Did you ever have one of those days? I dragged myself out of bed this morning. I didn’t sleep well, even though I took one of my over-the-counter sleeping pills. Eric doesn’t even bother taking them, because he says they don’t help. He doesn’t sleep much at all.
I had a pretty uneventful morning at work. I checked the UPS tracking number for the letter and saw that it was delivered at 8:50am and signed for by “Eric.” I couldn’t believe how fast the information was available online. It wasn’t even 10:00am! I called Eric. He sounded terrible. He said he called the RV guy and told him to be here at 5:30pm. He wanted me to be here, so I could take care of all the signing and copying. He just didn’t feel up to handling it all himself.
I asked him for the guy’s number, because I wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to flake out again. I called him and he answered. I spoke from the heart. I told him that Eric wasn’t well and that was part of the reason why we were selling the RV. I didn’t go into any detail, but I told him that I needed confirmation from him that he was really coming tonight, with cash, and would be there at 5:30pm. He assured me that he would. He was very sweet and said he felt bad and didn’t realize we were having troubles.
I told him it would be fine, as long as he was there at 5:30pm with the cash and ready to take the RV. I explained about the Bill of Sale, the Lien Release and the Title and told him we’d each get signed copies. He said that was great.
I felt a little better, because the letter had arrived, but I was still very worried about this guy. I just couldn’t believe after all this time that he was finally going to show. The truth is, he DID show up the first time he said he’d come – when he came to look at the vehicle, and Eric said he seemed like a nice guy, but I was still worried.
I worked really hard in HR all afternoon. I had 83 resumes to print and process. I only got through about 30. It’s just a very slow process and I can’t get ahead, because they keep coming in and I’m only there 4 hours a day.
I asked Elsa to leave a few minutes early, so I could get home in time to get all the papers together. I am happy to report that my paycheck was in the mail today, and Eric got his check from the union the other day, so whatever the problem was with our mail last week, it looks like it’s okay – at least this week!
I got everything in order and was going through my mail when Eric’s phone rang. I figured it was RV guy, letting us know he was outside. Unfortunately, it was some other guy, calling for RV guy. He spoke to Eric for a few minutes, and Eric seemed confused and was making faces, like the guy was saying something weird. I said, “Give me the phone.” He was happy to hand it to me. I said hello and asked who it was.
He proceeded to introduce himself and tell me that he was the guy who was really buying the RV. RV guy was buying it from us and, I guess, selling it to this guy. He said that RV guy asked him to deal with us directly. He started giving me some story about how he wanted the RV, but he couldn’t come until Wednesday – and he’d be bringing a cashier’s check.
I told him quickly, and in no uncertain terms, that the deal was off. I said we were selling to RV guy – not to him – and that RV guy had strung us along and flaked out too many times. The deal was off! I told him that there was someone in our apartment complex who was interested in the RV and that we were going to sell it to him.
I told him I was very sorry and hung up very quickly. A few minutes later the phone rang. It was RV guy. I said, “Listen. I spoke to you today. You promised me that you’d be here with the cash at 5:30pm. I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but we’re no longer interested in selling to you. You delayed this day after day after day and we’re selling to someone else." Again, I said I was very sorry, and hung up quickly.
He called back. I told him that we were not interested in talking to him and not to call anymore. I didn’t yell. I was polite, but firm.
He called back. He begged me to listen. He told me he was leaving right now and was bringing the cash. Is this man crazy? Why do we get the loonies? I’m asking you! I just said, “Sorry,” and hung up.
After that, when he called back, I just opened the phone and closed it again, so he couldn’t even get Eric’s voicemail. He finally stopped.
A few minutes later the phone rang. It was RV guy’s son, who had come down to see the RV with his father. Eric answered and said we couldn’t talk to them anymore and hung up.
A few minutes later the phone rang. We didn’t know the number so I answered. It was a guy who said he was interested in the RV. Coincidentally, he called 5 minutes after this whole thing happened – a week after the ad closed (it was only up for 7 days). He claimed he emailed me last week, but never heard back. I asked him his name. I saved every single email I got in reference to the RV ad on CRAIGS LIST and he never emailed me. I had a feeling it was a friend of RV guy, calling to see what I’d say about the RV, because I told RV guy that we had another buyer.
I told him the RV was no longer available. I apologized and hung up. A few minutes later Lee called again. Now, I knew I was right. That was no buyer – it was just a friend of RV guy.
I’m a little nervous, because this guy knows where we live, but he doesn’t know which apartment we live in and our name isn’t on the mailbox or anything. Also, his son lives 2 hours away in Ontario, California, and he actually lives in Seattle (at least that's what he told Eric!). I guess we’ll never know what he was up to, and what he was trying to pull, but it was just our bad luck that the first guy who called was an idiot.
I immediately emailed 5 other people who had responded to our ad. I just have to pray that one of them wants the RV and we can sell it before the 16th, when Eric leaves. As long as they see it and talk to Eric, I can handle the sale (it’s actually in my name). I just wouldn’t be able to show it, because I don’t know much about it at all. That’s Eric’s department.
Anyway, as you can imagine, we were both pretty upset by this whole incident. I tried to make Eric feel better, but it wasn’t easy. I told him my friend had his sister’s funeral today and that I’d rather be dealing with RV crap than burying a relative. He knows it’s true, and I could see it sink in that this really wasn’t that bad.
I told him I’d take the RV, drive down to Mission Bay and push the thing into the bay before I’d let it upset me. I told him that he’s all that matters, and that I’d lose everything in a fire, or theft, or hurricane, or tornado, and it wouldn’t matter – as long as I had him.
I think that made him feel better. To make ME feel better, he made me my favorite comfort food – grilled cheese. He makes really good grilled cheese and it was delicious! He makes it very buttery (although we use the “fake” butter that’s supposed to actually be good for you!)
We watched junk TV – Deal or No Deal, Two ½ Men, Family Guy, etc. PRISON BREAK is on, but I haven’t watched the first 2-hour episode yet, and Eric’s not interested in that show (I love it, but he doesn’t like it!).
So, we’re back to square one with the RV. The only good news is that we have the proper documentation for the Lien Release, so there should be no problem with that – although our lives seem to be revolving around “Murphy’s Law” these days. Anything that can possibly go wrong will go wrong.
Eric’s been fine all night. He’s always better at night when I’m here with him. He says over and over that I’m the only thing that keeps him going. The days here are very hard for him, because he’s pretty much stuck in the apartment and he’s all by himself.
I told him that worries me, because what’s going to happen when I’m here and he’s in NY? I told him I’ll still be here for him, but that HE has to keep him going. I told him that we can talk on the phone, but he has to be able to get out of bed and do things when I’m not around. It’s really hard for him. He has to push himself to do anything during the day. When I’m home he just perks up.
I am hoping that his sister will be able to motivate him. She said he’s going to have to look for work, and she has a list of things that need to be done around the house. I told her she has to keep him busy with work and errands, because he actually likes to keep busy, and that she should get him to do things for her, because she can use the help.
The shipping company is picking up Eric’s things on Wednesday and then he’ll be hanging around with nothing much until next Tuesday, when he flies to NY. I know this last week is going to be very hard on him, because he’s really not going to have anything to do. He packed his last bicycle today, so he can’t even ride (not that he does that much anyway these days).
This is definitely the hardest thing we’ve ever been through. I’m trying to stay optimistic, positive, and keep the faith, but it’s so hard. I feel like I have to do it for the both of us. It’s a big job, but I still think I’m up for it!