Friday, April 18, 2008

Doorstep Surprises


So last Monday I come home to find several brown boxes on my doorstep. What was inside these boxes you ask?? (sorry for the repeat story for most of you) The day before this man named Al stops by our house. He explains to us that he and his wife were going to buy our house, that they had picked everything out. But at the last minute they backed out, for what ever reason?? Who knows. But they had already paid for custom blinds, and they'd been delivered to them. He wanted to sell them to us for a smok'in deal. Shawn said ok we will talk about it, and get back to you. The next day, Monday, he and his wife come by, this time she is in charge. She comes right in my house, and starts to explain the situation, again. She says they will take whatever we have to offer. She then takes me outside to their truck and pulls one out to show me, putting her hand out to it like Vanna White (is that her name?) pulling on the strings, and the husband then pulls out the receipt to show me that they paid $2600 for them and again they will take whatever I have, a few hundred dollars, whatever. I kept telling them that we were saving for the landscaping, we don't have extra money, we weren't planning on buying blinds for awhile. (I'd rather be totally exposed to the world and have my yard done, then have some privacy.) I suggested that they try another house, after all this a track, plenty more houses just like mine. She then tells me that they thought about giving them to Salvation Army or something, but they would be worthless to them because they are custom, now she just wants to give them to me. But I told her I need to talk to my husband, that's very generous, but I am not sure how I feel about it. So then they leave, the husband is not happy. And I come home a couple hours later to find that they had left all of them on my doorstep. Weird part is that they left the receipt at the neighbors house, as if that was the most valuable thing? So what do I do...I feel totally sick, if you know me I have major guilt about everything. I mean I don't have the money to give them, I don't even love them, and would definitely not have picked them out myself. But on the other hand I do need blinds. So was this a gift or a manipulated gift, still hoping for money? A week later they haven't stopped by again to ask for money. So maybe it was just a generous gift. How crazy is that? I've never been given a $2600 gift by a complete stranger before. What would you do? What is the right thing to do? It's taken me a week (okay two weeks) to feel comfortable enough to put them up. I just wanted to see what they look like. It's so dark in my house now, Shawn loves it, he keeps closing all the blinds. And I keep following behind him opening them up, I love the sunshine. However, I am grateful, it is great to close the blinds at night so everyone can't peek in and snoop.
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2 comments:

Burk Family said...

Hmmm...that's a hard one. PTTTTTTTTHHHHHHH. Keep the dadgum blinds and stop feelint guilty! The people were going to give them to Salvation Army. I guarantee they won't show up for money. They probably just decided that if you didn't use them you could give them away or use them to roast some hotdogs on in your backyard. As far as I'm concerned they were a gift and they can write that off on their taxes.

nikki said...

Oh the drama! I agree that you should enjoy the blinds and that they're likely not looking for any compensation. But I would also be feeling the guilt just like you - so I totally understand! I too feel guilty about everything!!

I like how Shawn closes the blinds and you open them! It's the same in my house - I am forever opening them up!