Strange Happening

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I advertised free throw pillows on Craig's List. A woman contacted me and I gave her the address and we agreed on a time she would arrive. Lordy be...she actually showed up and loaded several garbage bags with pillows and left. She did not park out in front, but around the corner on the side street. After about 10 minutes after she left, something told me to walk over to the corner and there were the bags sitting on the curb, some of the pillows strewn around, and she or her vehicle were no where in sight. I brought the pillows back. Now I'm wondering why she left them after coming all that way to get them.
 

That does seem strange and I suppose you could only put it down to a change of heart, or whatever. Perhaps she was too shy to say she didn't really want them, though I seem to quite often get things I think I've passed on to others, given back to me when I certainly don't want them back again (maybe my friends don't like the feeling I've given them something, or it "feels like charity" or some such negative feeling).

In this case you didn't know the woman so my arguments don't stand up as regards charity, so I agree, it is rather a strange thing to do, and were you supposed to find them dumped or did she not care either way I wonder?
 
Look on Craig's list to see if throw pillows are advertised by a woman in your area. Could be something as simple as several free bags full picking out what she thought might make money if sold.
There is always the possibility of looking at what you may have for theft later. As I recall you live where shrubbery and sort of semi isolated would make theft easy.
 
All I can think of as a reason is that maybe when she got them in her car, she may have thought they didn't smell very good and just dumped the out and took off. But, hey, for free, at least you can take them to a laundromat and wash them.
 
I think she didn't care for them but was to embarrassed to tell you so. If this is the case the least she could have done was put them in the good will bins you see around towns. No excuse for leaving them on the curb.
 
I wouldn't worry about it but I would accept it as a sign that the pillows have no value and leave them in the bags for your next trash pickup.

The good news is that you are gradually weeding things out and that is never an easy task!!!
 
Did she come inside the house to get them or anywhere she could have seen in Windows? I go along with the idea that she may have been casing or scoping out your place. Parking around the corner may have been to avoid anyone seeing make of car or license no.
 
Deb, throw the pillows away if they smell. I wish you wouldn't invite strangers to your home to sell things.

A few years ago I knew of a young married couple who put an ad in to sell their pool table. One afternoon soon after, a man called and the wife, home alone let him come to see it. He murdered her.

Just looking out for you because things like that happen EVERY DAY!
 
I worry about strangers who do stuff like that. My cousin was a homicide detective and I can just imagine what he'd say. Be careful of strangers Deb.
 
Deb, did you give that woman a chance to look at the pillows and check them out while she was in your house? Did you walk away from her and give her some private time to feel and smell them? I remember a long time ago you mentioned cat urine odor in some area of your house. If the pillows had any stains or pet odors at all, you should have just thrown them in the trash and not even tried to give them away to anyone.

If I bought something like that at Goodwill or got it for free, I would wash it just for sanitary reasons, since strangers had handled them, slept on them, etc. But...it's not reasonable to expect someone to launder an item in the hopes of maybe getting out a foul odor or stain.

I agree with Aunt Bea, put them in your trash and start getting rid on some of the things you don't want anymore.
 
Geezerette said:
Did she come inside the house to get them?
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Yes, how else could she do it? She was a skinny 20-something with two little kids in tow. I don't think she wold have tried anything in front of them and she did not ask to go anywhere else in the house.

When I have a lawn sale, it's really annoying to have people ask to us the bathroom. I usually tell them to go to the Blockhouse Park just up the street (you can almost see it from my front yard) where there's a port-a-potty. Some reply that they won't be able to hold it. I say, "Learn not to have a big-gulp prune smoothie and a box of raisin bran before you go garage saling!" Some even treat me like an ATM machine - "Can you change this hundred dollar bill for me?" I say, "If you buy $99.75." or I take the bill, draw a mustache on Franklin, then hand it back.
 
Deb, I agree with those above advising you not to allow strangers in your house -- it is not safe. AND, here at least, Craig's list isn't safe, either. People use it as an excuse to get into your house for nefarious reasons. Throw those pillows away!
 
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That she initially parked around the corner is suspect and might confirm that she only intended to "case the joint" not pick up pillows.
 
Manatee said:


If she used the bathroom while she was there it could have been to pilfer your meds.

Keep your doors locked she may have been "casing the place".
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I am a very private person and dislike strangers in my house. Many years ago, as an a/c repairman from a legit company finished up in the hallway [I had intentionally closed all the other doors to bedrooms and bathroom before he arrived]... he asked to use my bathroom and I told him no. At the time I was rather po'd that he was so unprofessional. But now that you mention it.... maybe he did want to check my medicine cabinet for prescription drugs an addict might want. He would have been disappointed.
 
Deb, I agree with the others. Please do not let folks into your house. That person was up to no good and was trying to see what you had in your house. Drop the pillows off at Goodwill. I have a lady that wants to pick up some books I have. I will have the books outside in boxes and one of the men from the office outside with me when she picks them up.
 
DGM said:
dedodun.........does anybody in your house smoke? If the answer is yes there is a simple explanation to the mystery.
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No, I hate tobacco smoke, but my mom had 11 cats at one time and their odor seems to permeate everything fabric. I am so used to it, but I guess if people don't have pets, they might find it unpleasant, even though I did was the pillows before offering them. Cost $11 at the laundromat.
 
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The previous owners of my current house were smokers. But after I had it repainted and recarpeted, the stale smoke smell went away. However, there are still some dark yellow smoke stains on the metal parts of some of the windows. I've never smoked, so I didn't realize cigarette smoke was so destructive to the environment as well as one's health.
 

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