Ok, yesterday I go through the swap meet type papers and web sites and I come up with a couple of good deals. 125 gallon tank, standard dimensions, lights filters, heaters, the whole 9 yards, for 275 bucks. Another 125, bare, for 200 bucks at another location. I have to get at least one of em for my fish, or I'll lose them. (evil ex room mate/incredibly complicated mess, don't ask).
So I call the first guy, then the second guy, and agree to purchase both tanks based on their description, so long as they are patent.. No leaks or cracks. When can I pick em up? Tomorrow? At 11 and 2 respectively? Great! I borrow a truck the next morning and set out to collect my tanks.
Tank A. It's three hours drive away. I recieve carefull instructions that morning to their home, and drive there with a song in my heart and a soda in my hand. When I arrive, it turns out they actually sold the tank yesterday, but have a nautical end table they'd like me to look at instead. WHAT! I drove three hours to buy a tank and all you've got is an end table with anchors?!? ahem. no thank you.
Tank B. Drive to a certain location and call me back, it's really close to the house and I'll talk you in from there. MMMk. It's two more hours down the road and I arrive an hour early. So I call, just in case it's ok to be early. He picks up... Hi, it's me, a bit early, but ready to pick up the tank. Or I can wait if you need me to. "Oh hi. Umm. Hi. Ummmm." Click. Then, apparently, he turned his phone off. But just to be sure, I waited a few hours, calling every half hour to see if he'd turn it back on. Then I went home.
End result. Two tanks of gas for a pick up truck I'm not gonna be able to borrow again, a long day of waiting, driving, and crankyness, and no fish tank at the end of the rainbow. Grrrrrrrrrrr.
Help me fight the urge to return to that guy's house and insert his toy poodle into a warm dark place.
So I call the first guy, then the second guy, and agree to purchase both tanks based on their description, so long as they are patent.. No leaks or cracks. When can I pick em up? Tomorrow? At 11 and 2 respectively? Great! I borrow a truck the next morning and set out to collect my tanks.
Tank A. It's three hours drive away. I recieve carefull instructions that morning to their home, and drive there with a song in my heart and a soda in my hand. When I arrive, it turns out they actually sold the tank yesterday, but have a nautical end table they'd like me to look at instead. WHAT! I drove three hours to buy a tank and all you've got is an end table with anchors?!? ahem. no thank you.
Tank B. Drive to a certain location and call me back, it's really close to the house and I'll talk you in from there. MMMk. It's two more hours down the road and I arrive an hour early. So I call, just in case it's ok to be early. He picks up... Hi, it's me, a bit early, but ready to pick up the tank. Or I can wait if you need me to. "Oh hi. Umm. Hi. Ummmm." Click. Then, apparently, he turned his phone off. But just to be sure, I waited a few hours, calling every half hour to see if he'd turn it back on. Then I went home.
End result. Two tanks of gas for a pick up truck I'm not gonna be able to borrow again, a long day of waiting, driving, and crankyness, and no fish tank at the end of the rainbow. Grrrrrrrrrrr.
Help me fight the urge to return to that guy's house and insert his toy poodle into a warm dark place.
