Parsimonius Pratt

Craigslist people can be interesting. Case in point: I have an Ikea children's table and chairs for sale with a matching dresser and bookshelves. I was asking $120 for all of the furniture. This cute Mammut furniture would cost you $235 new at Ikea. Mine is almost 5 years old, and it looks brand new. It's good quality!

This one lady asked me whether I would sell them separately. This is the email back and forth between us.

Lady: Do you still have the table and chairs? Would you sell them separately?
Me: I still have them. I would consider selling them separately. What are you interested in?
Lady: The table and chairs. Would you take $15 for them?
Me: I'll take $30, no less (they are worth $85 new)
Lady: Where do you live?
Me: 30 minutes NE of McKinney.
I'll be in Plano tomorrow, and could bring it down, if you are interested
Lady: I'll buy them tomorrow for $20.
Me: no thanks
Lady: thanks and good luck! If you decide you can take $20 please let me know, otherwise I understand. I just can't afford more than that.

4 days later, and I get this email:

Lady: If you still have them I would really like to buy them from you for your asking price of 30.
Me: I still have them, and will sell them to you for $30.
I will be in Plano again on Thursday, or if you would like to come out to Leonard before then, you can come pick them up at my house.
Lady: Thursday works great. Thank you.
Also, are these chairs pretty sturdy?

I think I was pretty courteous to her so far, but I was getting a little tired of her wheeling and dealing.

Thursday, I left home super early, and I forgot the furniture. I offered to bring it down on Sunday, and after being hesitant at first, she agreed.

Skip to today: While trying to figure out where to meet, I suggested 121 and Custer, which is on the way to mom and dad's house. She thought we should meet in the "middle" (even though we had already come 40 miles) between her house and mom's. I finally had Joe call her back to inform her that we didn't want to meet, but she could come to mom's house.

She arrived, and quickly started hemming and hawing, nit-picking, obsessing, and scrutinizing the furniture. She complained that the table was "wobbly" and she was worried about the sturdiness of the chairs. I informed her that I even sit on the chairs, and after 5 years, they are as good as new. What are her kids planning on doing with that stuff anyways? Jump on it? Throw it across the room?

After a good 10 minutes of inspecting, mumbling, and voicing quiet concerns, she asked me if I'd take $20. Now please refer back to the top of this post. I had clearly told her I would take no less than $30, and this was even before I scrubbed it so well that it looked as good as new. She finally caved, and handed me the $30. I was so glad to be done with this lady. But I hadn't seen the last of her. After loading it in the car, and inspecting it some more, she came to inform us that she found a crack in one of the chairs. I was really sick of her by now, so I told her she could either take the furniture, or get her money back. I'm sure she was trying to get her $10 off after all, but I was not caving! What did she think she was doing? Buying a new car? Picking out a baby for adoption? For Pete's sake! This is USED furniture. Kids have been using it for 5 years. It was only $30. Take it or leave. She decided to leave it.......