Seller Beware

So, I’ve been advertising this extra kitchen cart we have on craigslist. Anyone interested? Perhaps you there, with that butchers block, and handful of kitchen utensils with nowhere to go?

Our story begins when I got this response to the ad from Sarya yesterday:

“is this item still available? I can pick up tomorrow”

My follow up: “Hi Sayra, yes it's still available though there are several interested people. What time would you like to come tomorrow?”

Sarya: “does 5.30pm work for you??”

My reply, which makes clear that any commitment from her effects my own time and schedule: Yes, that works, but it can't be too much later than that because I'll need to leave the house around 6:30, at the latest.

Here's the address:

5000 Percival Street, 1st floor, Dorchester

Phone: 617.555.2009

If you can't make it or encounter a problem, please give me a call. I don't mind rescheduling for another time. And just as a reminder, I'm only interested in a cash sale.

Curiously, I didn’t receive a response to the last detailed email, so I issued a checkup on our date this morning:

"Hi Sayra, just confirming our meeting at 5:30?”

And her prompt confirmation: “yes, i'll be there”

Ok, great, someone that says they can do something and hopefully follow through with it. Because as we know, making a commitment that involves other peoples time and effort… well, I won’t go there, I’ll assume the best in people.

5:30 comes. And goes.

5:45

6:00

6:30

Did she show you ask? No. Better yet, did I receive a simple courtesy call? No, of course not. Because relations over the internet means never having to say you're sorry. People are suddenly just text on a screen. These are the joys of dealing with internet anonymity and its corresponding accountability void.

The lack of punctuation and capitalization should have been the tip-off to me that this selfish person isn’t too concerned with formalities, written or scheduled.