misscandle
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posted on March 4, 2001 11:56:16 AM
Has this ever happened to you?
After months of searching and bidding and being outbid, I finally won an auction for a highly collectible book that I coveted. I paid $50.00 for it. It arrived in great condition and I sat down to my computer with a "Tra-la-la" on my lips to leave the seller positive feedback. This wasn't from Ebay so it took me a couple of minutes to figure out the feedback system for that site. Just as I finished, I heard a loud ripping noise behind me. I turned and looked in horror as my little 22-month old, diaper-dirtying, rice cereal-swilling, Barney-watching WOMD personified TORE THE COVER OFF my $50 book.
As the shock wore off and I became capable of speech, I turned to my husband for support. Now this is a guy who stood in front of all our family and friends (in a monkey suit with sweat streaming from his brow) and swore he was in this deal for better or for worse. All he said was "You paid HOW MUCH for that book?" Then, he started yelling at me using a lot of B-words like "budget" and "bankruptcy". I don't know what that was about.
I haven't kept exact records, but I estimate that this little fiend in OshKosh-B'Gosh clothing has cost me about $50 gazillion dollars in property damage in his short 22-month existence. This includes the CD-ROM drive he ruined by putting Pokemon cards in it.
I can't decide whether to just present him with a bill when he turns 18, or help him start his own demolition company (no need for equipment with him around) and take part of the profits.
**BIG SIGH**
Has anyone else had one of their coveted auction finds destroyed so cruelly? Please tell me your stories. It might help ease my pain.
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bobbysoxer
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posted on March 4, 2001 12:08:18 PM
I have been selling and buying for years one eBay and have noticed sellers with high feedback but with little time on eBay not providing important information in the description.
A few months ago I found an item I was interested in, the description was something to the effect "the picture speaks for itself" and it is in good condition. I emailed for specifics. Got back only the following (paraphrasing) "item is in very good condition." Which is it --good or very good?
I didn't bid.
Also within the last few months I had two incidents with two different sellers that shipped the items insufficiently and the items were damaged.
One was defensive (package not insured) and the other was "silent" (package was insured).
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krs
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posted on March 4, 2001 12:12:19 PM
misscandle,
That's funny, and you might as well get used to it.
(Nothing at all to do with the seller, of course.)
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misscandle
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posted on March 4, 2001 12:25:51 PM
bobbysoxer: That is so disappointing. To be looking forward to your treasured widget and open the box to find it damaged. If it was the seller's fault at least you could Neg them. I told the Little Prince I was negging him and he laughed at me and gave me a hug. He doesn't get it.
krs: Yes, I am resigned to my destiny. He is the youngest of 5 kids and has done more damage than all the others combined. For a while he was tied with his older brother who washed my NEW car using steel wool (a surprise for my birthday when he was 6 yrs old), but he passed him in total dollars of destruction when he was around 10 months old.
Question: do the boarding schools in Switzerland require the students to be potty-trained before admittance?
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Antiquary
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posted on March 4, 2001 12:26:42 PM
(Nothing at all to do with the seller, of course.)
WOMD is a great nickname; still fits our son. But don't try to keep track; it'll just depress you more over the years.
added word for clarity
[ edited by Antiquary on Mar 4, 2001 12:28 PM ]
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bobbysoxer
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posted on March 4, 2001 12:34:42 PM
Yes I was disappointed. Really looking forward it. Being a seller I don't want negs on my feedback unless it is worth it. I don't mess with people particularly when they aren't worth it, like some peeps here in AW. I have better things to do.
That is why when I sell I make sure that the items are shipped properly even if I have to "pay" more than what I charged my valued customers.
So far I haven't had any problems but if the situation was reversed (my buying experiences) with me being the seller, I would have refunded the money. Haven't crossed the bridge about making the decision on refunding the shipping charges though. I can see where I would be flexible with it.
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bobbysoxer
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posted on March 4, 2001 12:45:34 PM
BTW
I am sorry that happened to you. Too bad minors aren't allowed to register with eBay so you can neg the little guy.
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Shadowcat
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posted on March 4, 2001 01:17:15 PM
The kittens were busy little critters and there were times I considered tying their hands to their bodies but they didn't break or destroy anything, except for one time when the elder kitten broke the rocker on the little rocker my grandmother had given me when I was a child.
When I saw what he did, I crumpled to the floor, sobbing like a distraught baby. He stood there, broken rocker piece in his hand, eyes wide with utter surprise because I NEVER cry. The rocker isn't worth anything monetary but it's priceless because it's the only thing I have from that grandmother. The thought that he broke it on purpose-and he did, by jumping on the rocker-was like a punch to the gut.
