When you are standing in the middle of a plaza outside the Pantheon in Rome, you don't think about the reality of things. Like when you see an artist selling his/her wares--and there are a lot of them--and something about a particular painting catches your eye. You don't really think about the size of things, or the framing of things. You just think about the moment, and your desire to capture it, bottle it, never let it escape your memory. You even go so far as to roll it up in the form of a canvas that measures 53X41. You make a connection (so you think) with the artists daughter, taking it one step further by snapping her picture. You carefully carry the canvas back to the States, where it sits in your office for several months before you decide to see how much it costs to frame it. You begin to feel uncertain and less enthusiastic about your purchase, when you begin to hear how much it costs to frame the artwork.
And then it sits in your office for several more months, in hopes that the waiting period brings down the price of framing, which it doesn't. You feel excited when you find a 60% off coupon for an arts and crafts store, and less enthusiastic (yet again) when the discount price is still almost three times the cost of the artwork. The item goes back into your office until you realize that it's almost been a year since you were in Italy. You resolve that it is going to be costly to frame the artwork and that you have to get it done. You try one more frame shop in hopes that since it has the word "artists" in the name it will be less expensive. It's not. But, you find a discontinued frame that actually works well, which takes the sting out of everything. One week later, the artwork is finally ready to be hung.
And then you begin to wonder where a painting, while so beautiful yet so large, will work in your small home. You grapple with putting it in the front room (the foyer), but it really should be the focal point of the room. You ponder over the dining room, but again, the size dictates everything. And then you realize it's really supposed to go into the 24X26 room addition you built seven years ago. That's where it belongs. But there are no walls left. Well, there's one wall left but in front of it stands the entertainment center/armoire you bought when the addition was completed. It's three pieces, and while it once was home to your television, it now has become a dresser for the many games, videos, and DVDs you have collected over the years. You resolve to put the item on Craigslist to see if it can be sold. And then it happens.
You get two positive responses, inquiring if the unit it still available. You get excited, maybe even a little giddy. You tell both of the interested parties via email that, "yes, the item is still available," and, "yes it is in very good condition." You offer them the opportunity to look at the item, and send off your phone number.
Your typical interaction with selling items on the site dictates that people usually call right away, ask for your address, come and look, and buy or move on. You don't hear anything from either of the prospects. You go to bed, hopeful that something will happen quickly. And it does, kind of.
You wake up to a new email from one of the buyers. It says:
Hi,THank you for the prompt response.If it will be okay with you i'll like you to take the ad off craigslist.I'll add $20 for your troubles.Also i want to notify you that i'll be making payment via a cashier's check.If you have no problem with this arrangement, i'll need your info to facilitate the mailing of the cashier's check i.e1.Your full name2.Your mailing address be it residential or postal address3.Your phone number.I will have my mover come over as soon as the check clears for inspection and shipment.Have a great day .
You think, "hmmm...something doesn't seem right here." But you consider responding later in the day, hopeful the other person will call. Within an hour, another email arrives. This time from the other "buyer":
Hello,Thanks for your prompt responds, However, i will need your name and address for payment,As am only able to make payment by money order at this time b/c i am away on assignment. It will be nice if you can send me more pictures. It will take about 7days for payment to get to you.As per pick-up, I will make arrangement for the pick-up after payment has been received by you. I don't mind adding thirty dollars so you can keep it in my favor.Please take the posting off Craigslist today and consider it sold to me, Include your phone number.Expecting to hear from you soon. Regards Adams Levine.
You Google the emails, word for word, and find that they are, indeed, scams. You begin to not feel as bad when you have previously jokingly declared that you "do not like people."
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