A couple of years ago for Christmas, I wished to give my husband a special present. I was having trouble fitting his clothes in the closets and the bureaus in the bedroom because of my clothes, so I decided to purchase for him an armoire for his office, the old fashioned type where you can hang shirts and also with drawers. We both love art deco so I bid on an original 1930's art deco armoire on ebay and I won it at a great price. Before I bid on it, I had called shippers and they gave me a price of $250.00 for shipping it from New York to me in Florida. The seller lived in Queens. It had belonged to his grandmother. Well, after I won it, the shipper gave me a different story. The price of $250.00 was for shipping business to business. To go pick up something from a residential neighborhood in New York and deliver it to me in Florida would be more like $1,000.00. I considered that a bit much and looked around for other options.
I advertised on Craig's List. It had occurred to me that so many people up north drive to Florida during the winter that I thought someone might want the extra money by picking up and delivering the armoire. I actually had a few responses but I obligated myself to the first person who answered. She was a woman who lived in Pennsylvania. She said that was planning to trip to Florida around Christmas and that she lived about an hour or so from Queens(where the Armoire currently resided) and that she had a van. She wouldn't have to lift anything, as the seller and a friend of his would put it in her van and then upon arrival, my husband would take it out. She would just need to drive it here. She had excellent references and I checked them out, so I said yes.
I drafted a Contract regarding this transaction and emailed to her. She signed it and faxed it back to me. She planned to pick up the armoire in New York on Xmas day, as the traffic would be lighter. She then planned to stop in Virginia to visit a friend for a few days and to be at my house on January 2nd. She kept me well advised of her plans and movements. I will give her that.
I received an email from the Seller on Christmas Day. She did indeed pick up the armoire on Christmas Day. She didn't exactly have a van. She had a mini van, but he and a friend managed to get it in, but he said that it was a tight fit. I then received an email from her on New Years day. She was in Virginia at her friend's house but had slipped on the ice the previous evening and had sprained her arm. She would be laid up there for a couple of days. I received another email from her two days later. Arm still hurting. Would be staying at friend's another couple of days. Two days later, same message. Finally, I received an email that she is on her way. Another email. She stopped at a friend in Tampa and lost her purse. At police station. Four days later, she is on her way again. She arrived at our house on Fort Myers Beach at the end of January on a Sunday, late afternoon. It was a tight fit, and it took Lloyd and three neighbor guys two hours to get it out of her van.
But, It was gorgeous. By this time, it is dark outside. I inquire about her plans. She said in her emails that her final destination was Miami to visit some friends and go down the Keys. But, it is dark outside and I see that she is tired, so I feel obligated to ask her to stay the night. She accepts. I am so happy about how incredible the armoire is that I am in really good sprits. I tell her that I will order Chinese food for dinner. I ask her to take a sit on the sofa and relax. I order the food. She seems a bit stressed, all that driving. I ask her if she would like a glass of wine. She says no and I'm about to offer her tea, when she informs me that she has a bottle of vodka in the car. She runs out to get it. She comes back with the bottle of vodka and a plastic bag full of prescription pills. She pours herself a drink of vodka, straight, and then takes a pill from one of the bottles. I ask her if she wants a glass of water. She says no and puts the pill in her mouth and drinks it down with a gulp of vodka. I cannot help but ask what the pills are for, and she explains that she has back trouble.
Conclusion of Journey of the Armoire in Next Bog.
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