It must have made quite an impression on him. Not only did he help his father glue the rocker back together but he apologized as well. And he has not broken anything since.
Kittens can learn to leave things alone but parents have to be willing to take the time to reinforce the message over and over(and over, if necessary) so it filters through the little rotters' brains that the parents mean exactly what they say.
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misscandle
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posted on March 4, 2001 02:08:59 PM
Good advice, Shadowcat. Thanks all.
I'm a little shaky right now. In the short time it just took me to put the dishes in the dishwasher, the little tyke took apart one of my side tables and is using the leg as a bat to hit his tennis ball. I discovered this when I heard the crash after he hit my flower vase.
Hubby, who was SITTING RIGHT THERE watching him, looks up and tells me "We really should sign him up for baseball when he's older."
I can't stay mad. This child has the most angelic face. He wakes up singing and he smiles all day. When I sit him down and say things like "Daddy's hammer is baby no-no", he hugs me. I know he understands me...he's just being evasive. I am running out of locked closet space to put things in!
TRUTHFULLY, though....he has brought so much joy into our lives, I can't imagine how it was before he came to us. I know we had more stuff though........
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gravid
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posted on March 4, 2001 03:19:36 PM
Edited because free advice is worth what you pay for it.
[ edited by gravid on Mar 4, 2001 03:20 PM ]
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misscandle
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posted on March 4, 2001 03:31:50 PM
Actually, Gravid, your point is well taken. I'm going to have to reorganize and retrain these troops. I used to have such a well-run household! Time to get tough.
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tootsiepop
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posted on March 4, 2001 03:40:09 PM
misscandle - Your little WOMD reminds me of stories my MIL tells about my hubby when he was a tyke. He used to run around with a screwdriver in his diaper and regulary dis-assembled and then re-assembled the TV, radio, phone etc... Once when he was about 4 or 5 his teacher was over for a conference, and while she and his mother sat at the kitchen table discussing what a good little boy he was, he was underneath with his screwdriver and the whole table collapsed, coffee cups, cookies and all.
Anyway, she lived through it all, and he grew up to become a wonderful hubby and dad, so don't despair, you'll make it!
[ edited by tootsiepop on Mar 4, 2001 03:41 PM ]
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misscandle
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posted on March 4, 2001 03:52:19 PM
tootsiepop: That is so funny. What a scene that conjures up! Ask your hubby if I can use that in a story I'm writing. If I sell it, I'll send him a fruit basket. I'll be laughing about this all day.
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lotsafuzz
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posted on March 4, 2001 04:10:12 PM
I hope you all don't mind if I print this out to carry in my purse. Everytime I start to get a little mushy-gushy about how cute baby shoes are (and hence, tempting the gods) I can pull it out and regain my sanity!
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tootsiepop
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posted on March 4, 2001 04:12:17 PM
misscandle - He said you're more than welcome to use it, just don't mention the time he got a hold of his daddys electric shaver and scalped the cat and all of his sisters dolls. 
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krs
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posted on March 4, 2001 04:53:02 PM
bobbysoxer,
"Too bad minors aren't allowed to register with eBay so you can neg the little guy"
Could you show misscandle the courtesy of actually reading her posts before commenting?
She's talking about damage to an item which she had purchased and was damaged by her own toddling son after it's arrival. She is NOT talking about any seller or any experience with a seller at all, minor or other.
sheeesh.
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misscandle
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posted on March 4, 2001 04:59:37 PM
Actually, krs, I think that was a joke...meaning too bad my son can't register on Ebay so I can neg him there. Sigh. All the positives he'd get from the rest of the family would outweigh my neg. He's just so darn cute.
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krs
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posted on March 4, 2001 05:05:26 PM
misscandle,
OK, maybe you're right. I took it as a follow on bobbysoxer's first off-topic post to the thread, but I'm easy, as everybody knows.
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xardon
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posted on March 4, 2001 05:05:46 PM
I've learned through experience that the popular descriptive phrase "the terrible twos" is really some sort of well intentioned propaganda. Probably disseminated by the government to provide a glimmer of hope to first time parents. The threes and fours are much worse.
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misscandle
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posted on March 4, 2001 05:25:43 PM
LOL krs & xardon .
Actually, this is all probably my fault. I'm too nice. Instead of getting tough, I do subtle things like putting a copy of Mothers Who Leave on the coffee table. They use it for a coaster.
Same thing when I get mad at my husband. I bring out The Ladies Guide To Untraceable Poisons, yet he still eats what I cook.
This is a motley crew.
