This is not our road...

I ran across a great story teller the other day when I was trying to buy a used dryer.

He decided to publish his tale about our attempted transaction on a Yahoo discussion group.

I advertised a dryer for a  cheap price which included delivery if in or near Grecia. Well a buyer  told me he lived in Atenas and I agreed to deliver free anyway. When I met him in central Atenas- he told me to follow him to  his house. after 25 minutes of driving on the worst roads I have ever been on- I stopped following him and turned around and went home. >It took me 3 hours to drive there and home and $30 gas. He lied to me- why didnt he be truthful and tell me he lived way way past Atenas? At least he could have taken delivery in central Atenas and we could have put  the dryer in his suv. I thought my old truck was going to fall apart on  those bad roads.

Makes for a great story, right? As with all story tellers, he left out some details.

Details that kinda change the story.

I was that buyer.

Here’s my side:

I advertised a dryer for a  cheap price which included delivery if in or near Grecia. 

Cheap = $250 USD. It was fair price for a dryer in Costa Rica. But hardly cheap.

Well a buyer  told me he lived in Atenas and I agreed to deliver free anyway.

I told him we planned to come to his place to pick it up. He said he could bring it to Atenas after he went to San Jose. I told him I lived in Guacimo. He didn’t know where that was. I asked him to meet me at the gas station the next day. He agreed to meet us about 4:00 pm and I would buy it.

He never showed up.

I got a text the next morning saying he didn’t get home until late and could he bring it that day and he would call back in an hour when he left. Because he stood me up, he said he would bring it to our house. I told him our road was very rough. He joked “just like every other road in Costa Rica.”

Five hours later he calls to say he was on his way. I told him to get to the Red Cross and call me for more directions.  He called, but his phone was almost dead… a fact he told me about five times. After trying to give him simple instructions: Turn left and go 4.4 miles, I gave up and said I would meet him.

When I met him in central Atenas- he told me to follow him to  his house. 

This is true.

after 25 minutes of driving on the worst roads I have ever been on- 

We drove 15 minutes at ten miles an hour on the road that runs from Atenas to Escobal. There is scheduled bus service. It’s a dirt road, but dozens and dozens of people drive it everyday.  It is National Highway 707. I thought my old truck was going to fall apart on
those bad roads.

I stopped following him and turned around and went home. 

When he turned around, we were within 500 meters of our gate. If he knew where to look he could SEE our house. He never tried to communicate via flashing his headlights or honking his horn that he had it and was quitting.  When he stopped, I knew he wasn’t be hind me. I turned around and back-tracked to find out what was the problem.

He was gone.

It took me 3 hours to drive there and home and $30 gas.

It’s 31 km. Google maps says it takes 30 minutes to drive and that’s about right. If it took that much gas, he has a leak in his tank – entirely possible!

He lied to me- why didnt he be truthful and tell me he lived way way past Atenas?

I didn’t lie. I told him, our original intentions were to come to his place in Grecia. Then I said I would meet him in Atenas. But he insisted on delivering the dryer.

I thought my old truck was going to fall apart on  those bad roads. 

Me too! I think that about our effin’ car everyday!

——–

The dude drives for “3 hours” spends “$30” on gas, gets within 500 meters of collecting is $250 and he turns around and gives up.