Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tales

Luckily I have almost nothing left to give away, because if I did, I'd be done with Freecycle anyway.

One of the last items I had to find a home for was a brand new (still in box) SodaStream machine. Remember those? You could make soda at home. Thinking I could save money (I used to drink endless Diet Coke), I ordered one on Amazon, but it never arrived, so Amazon sent me out a second one... and both arrived the same day. I had had a rough time returning an extra thing in the past, so I said screw it, and just pretended the second one never arrived. I felt bad, because it was worth about $100, but I didn't want to deal with Amazon's return system.

For years, the box sat in my apartment. I stopped using the opened SodaStream, yet I still held onto the second boxed one. I eventually stopped drinking soda altogether, yet still I held onto that unopened one. Finally it was time to get rid of it.

I listed it as new in box on Freecycle, and my in box exploded with responses. I picked the first guy, since he said he could pick it up the same day. Then his story changed.

Once I told him where I was located, he claimed it was "right near work" and wanted to pick it up the next day (Monday) instead. I grumbled a little, but said okay. I asked him what time he wanted to come. He said 5:30. I said okay. (That's important to note: He picked the time he wanted to come.)

Monday, I got ready to meet him at 5 (getting dressed, etc), just in case he was early. 5:30, nothing. 6, nothing. 6:30, nothing. Finally he sent a text that he was 15 minutes away. Seriously grumbling now, I told him to text me when he was in the parking lot, and I'd come out with it. Almost 7, he texted me. I went out with the box. Nothing. No one in sight.

I waited 15 minutes more for him, only to finally get a text that he was lost. (Even though he told me he was there...)

Through all this, I had had plans for Monday night. I agreed to the time on Monday thinking it would take me only a moment to bring the box out and hand it over to him. This guy messed up my entire evening, then when I handed him the box, did he say thank you? No. He said something like "It's really big" (complaining, like he expected it to be smaller). It's was just the normal SodaStream model, in the original packing...

At many points, I had considered just leaving it sitting on the curb for him, but if it had been me, I'd be uncomfortable pulling up to some stranger's address and just taking a box. This is an apartment complex, not a house, so lots of people are coming and going. If it were me, I'd worry people were thinking I was stealing something. (Though if it were me, I wouldn't have been hours late...)

I know I shouldn't let one person sour things for everyone, but I was already teetering on the 'this is too much work' edge anyway, and he pushed me over it. There really should be some kind of feedback/review system on Freecycle, so I could warn others about this guy.

Grumble.