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bobbysoxer
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posted on March 4, 2001 05:55:54 PM
misscandle
Thank you for clarifying my statement about your little guy. In my opinion krs was trying to push my buttons as he does but fails. Amazing
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gravid
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posted on March 4, 2001 08:05:51 PM
You must have the e-mail on. Sorry I could not pull my foot back out before you saw it. Your attitude and humor are appreciated. My childless Uncle says children should be kept in a barrel and fed through the bung hole and he is one of the easy going ones in our family.
[ edited by gravid on Mar 4, 2001 08:08 PM ]
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rhondalee65
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posted on March 4, 2001 08:19:10 PM
misscandle - i can totally relate. I have a beautiful 2 year old terror! This last week, she dumped a whole bag of flour in the kitchen floor (one small incident of many, one including honey and the dogs).
She then later crawls into my lap hugs me and says "You're my best friend in the whole world, mama."
How can I possible stay mad at her after that???????
Rhonda
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lotsafuzz
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posted on March 4, 2001 08:20:36 PM
I called my mom in to read this thread....figured it would make *me* look better and give her a laugh. Her comment?
HER family uses coasters?!?! How well trained *THEY* are.
I can't win.
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misscandle
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posted on March 4, 2001 09:04:56 PM
Gravid: My humor is what gets me through the day! Your uncle sounds like a character. I'm checking barrel prices right away! LOL
Rhonda: There are those who will say we aren't watching our children. What they don't know is that young children have the power to make themselves invisible and can get past us without making a sound. They also have mastered the old decoy maneuver whereby they make a small mess and then while we're cleaning that up, they go destroy something big. It's organized baby crime. It's sophisticated. We parents haven't a prayer.
Lotsafuzz: You poor thing! Moms are great aren't they? I remember when my first baby was 2 years old. I called my Mom and said: I'm very, very sorry for any trouble I may have caused you when I was a child. Now please take this CURSE off of me! I can still hear her wicked laugh.
Goodnight all. It's 7 p.m. here in Honolulu. Time to put the little guy to bed. Then, I have to tidy up. Shouldn't take more than 5 hours!
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victoria
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posted on March 4, 2001 09:24:45 PM
Many moons ago, up to and including when my son was 7, I collected an attractive, but fairly valueless set of "chinese" china. I was on a somewhat limited income, but had managed to put together a somewhat varied set of place settings & serving pieces. I loved them, and used them whenever we had take-out.
This day in question, he was fooling around with his friend. He tipped his chair over backward and fell into my glass shelves, an etagiere?
Any way, he broke the shelf, and down it came with all of my chinese china.
After I had insured that he was not hurt, I examined my china.
He had managed to break at least one of everything. I've spent the last 14 years trying to replace them. They aren't cheap anymore, and not too common. I believe I may never find a salt shaker.
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eddiebear2
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posted on March 4, 2001 10:05:43 PM
I just had to come and post here to this thread! I can relate so well! My son is 2 years old, my husband says we should have named him demon.
Last month it rained in my kitchen. How you ask? Very, very quietly he got a chair over to the kitchen sink and discovered the sprayer attachment. Nothing and I mean nothing escaped the water! My curtains were dripping, the bread was soaked, the floor looked like a river...... The up side? My kitchen got a really good cleaning!
The big event this week? He snuck a tube of my lipstick into his room. Very pretty red pictures on the walls! And of course it was long wearing type lipstick so the paint came off the walls too when I tried to remove it.
Can't wait to see what next week brings!
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deco100
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posted on March 5, 2001 07:39:05 AM
Be thankful it's your son and you only have about 17 more years til he's grown and gone.
In my case, it's ex-hubby , who is like a bull in a china shop and he'll never grow up! Have tried bribing him to leave but that didn't work either, not even after the divorce!
Hope you all know I'm just kidding! Well, half kidding anyway.
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rhondalee65
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posted on March 5, 2001 11:00:52 AM
OMG misscandle - that's exactly what she does!! She makes a mess like that and while I'm cleaning it up, she moves on to bigger and better territory.
Thanks for the backup!
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helnjoe
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posted on March 5, 2001 12:37:26 PM
misscandle, At this point I think you are still somewhat fortunate.
I have been collecting books since I was a child (very long time ago). I had a lot of first editions and some very obscure books. I had them stored in my basement which was dry and clean. My beloved son, when he was about 16 decided he wanted to make a room for himself in the basement and the books were taking up too much room. He went and threw ALL my books in a dumpster. By the time I found out they were long gone. I have never really forgiven him for that, and I try not to think about it too often.
There are too many things worse in this life - like todays shootings - but at the moment it is hard to keep one's perspective.
Venting helps.
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