Tim did Starbucks, I'm doing pens

[webgal]

I'm referring to Tim lying down in Starbucks--his exercise to get you to step out of the stodgy. Well, if I lie down in Starbucks these days, it's highly likely someone will come up to me and say, "So, you read 4-Hour Workweek, didn't you?" Either that or I'd get stomped by people in a frenzy to get their caffeine fix a la latte. Besides, it would not be so outside-the-box for me to do something like that anyway.

So I did my own thing as I usually do. And I posted a pen auction. Woohooo. You think I've gone mad. I bet your are about to pass out. Not only is that wild , so crazy you can't believe it, but you're thinking that doing such a thing will catapult me into the same tax bracket as John Chow and Shoemoney.

More realistically I'll be in the same socioeconomic class as someone who sews socks in a foreign country. But it's an exercise of breaking out of the mold.

So here's my version of lying down in Starbucks. In a literal sense it's an auction but this is just for fun and it is my 4HWW exercise to punctuate a change. Besides, I'm more apt to lose money but it's worth it to have some fun.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220161541400

[phil]

I lie down on the pavement all the time when I'm out with friends walking around. I stay there for a couple minutes sometimes, and strangers come up asking if I'm OK.

I don't think I'd want to lay down in Starbucks though. You're right - too crowded - too much chance of being trampled.

I decided to see what funny items were for sale on eBay. The best I found was a “partially used Bic pen”. The current price was 30 cents. I placed a 31-cent bid and the following evening I won the auction. Soon I got an email from Stephen, the seller:

Phil,

Paypal will be fine. Send money to hellostu@***.com . It will be 31 cents if you would like me to donate your pen to charity or it will be 31 cents plus 3.20 shipping if you would like it mailed to your home.

I'm doing this auction as a favor for "924 turbo". He purchased a piece of exercise equipment from me through ebay a while ago but when I went to give him feedback ebay refused the auction number as invalid. I started this auction so he can get the feedback he earned.

Thanks,
Stephen Pheysey


Not wanting to pay a $3.20 shipping charge for a Bic pen, I said he should just donate it to charity. I then logged on to the Paypal Website and sent 31 cents to the seller's email address. The next day I received the following email from someone named Jim claiming to be the father of Stephen:


Phil,

I'm Steve's Dad, and I just discovered the bogus EBAY auction he entered via my account. I'm upset that he would endanger my EBAY status in this way, and I'm sorry for any inconvenience he may have caused you.

I totally disapprove of his tactic of an outrageous shipping fee; I will not tolerate this from anyone in the family who uses my account. If you would like still like the pen, you may have a brand new one shipped at no charge whatsoever. Just reply to my personal e-mail address jpheysey@***.com and I'll take care of it.

Regards,

Jim Pheysey

I replied to Jim stating that I was still interested in the pen and that I did not want to pay any shipping fees. I gave him my home address and thanked him.

After one week, I received a manila colored Jiffy-Lite Air Bubble Mailer. Wondering what it could be (I had forgotten about the Bic pen), I opened it with a small knife. Inside I found a long rectangular black box with the words “Cross” in the middle. I opened it up and there was a single blue Bic pen.

It is crazy that someone sold a Bic pen on eBay – and even crazier that I actually bought it! The guy selling it must have thought I was either playing a joke on him or that I was really weird.

I thought I was weird buying a used Bic pen until I bought a partially chewed cell phone. Jason, the guy I bought the phone from had not one, but two Nokia cell phones which both fell victim to a teething puppy. The first was horribly mauled and not likely repairable. The other (the one I bought) had teeth marks and a hole in the upper right corner.

[martinmartin77]

I don't see green. Blue is my favorite color, but, as far as pencil pouches go, I would have to say I'd be most comfortable with green...or yellow.

(Phil, thanks for sharing that wonderful story. :D )

martinSQUARED

[webgal]

phil that is hilarious! You have no problem stepping way outside that box. I might just have some old socks with holes in them to sell you.

martinmartin77 I'm sorry I did not offer green. I bought the "pouches" for 50 cents on the sale rack at an office store. They did not have green or yellow. I would have preferred offering purple polka dotted but those were a whopping $5. To rich for my blood.

I have to tell ya'll that my son is loving this. He's been thinking up slogans to add to the list I have already. He's had some good ideas. That alone is worth the paltry price to run the auction.

[webgal]

Me, too. I'm glad some others had some off-the-wall stories to tell.

[Christoph]

People buy and sell downright WEIRD stuff on e-bay.

I'm guilty of it as well...to the tune of buying a black twist tie. I thought it was funny at least. The really odd items, such as a $5,000 half eaten sammich or something along those lines are not that dumb. For the risk of buying, the seller usually refunds the money plus incentives. I personally do not get it, but hey, if I had the cash to throw around, I'd surely buy dumb stuff with the possibility of getting more back!

[webgal]

Holy Cow I had forgotten that story.

I wish someone would bid $5k for my pens. :) I feel sure with two days, left, that will happen. (how's that for unrealistic thinking?)