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Not exactly a friend
Feb. 20th, 2008 09:01 pmI sold a clarinet to an acquaintance. we are in the same home school cover, and have known each other 2-3 years. She was talking about her son wanting to learn the clarinet, and buying one, etc. I told her that my husband still had his clarinet from high school or college and was never going to play it again, and we'd be willing to sell it. So I asked her how much were the ones she'd been looking at, etc, and told my hubby. I suggested $100 and he said, aw, just get $50, it's so old, it's probably not worth any more than that. So we sell it. All well and god, I'm glad to have one less useless thing in the closet.
Then, yesterday, the woman I sold it to thanked me for the clarinet (after someone else thanked me for some books I'd given her). I said, "No need to thank me for that, you paid for it."
She said, "Not enough. -- The man who cleaned it up for us told us that the mouthpiece alone is probably worth $165 dollars. He said your husband took excellent care of it and it's really wood. Most are plastic now. He said it's probably worth $1500." I was a little stunned. I just muttered something about Mark always taking care of things, and kind of moved on toward the class as she's saying, "well, at least you got it out of your house."
And that's true. And that was my aim. And I should let it go. But it just bugs me a little. I couldn't have done that to someone I know. if I'd bought a valuable thing from a "friend" (or anyone I was going to have to run into regularly) and it turned out to be worth 300 times what I paid for it, I'd have to go back and even that up some. At the very least, (say I really needed whatever it was, a coat, or food for my children say, and couldn't afford to pay more for it) I'd at least have the decency not to GLOAT to the person I took advantage of! And we're talking musical instrument, and a woman who well could have afforded to pay fair value for it. I'm sure she's quite proud of herself for getting a bargain. I just wish she'd never told me.
Then, yesterday, the woman I sold it to thanked me for the clarinet (after someone else thanked me for some books I'd given her). I said, "No need to thank me for that, you paid for it."
She said, "Not enough. -- The man who cleaned it up for us told us that the mouthpiece alone is probably worth $165 dollars. He said your husband took excellent care of it and it's really wood. Most are plastic now. He said it's probably worth $1500." I was a little stunned. I just muttered something about Mark always taking care of things, and kind of moved on toward the class as she's saying, "well, at least you got it out of your house."
And that's true. And that was my aim. And I should let it go. But it just bugs me a little. I couldn't have done that to someone I know. if I'd bought a valuable thing from a "friend" (or anyone I was going to have to run into regularly) and it turned out to be worth 300 times what I paid for it, I'd have to go back and even that up some. At the very least, (say I really needed whatever it was, a coat, or food for my children say, and couldn't afford to pay more for it) I'd at least have the decency not to GLOAT to the person I took advantage of! And we're talking musical instrument, and a woman who well could have afforded to pay fair value for it. I'm sure she's quite proud of herself for getting a bargain. I just wish she'd never told me.
