Thanks for the blog fodder.

What follows is a recent email exchange in response to my Craigslist ad. This is typical of the mentality and writing skills of the local CL users. Comments in italics are my asides. As you'll see at the end, I felt it in my best interests to save this exchange for my own protection. And to share with you, gentle readers, whoever you may be.

Tue, Aug 3, 8:03 pm
Buyer: if still available and can be picked up wed eve after 5pm please call xxx-xxx-xxxx thanks

* Cool. I just love getting emails like this. Probably thumbed on a tiny phone keyboard. I'm not calling until I have a better sense of the kind of person I'm dealing with, and right now, first impression is not good. I sure don't want my number stored on a nutjob's phone.

Tue, Aug 3, 9:10 pm
Me: Yes, it's still available and can be picked up most any time.

Wed, Aug 4, 5:47 pm
Buyer: R u available thurs eve?
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

* Yup, as I thought...fancy phone in the hands of an idiot. Isn't that damn thing on your person at all times? Why a full day for the next contact? Wednesday came and went and now you want Thursday.

Wed, Aug 4, 6:26 pm
Me: Yes I can be.

Wed, Aug 4, 6:37 pm
Buyer: I am coming from xxxx, it would be after 4, does the [item] break down or do u have measurements. Thx
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

* Wow. A reply in just a few minutes.

Wed, Aug 4, 8:35 pm
Me: The measurements are in the ad. The [item] is 2 separate pieces, but that's as far as it breaks down.

* Most any other time I would have given the measurements as a convenience for the buyer. In this case, the immature texts didn't deserve a detailed reply.

Fri, Aug 6, 2:40 pm
Buyer: I'd like to try to arrange a time to view/pick up for sat, avail?
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

* 2 days until the next contact??? No, I don't consider this a serious inquiry, and no longer feel the need to be accommodating.

Fri, Aug 6, 3:49 pm
Me: No, sorry, Sat isn't good. Sunday or any day after that. Please make up your mind. You've changed it every day. I'm not giving out my address or phone until I have a firm commitment from you on when you are going to come and get it. Get back to me when you know for sure. I check my email several times a day. I would think the fact that you're sending from a Blackberry means you do, too. No reason I should have to wait 24 hrs to get a response from you.

* Yeah, I'm getting a little annoyed.

Fri, Aug 6, 3:52 pm
Buyer: Look you don't have to rude, I work crazy long hours and things change min to min, my patients are more important than a [item]! Besides you expect someone to travel 1+ hours to you and you refuse to meet! Get over your self!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

* Here we go. And looky there...caps and punctuation. Meeting wasn't mentioned in this exchange. This reminded me that this person had contacted me before and in the same manner.

Fri, Aug 6, 5:16 pm
Me: Hey I tried real hard not to be rude. I could've been a lot ruder. You're pretty damn rude yourself for assuming everyone should bow to your last minute decisions. I told you why I couldn't meet. It won't fit in my car. No problem if you don't want it. Hope you find what you're looking for elsewhere.

Fri, Aug 6, 5:36 pm
Buyer: Like I said my patients are more important, I wasn't rude, I didn't expect you to bow, but labor knows no bounds, you can shove the [item], if you contact me again I will file harassment!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

* Really. Now you're giving me grins, lady.

Fri, Aug 6, 6:19 pm
Me: Wow, you can write a complete sentence! Maybe if your other emails were written like an adult instead of like a texting kid, I might have given you the benefit of the doubt. Keep that in mind the next time you try to conduct business via your fancy little phone. Not really worried about a harassment charge. I have this entire exchange saved. You contacted me first, you went off on me first, and you've been wasting my time for several days.

Fri, Aug 6, 6:26 pm
Buyer: You contact me via your fancy phone too and was rude first, and texting is short and sweet dumb fuck!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

* Ah...there it is...the CL mentality.

I considered taking this further as I was enjoying getting her blood pressure up. I wanted to tell her that my not-so-fancy phone isn't text-friendly, and I was typing on a big fancy computer keyboard with all of my fingers. Among other things. I decided to let it go. I'm sure she felt very satisfied for having the last word (notice her "intelligent" very last word), and maybe I made her ragtime a little better.

Right after this exchange, I removed the item from that bigger city's list and moved it back to my own. I had posted farther due to a lack of sincere response in my area. The very day it went up again, it was flagged and deleted. Gee, I wonder who the flagger was?

Since then I've been amusing myself with the daily CL drama. Hate to admit it's one of my "must check" sites every time I go online. Ads go up, ads come down, and it's fun to see which and how fast. The occasional jab at the flaggers that you have to catch before it's deleted. I've yet to see a response from the flaggers themselves. Maybe they did post some. There have been a few pro-flagger posts that looked a lot like this buyer's last send. They mostly cower under their Almighty Flag. You don't need reality TV to see the dregs of society. It's all right there in your friendly neighborhood Craigslist.