spybanker
07-05-2005, 12:21 PM
This is a sad little commentary (even though I do understand the times we live in).
The whole concept of "Backpage.com" is great, BTW.
My usually reliable computer finally had the "big one" a couple of weeks ago.
It was a nine year old Dell Dimension that never required a bit of service.
It reached the point of slowing down, getting me kicked off line every few minutes, telling me it's memory was very poor, etc.
My worry was that it would totally die on the 31st of some month, right before I was due to pay all of my bills. (Not only do I put things off until the last minute, I have no idea of how to save things I don't want to lose if my computer fails.)
I checked into the cost of new computers. Because my husband is recovering from his third neurosurgery this year, our financial situation is bordering on bleak.
I called Dell and asked if they could bill my American Express card each month until a new computer was paid for? They couldn't, but offered to run my credit to check if I might qualify for their financing. (Now, you need to know that lately my check book could win a Pulitzer prize for a work of fiction!) I told them it would take a small miracle but I let them check. I passed!
A week later I had a brand new Dell, a big flat screen, speakers, the whole nine yards (which I will probably be paying for the next few decades), and a new printer. The printer scans, prints, faxes... everything but make the coffee in the morning.
I had an HP printer that I had used only a few times. I had all of the "how to" books and print shop discs, and new, unopened ink cartridges. Dell sent me a shipping label so I could send the "old" printer back to them at no postage costs.
I decided to put it on Backpage.com. The ad ran as, "Free to Good Home:", and it's still up.
Only a couple of hours later, a gal from Imperial Beach called and told me she would pick it up that evening. Which she did.
The next day, I got an e-mail from a guy telling me he needed a printer but had no cash.
I felt bad for him because only a week earlier I was in the same position, needing a computer but having no cash.
I wrote back telling him the printer was free but had been taken.
I then told him that I understood the, "I have no cash" part of his e-mail, and I told him how I was able to get my computer financed by Dell. I even explained that because it came with free AOL, I would end up with lower monthly payments for a new computer than I would have paid monthly to AOL. Finally, I offered to send him a copy of the packing slip so he could see what he could get for the money and decide if he were interested. I also assured him that I do not work for Dell. LOL.
Next day, I got another e-mail from him. That one accused me of being "a scammer"!
Now, I do realize this guy will never meet me or know me, but it really did hurt my feelings. Not so much because he considered me a scammer, but for the feelings it reflected in general.
We don't trust each other any more.
If a family member dies or is sick, are we now worrying that the tuna casserole someone sends is laced with Saren or botchulism? You know, we probably are. Wow! That's very sad to me. I understand, but it is still very sad. Maybe, I'm just not quite ready to grow up?
Thanks for allowing me to share my thoughts with you.
The whole concept of "Backpage.com" is great, BTW.
My usually reliable computer finally had the "big one" a couple of weeks ago.
It was a nine year old Dell Dimension that never required a bit of service.
It reached the point of slowing down, getting me kicked off line every few minutes, telling me it's memory was very poor, etc.
My worry was that it would totally die on the 31st of some month, right before I was due to pay all of my bills. (Not only do I put things off until the last minute, I have no idea of how to save things I don't want to lose if my computer fails.)
I checked into the cost of new computers. Because my husband is recovering from his third neurosurgery this year, our financial situation is bordering on bleak.
I called Dell and asked if they could bill my American Express card each month until a new computer was paid for? They couldn't, but offered to run my credit to check if I might qualify for their financing. (Now, you need to know that lately my check book could win a Pulitzer prize for a work of fiction!) I told them it would take a small miracle but I let them check. I passed!
A week later I had a brand new Dell, a big flat screen, speakers, the whole nine yards (which I will probably be paying for the next few decades), and a new printer. The printer scans, prints, faxes... everything but make the coffee in the morning.
I had an HP printer that I had used only a few times. I had all of the "how to" books and print shop discs, and new, unopened ink cartridges. Dell sent me a shipping label so I could send the "old" printer back to them at no postage costs.
I decided to put it on Backpage.com. The ad ran as, "Free to Good Home:", and it's still up.
Only a couple of hours later, a gal from Imperial Beach called and told me she would pick it up that evening. Which she did.
The next day, I got an e-mail from a guy telling me he needed a printer but had no cash.
I felt bad for him because only a week earlier I was in the same position, needing a computer but having no cash.
I wrote back telling him the printer was free but had been taken.
I then told him that I understood the, "I have no cash" part of his e-mail, and I told him how I was able to get my computer financed by Dell. I even explained that because it came with free AOL, I would end up with lower monthly payments for a new computer than I would have paid monthly to AOL. Finally, I offered to send him a copy of the packing slip so he could see what he could get for the money and decide if he were interested. I also assured him that I do not work for Dell. LOL.
Next day, I got another e-mail from him. That one accused me of being "a scammer"!
Now, I do realize this guy will never meet me or know me, but it really did hurt my feelings. Not so much because he considered me a scammer, but for the feelings it reflected in general.
We don't trust each other any more.
If a family member dies or is sick, are we now worrying that the tuna casserole someone sends is laced with Saren or botchulism? You know, we probably are. Wow! That's very sad to me. I understand, but it is still very sad. Maybe, I'm just not quite ready to grow up?
Thanks for allowing me to share my thoughts with you.