There is a reason they call it “Going Postal…” observations on eBay, selling used junk, and postal workers.

Kalilea said in her comment on the post- Going Postal with Vintage Black Cinema Stamps!

” I actually read this before I ran errands today. One of the things I had to do was stop by the post office. When I asked about them, I got a funny look and decided not to push the issue since I’m very wary of postal clerks.”

Hi Kalilea-

Right you are to be wary of your local postal workers… there is good reason people say “going postal” with an air of wariness and while looking over their shoulder. Let me relate a little true story to you to illustrate…

After you do eBay for a couple of years you get to know your local postal clerks. About 3 months ago I was in a thrift store buying videos for my kids. There browsing the vhs tapes with me is none other then “Bill” a local postal clerk I see almost everyday.

Bill says to me, “how’s eBay?”

I reply, “pretty good.”

Bill then proceeds to tell me about his recent garage sale and how he had a clothes washer for sale.
A guy pulls up and makes him an offer on it- but Bill thinks it is too low.
Bill soundly turns the potential buyer down, but no one else even looks at the washer! At the end of the day Bill has to take the washer down to the curbside for pick up.

Flash forward to the middle of the night- Bill hears a noise and gets up thinking there is a burglar. Instead it turns out to be the guy trying to remove the washer. However, when he sees Bill he takes off (I think he knew Bill was a postal worker.)

At this point in the story- I am thinking, “if you put something at the curb- in my mind it’s fair game and free”- not that I go snatching things from curbs.

Anyway Bill says to me- “after he left I went out there with a sledge hammer and started smashing that {insert curse word here- that starts with “G”} washer up…”

So Bill the crazy postal clerk is up in the middle of the night smashing an old washer with a sledge hammer! Which by the way he will have to pay to haul off, all because he wouldn’t take the guys offer. Furthermore- if you have ever handled a sledge hammer you will know they are heavy and I imagine it was hard work for Bill to smash a washer in the middle of the night!

Now there are a couple morals to this story-

1) Don’t ever mess with a postal worker! They know how to handle sledgehammers…

2) The market value of an item is what someone is willing to pay you for it.

Not what you think it’s worth, not what a guide says it’s worth, not even what “Bill” says it’s worth. Bill would never make it on eBay- the market value of anything is what someone wants to pay, this particularly applies to eBay.

3) Bill is a great postal worker and I would miss seeing him around, but if I ever heard he was in the paper for “going postal” I would believe it.

Thank you for your comment and I recommend you continue to exercise caution at the post office;

Michelle

PS – No postal workers were actually harmed by this post. They probably will print this out and pass it around tomorrow on break and get a good laugh at it and then “Bill” will get out his sledge hammer and well have you ever read “the Shining?”