected. She lives in a housing area designated only for Privates. (May is certain the table is a hand-me-down from back home that they're selling in order to tide them over until payday. I think she's right. It doesn't look like the usual Private's dollar store special. It's old and beat up, but there's nice wood there which could refinish really well.)

Anyhow, I told her that I would not be by, and would give her a call if I could make it any time over the course of that day. I'm NOT planning on calling her. This is way more trouble than it's worth, and honestly, I was so put off with her just hounding me for this money, that I don't want to give her a dime even if she does have something worth buying.

So I just went into my email account, and this girl has emailed me no fewer than half a dozen times, with various ideas of how to get me to come get this thing, or bring it to me, like NOW, and all this other stuff.

I'm sorry, but I am not a money tree. Next time, don't seem so desperate, and maybe I will buy your thing. As it is, maybe next weekend, we will drive around to the various antique stores and reclaimed wood furniture stores, and find ourselves something. I don't give a crap if it's made in Mexico. I'd rather a Mexican carpenter have my money than a Private's wife who thinks it's a cool idea to hound people for it.

I just don't get it. I mean, with my purses, certainly there have been times when I needed the money from a sale, and when I notified that customer, I HOPED with everything I had that she said, "Can I come tomorrow and get it?" instead of, "Oh can it wait until payday?" but you know, I would NEVER hound a customer to pick up their order just because I (to use a recent example) spent all the disposable income for the month on school supplies we didn't end up needing, and dinner out twice last weekend. It is NOT other people's problem when I run short on cash, and it is not my problem when random strangers do. I understand needing money, and I'm happy to see someone selling things rather than dealing drugs (all too easy to get into around here!) but at the same time, give me a damn break. Find some other sucker!