Some Days You Just Can't Get Rid of a Fish Tank

I'm moving from York County, Virginia to Cheyenne, Wyoming. I have two 10-gallon fish tanks and two 2.5 gallon fish tanks, and various paraphenalia.

I tried to sell them on Craigslist, got no takers. So I decided to repost in the Free section, just giving them away. Got four responses, and so confident was I that one of those four would take these tanks that I removed the ad from Craigslist to forestall further contact.

Now, perhaps I handled it stupidly myself. Each time I got a response after the first one, I said, "There's someone in front of you, but if they change their minds, they're yours."

In hindsight, I realize I shouldn't have even answered the ads, except the first one of course. Then, if that person changed their mind, I'd just call up the next person like they were my first choice.

But, no, what I did was tell each person, "You're next on the list."

I don't know if that had anything to do with the outcome...

So, the first person emailed me, and just asked, "Are they still available" without giving a phone number.

So I emailed them back immediately [my computer is set up to alert me when I get an email, and I responded to this one ten seconds or so after receiving it] and said, "Yes, they're available, I live in such-and-such a housing development, and you have to come pick them up. If you still want them, I'll give you my address. Just give a time when you'll be here."

I then got a second response, one that included a phone number. But I emailed them and said they were second in line. When I got a third response, also including a phone number, I emailed them too, and same with the fourth. Again, at the time I thought I was being open and above board and communicating well, but I realize now that I should have just waited to see how things played out.

After receiving the 4th response from the ad, I decided to remove the ad from Craigslist, since I so confidently thought that it had served its purpose.

So, the first person didn't get back to me for 24 hours. No email saying they'd changed their mind, no email of any kind.

So the next morning I called up the second person, and asked if he still wanted the fish tanks. He said, "Yes." I said, "when do you want to come get them?" He said, "Tomorrow after 5, because I work til 5." I said, "How about 6?" He said, "Okay," and asked for directions. I gave them to him. I also then emailed him with my cell phone number, and reiterated the house address.

I then emailed the first person and told them since I hadn't heard back from them, I was giving the tanks to the next person in line.

Now, today, 6 pm, the second guy doesn't show up. I find this annoying, but I know that I'm punctual and most people aren't. At 7 pm, I call the guy. I tell him my name, start to say, "You were supposed to be here at 6..." in a friendly tone, not an angry tone, but... he hangs up on me!

Now that's just rude, and I don't understsand it. I had not been rude the previous day. I had given him instructions to get to my house, he lived in Newport News so he was only 10 minutes away, and I said, "Also you can put in the addresses on the computer and get driving directions that way." Did he find that offensive? Did he think, "Well, gee, if she thinks she has to tell me about Yahoo driving directions she must think I'm a real idiot, so she can keep her $50 worth of fish tanks!

And if so, why not email me and say he'd changed his mind? Why wait and do nothing. Did he think that I, expecting him to come at 6 pm, would do nothing if he didn't show up? Express no concern that he'd been involved in a car accident or something on the way to my house? All of which he could have forestalled with an email? But no. No contact, and when I call him and START to ask, cheerfully, about what had gone wrong, he hangs up on me!

I mean, admittedly I'm bad at judging people's ages, but this did not sound like some young punk kid in his 20s who'd never been taught manners. He sounded like he was in his 30s. Well, he'd still never been taught manners, apparently. Or common sense.

So, third person on the list. I called him, and he'd only needed one tank, anyway, and had bought one yesterday since I'd told him he was third in line. So, no good there.

Finally, I emailed the fourth person, asking her if she wanted the tanks, and saying, "The three people in front of you have all changed their minds for some reason. If you don't want them, into the garbage they go!"

And I gave her my phone number and asked her to call me.

Now, in my ad I had clearly staged that I lived in York County. Thats about a 40 minute drive away from Virginia Beach. The woman I emailed, emailed me back (instead of phoning me as I requested) immediately, and said she lived in Virginia Beach.

Now, she's getting free tanks, so I would think she should drive over to me. But so anxious am I to get rid of these without just throwing them into the garbage, that I said I would drive to Virginia Beach, and we could meet at the Aquarium there (Since I dont' think people want strangers coming to their house - unless they're moving, as I am).

Finally got another email from her, confirming that she'd meet me at the Aquarium. I specifically asked for her cell this time (she's got a blackberry, with which she'd been emailing me) so that once I get to the Aquarium, I can call her and make sure she's there.

So, 1 pm.

If she blows me off for some reason, into the garbage goes $50 worth of fish tanks.