Yeah I know. Get an LJ. Weak rant. I’ve heard it, and if you pile on here I’ll just ignore you. 
So.
I want to buy a tent. I had one all picked out – it was big and pretty and had everything I wanted, pretty much, including an acceptable pricetag. It did not have poles (this is a canvas tent for SCA people; the tent poles are not exactly bendy plastic or aluminum and nobody really wants to send 8 foot poles through the mail except people who want to charge you huge amounts of money and ANYWAY I DIGRESS) but I had someone who could help me deal with that. I was set. I was even considering using it Memorial Day weekend.
My finger was hovering over the Buy button when an email went out over the local list: someone was selling THEIR tent. It’s a nice one, a really nice one, with only a year’s worth of wear (which, while SCAdians seem to camp at the drop of a hat, is not much for the quality of tent they get). It’s made by a very very reputable company, it’s attractive, it does not look like ass, and it’s probably big enough to hold me and all my stuff and a freaking queen size bed if I ever get crazy enough to put one in. It was also going for much less than the usual asking price ($400 including all poles, ropes, and stakes versus about $700 at the moment for the same deal on an unused tent).
I asked a lot of questions which were answered promptly. I slept on it until Friday morning when I dropped the email: yes! I am interested! I would like to give you a check. If possible, I’d like to pay half now, half next week, and if you want to hold onto the tent in the interim that’s cool but I kind of wanted to use it for Memorial Day weekend. I asked if this was possible while understanding that if it wasn’t, hey, that’s reasonable.
No answer. No answer Friday. None Saturday. None Sunday.
Monday, the owner IMs me accidentally through my Gmail. We clear up the mistaken identity but I say “Hey, um, incidentally, about that tent?”
Her: “Well, there’s some other people interested in it.”
I think: but I told you I wanted it. I tried to work out payment arrangements but you never answered. Heck, I probably could have put together the whole four hundred bucks, it was just going to be a bit of a hassle.
Me: “Okay. I still want to buy it, though. Can I pay you half up front as a down payment? You can hold onto the tent.”
Her: “Well, I have someone coming down tonight to look at it, but I don’t want to rush you.”
I think: how is this not rushing me? After you kept saying “I’m not in a hurry to sell” all Thursday, I thought… uh… you weren’t in a hurry to sell.
Me: “I can’t come by this evening, I have plans. I’d like to drop a check for half with you tomorrow, but obviously if you sell it tonight I won’t be doing that. Can you let me know?”
Her: “Sure. I’ll update you tomorrow. I should be home from work around 4.”
I think: But I know you’re able to discuss this at work since you’re… at work… and you’re discussing it. And you thought I was a coworker when you originally IM’d me, so I know you communicate through Google Chat on a professional basis. And I know you’re there because I can see the little green ball next to your name. Why can’t you just email me in the morning? At lunch?
Me: “Okay, that works. I just really need to know before I leave work, and that’s at 5 pm.”
Her: “Okay!”
Today comes. No email, no email, no email. Four o’clock rolls around, nothing.
Four-thirty.
Me: “Hey, are you there?”
Her: “I’m here but busy at work, one sec.”
Me: “Ok…”
Time passes.
Me: “I’m just about to leave work myself…”
Time passes. It’s time for me to go home in 5 minutes.
Me: “I need to leave and it’s an hour’s drive home. I need an answer. Is there any way we can meet up or touch base?”
Nothing.
Still nothing.
It’s 20 minutes later and I’m still sitting at work and she’s gone idle.
Look. If you want to sell the tent for more money, tell me, but you aren’t getting it from me. If someone else has offered you more money, fine, take it, but TELL ME. If you don’t want to do the half-down, half in another week deal, fine, but TELL ME. If you can’t contact me from work, fine, even if you have, but contact me from home! It’s a freaking Gmail account and I know you have home email access. If you’ve already sold the tent, fine, but TELL ME. Don’t leave me hanging for days while I GUESS what you want.
I wouldn’t even be still pursuing this if it wasn’t such a good deal – and she knows how good a deal it is, so it’s not like we’re dealing dishonestly. I understand that people are busy, that this is not the most important thing, but it looks like she’s gone home for the day without actually bothering to say “Hey, it’s available” or “Hey, it’s not available” or “Hey, I’ll give you a call in half an hour, what’s your number?” or even “Fuck off and stop talking to me!” I don’t doubt that she’s had other offers, but she could do me the honor of being honest and forthright.
I’m waiting until 5:30 and then I’m emailing her my phone number. I’ll have my phone on me and she can give me a call when-the-heck-ever. But if I don’t have an answer of any kind by lunchtime tomorrow (again, if this wasn’t such a good deal I wouldn’t even bother) I’m calling it a wash.
