Jack’s weekly guest blog post, in which he sinks ever deeper into senility –
We sell a few books each week on the Internet through Half dot Com, an online marketplace where you can buy and sell books, videos and CDs (a branch of Evil Bay). When one of our listed books sells, we get an email saying which it is and who it has to be sent to.
A few days ago we got one of these messages and I couldn’t find the book. I asked Wendy if she’d seen it. As it turns out, she’d just finished reading it, so we figured it was probably down in our basement apartment. No luck! Finally Wendy turned it up hidden in among the ordered books waiting to be picked up by local customers.
Meanwhile –
Wendy, knowing I’m a fan of Alexander McCall Smith, had picked up one of his books for me from the local library (I blogged about it last week) and, now that I’d finished it, I’d laid it aside to be returned to the library.
Yesterday morning I had two early tasks. I had to package for mailing three ‘kitty afghans’ that Wendy had crocheted to raise ‘spay and neutering money’ and I had to package the aforementioned ordered book. I then walked over to the post office and sent them both off.
Except –
When Wendy got home she picked up the now only too familiar ordered book and waved it at me – “Haven’t you mailed this yet?”
Uh, Oh – – –
Yes – that’s right! In all the kerfuffle of getting the three afghans into a compact box and getting it all taped up and addressed, I’d stuck the book into its envelope without double checking. If I had, I’d have seen that I was mailing the McCall Smith LIBRARY BOOK by mistake. So I’ve sent the buyer a crawling apology by e-mail, explaining what happened, and included a similar note with the correct book, which finally went off by parcel post this morning.
And, yes, I did double check this time, and triple checked, and – – –
I wonder if I’m going to have to buy a McCall Smith on Half dot Com to take back to the library?
Wendy Welch: Books, Yarn, Cats, Opioids 
Seems to me the first thing to do is CALL the kitty place and tell them what you’ve done. They should have the grace to return the book, albeit by mail, to the library, especially since Wendy had the kindness to make the afghans.
I have done this before. Live and learn.
PS, I just bought a book from half.com today.
This year, Mom sent my brother’s gift to me. He’s in Florida, I’m in Tennessee. I think he’s getting mine. Mom is 90. This is the first time she’s done this. Jan
Janice Brooks-Headrick 865-429-1783 Storyteller Author Instigator TALESproject.org Timeline: facebook.com/janice.brooksheadrick Email: janice.brooksheadrick@facebook.com
I often tease Jack about “last Christmas at home.” But this is the first time we’ve mailed a library book! :]
I work near the Power Board and drop off our electric bill so I don’t have to put a stamp on it. I did this some months ago–I thought–but a week later I found the envelope still in my purse. So what did I drop off to them? The only other letter I had to mail that week was my Federal Jury Duty summons information. We must have exceptionally nice people working at the JC Power Board who surely went ahead and mailed it in because I since been called. I suppose they’re used to people dropping off the wrong thing from time to time. Reading above, I see this kind of mistake happens all the time. Don’t feel bad, Jack.
Thank you, Sally!
Well there wasn’t anything extra in the afghan box!
No John – I sent the wrong book to a totally different person who had ordered a book. The only relevance of the afghan box is that it was one of many distractions that morning.
Wendy here: shoot, I meant to mail you a foster kitty, too. ;]
Multitasking will make us do crazy things and age has little to do with it. Years ago I was getting ready to go to work and realized I had no anti-perspirant (sp) in the house. I had a black turtleneck sweater on and no time to change. My husband was in a hurry to get to work and i was riding with him. He said he would pull into the ally behind the drug store and I could run in and get some. Well here is where it all goes sideways. I came out of the drugstore with my purchase. got in the car and held the can up under my sweater underarm and shot it full of —SHAVING CREAM. The entire day every time I reached for something, my underarm skin peeled off and stuck to me like a grape skin. I don’t think anyone else knew, but I have never used spray anti-prespirant to this day. I’m sure the folks who got the wrong book and the note got a good laugh and remembered something like that also.
ROTFL!
I’ve done the same book “swap” for a customer before, Jack, but I did not mail them a library book! Guess the libe will want a new rather than used replacement, eh?