Good, honest people

[robsbessette]

Figured I'd share this story since it has a happy ending and is a testament to the good, honest people out there. A long story, but a good one...

On the post war side I saw a couple cards for sale by Johnny630. I haven't dealt with Johnny in the past, but it's quite easy to tell that he's reputable based off his previous posts and interactions. He had two lots posted, so I made an offer on both, and he accepted. Off to a good start.

Nearly all my dealings on Net54 are through PayPal, but Johnny requested MO or check (totally fine). We swapped info and I cut him a check. I sent the check the next day, Johnny received, waited for it to clear, then sent the package.

A week goes by and no package. Uh oh. USPS is at it again. Ok, I'll give it a little longer.

Another couple days go by and still no package. So I decide to reach out to Johnny and ask about the package. He says the tracking number confirms that it has been delivered and forwards me the info. I check it out and it does say delivered, but to the wrong address - To an apartment complex I lived at 10 years ago!

In our PM exchanges I gave him my current address, but when he received my payment, he used the address printed on the check. Now I suppose I should have crossed out my old address or just thrown those checks out. I still have the same bank account and for some god forsaken reason I ordered about 500 checks at an extremely discounted rate when I lived there and have been trying to use them up ever since.

So all this comes to fruition about 3-4 weeks after we made our deal. I contacted the mail room at the apartment complex and they said they didn't have it. I was hoping that it would get returned to the sender. So we give it another couple weeks. No luck.

Then detective Johnny goes to work and calls the mail center, get's the current residents phone number, and gets to the bottom of everything. Way above and beyond the call of duty. Turns out that another Rob lives in the same apartment and....

HE HAS MY PACKAGE!

I then found out that he even tried to deliver my package to my house (30 mins away). One night while I was still at work and my wife was bathing our 3 and 5 year old boys there was a ring at the door and my wife didn't answer. She wasn't expecting anyone and was occupied with the boys, so she figured it was someone trying to sell us a new cable package or something.

I finally got the chance to call Rob and arranged a meeting to pick up the cards. He apologized that they had been opened, but it was clear that they hadn't been tampered with. He actually said his wife opened them and they got into an argument over her opening his mail! Hahah.

After a month and a half of trying to figure this out we finally got to the bottom of it. Good, honest people are out there and it's a nice to witness it first hand. Rob could have easily taken the cards and made a quick buck. Johnny could have easily said "not my problem" and walked away (I should also mentioned he offered to refund me in full or give me cards of equal value - very generous on him).

I think the blame lies on both of us a little. I sent him my right mailing address in the PM, but I sent him the wrong one on my old check. We both admitted fault, but he really stepped up. Sometimes we have our guards up so much in this hobby and feel like everyone is out to get you, but when everyone is civil and works together, great things happen!