Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Highchair Debacle of 2009

I waited a long time to order a highchair for Bub. I waited a little too long, really. But I finally did it. And then it never came. I started to wonder where it was.
.
I checked my order online, and realized that it had been sent to my old apartment address. Target still had the old address in their system, and I hadn't noticed.
.
I realized I could track the order through UPS, and I found out that the highchair had been signed for by my old next door neighbor, an elderly woman.
.
I looked her up in the phone book, and gave her a call.
The conversation went something like this:
.
Me: Hello? Irene?
.
Irene: Hello?
.
Me: Hi! I used to live across the hall from you, and I recently accidentally sent a highchair to my old address and I think you signed for it...
.
Irene: *grumbling* I can't hear you.
.
Me: I SENT A HIGHCHAIR TO THE WRONG ADDRESS AND I THINK YOU SIGNED FOR IT?
.
Irene: What?
.
Me: DID YOU SIGN FOR A HIGHCHAIR?
.
Irene: Oh, yes. I signed for a highchair.
.
Me: DO YOU STILL HAVE IT?
.
Irene: No, I gave it to the man across the hall. It was a highchair.
..
Me: YES. IT WAS MY HIGHCHAIR. I SENT IT TO THE WRONG ADDRESS.
.
Irene: Well, I thought it was strange, since he's just a single guy. And he doesn't have a woman living there. He did look sort of puzzled when I gave it to him.
.
Me: DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW HIS LAST NAME?
.
Irene: No, I don't.
.
Me: Hmmm...
.
Irene: I could leave a note on his door for you. What should I write?
.
So that is what we did. My old neighbor very kindly left a note on the highchair holder's door. I left him my phone number and waited for a call.
.
But five days went by, and no one called. I fully expected to hear from him. I believe that most people would do the right thing and try to return the highchair to its rightful owner. But after five days, I was no longer believing in the goodness of other people. What did he want with the highchair, anyway? Did he know someone he wanted to give it to? Was he going to try to sell it? Did he throw it in the dumpster?
.
Keep in mind, Bub was still having to eat his meals in this:
.
Which is fine. For now. Except he's outgrowing it.
.
Anyway, five days later, I decided to try to track down the highchair. I loaded up Bub and we went to my old apartment building. We went to my old apartment and knocked. And knocked. And knocked.
.
No answer.
.
I left another note on the door.
.
I realized that in the entryway, the phone number of the resident manager was listed. At this point, I was desperate. I thought I was going to have to order another highchair.
.
I called the manager and tried to enlist her help. She said that the man who lives in that apartment works several jobs and isn't there much, but that she'd try to get the highchair so I could pick it up from her.
.
Finally, I made some headway!
.
But that was six days ago.
.
I finally got a call from the manager tonight that she has the highchair. I'm going to pick it up tomorrow. A full 20 days after it shipped!

5 comments:

Betsy said...

Oh, my gosh! I'd be so upset! I forgot to update Amazon when we moved, so something mailed to our old address and had to be forwarded here. But that works for a while with mail.

Don't you wonder why people would just go along with receiving this shipment with your name on it?! Like, why would the lady give it to him when it had your name, and why would he accept it?

andy said...

VICTORY IS BUB'S!

I've been hearing story-upon-story about how UPS and FedEx are on such tight schedules that they are allotted only so many minutes for each part of their delivery process. Apparently, giving your goods to the wrong person is what fit into the delivery person's schedule. Maddening.

Leanne said...

What a miserable story! And a happy ending! That picture cracks me up. Do his thighs get stuck when you try to pull him out of his Bumbo yet? He'll love his new highchair...

Jo said...

Leanne, he does get a little stuck. IT'S SO GREAT HAVING THE HIGHCHAIR!! :) I'll post a picture soon.

Anonymous said...

I forgot all about our former neighbors until I read about it. Unfortunately it doesn't surprise me. I remember how they'd always just stare at us and not say anything. Are the hallway walls and carpet still aqua blue? Glad to hear you finally got the highchair.