Don't Trust A Dead Man

For those who read this and don't know it, my late father was a model train guy. It was one of his interests, and like most things in which he developed an interest, he spent a good deal of money on developing it. Upon his death, and Mom's moving, I inherited the train stuff. Mind you, I like model trains, but not to the extent that I would ever give my house over to it, even if I did have the approval of the Mrs. to set everything up in any available space. This is why I have been selling off the G-scale items on eBay™ recently. With only one or two mistakes of identifying things, I have had no problems with finding new homes for it, as Dad did pass on a few explanations of what he had accumulated. In fact, I generally accepted that his stuff was what it was, and ignored my ignorance of the hobby.

That was fine until today.

I was checking the eBay™ account as I usually do at least fifty times a day, and I found I had a message. A message from a buyer. A buyer of one of Dad's trains, one that had been shipped last week. It seems there was damage to the train, damage of which I was not aware. Damage which devalues things a bit. Damage which might require a full refund. This is a sad situation. I can't sell something as new or nearly new if I have to open it, but I can't sell something as new if it is damaged, even if the damage is hidden.

I have a rule when I sell things on eBay™ or at yard sales. If it doesn't work, I say so and sell it cheap. If it does work, I say so and ask a fair price. The only things I have ever sold that I neglected to mention the possibility of malfunctions are a few automobiles I have traded in to get different cars in the past. I suppose this is karma.

Thanks, Earl, and thanks, Dad.