Bunk bed update: You need a Dave.

Well the update on the bunk bed situation is that we scored some on Craigslist over the weekend, so HERE WE GO. I'd been scouring Craigslist since before I posted that last entry, but I wasn't finding anything under $300 that wasn't metal (we wanted wood) and in some cases, people were asking over a THOUSAND DOLLARS for furniture that was outdated and not in the greatest shape, not to mention that those ads also usually included lots of CAPS LOCK typing about WE WILL NOT DELIVER and DO NOT EMAIL TO ASK IF THE ITEM IS AVAILABLE and even some YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAUL DOWN THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS, BRING AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE WITH YOU. It was all very harsh and angry-sounding; it made me feel conflicted about the fact that someone was so emotionally attached to their furniture that they felt they had to charge exorbitant amounts of money for a 25-year-old set of bunk beds and then they had to go and be BELLIGERANT and VERY BOSSY about exactly how the deal was handled.

Anyway, on Sunday afternoon Dave and I were at my parents' house, cleaning out our cars (his is going up for sale this week) when I saw someone posting what looked like a beautiful set of bunk beds for $25, and only about 20 minutes from my parents' house. I emailed them and waited an INTERMINABLE amount of time for someone to email me back, and was then told that a few other people had inquired, and the bunk beds were on the porch and were first-come, first-served. They were missing the hardware to put them together, but Dave and I decided that for $25, they were worth the risk. The only thing was, would we be the first people to get there? I seriously SERIOUSLY considered backing out of the opportunity at that point – I could just imagine us getting there and having to duke it out with some other family who pulled up at the same time and we'd be digging in our pockets for coins to flip and then it would be best out of three and then five and then probably fistfights in front of our children and OMG I DO NOT LIKE CONFRONTATION, so obviously the smart thing to do was to just send Dave. By himself. While I sat at home and wrung my hands and fretted over losing the greatest find in the history of Craigslist.

There is something about Dave, though. Somehow he is always at the right place at the right time – that kind of thing. I don't believe in karma, but I guess if you were going to use karma to describe whatever it is that he manages to do, it would be that. He is the kind of guy who pulls over in rainstorms to help strangers change flat tires and the kind of person who gladly pays straggly looking guys hanging around Home Depot to drive our purchases home in their straggly looking vans because they need the money more than we need to save it. And he is not going to TELL YOU that he does this – he would never boast or brag; in fact, you'd never know he'd done ANYTHING in the rain except for the fact that he came home soaking wet, and even then, you have to ASK – he's not going to advertise his do-gooding.

He was gone for more than 35 minutes when I finally called him; I couldn't stand waiting any longer – the house he was headed to was only TWENTY minutes away. And when he answered, he asked if he could call me back and I could hear some old woman talking to him in the background and I immediately thought, WELL CRAP, we missed it and he is helping SOMEONE ELSE load it into their car. Because that is exactly what he would do, because he is EXACTLY that kind of person. But then he calls back and says that not only do we get the bunk beds? BUT THEY WILL NOT TAKE OUR MONEY. The bunk beds are free! FREE! This ONLY happens to Dave. ONLY TO DAVE. If I had been there, there would have been confrontation and a bidding war and probably punches thrown, meanwhile Dave gets a freaking DISCOUNT.

 

Apparently the people selling the bunk beds moved and left a bunch of stuff on their lawn and porch that their neighbors were monitoring for them. Dave said there were honest-to-goodness HOARDERS roaming the lawn, picking through boxes of junk and trash and then just stuffing entire boxes of it all into their hoarder cars and that it was disturbing and bizarre and that's another reason why I am glad I chose to stay with the kids. IN HINDSIGHT.

So now we have perfect-condition, all-wood bunk beds, but no hardware and guess who doesn't even care about that? DAVE. Because he gets to go to Home Depot and putter around and look for bolts and screws and dowels and all kinds of other little pieces to make the puzzle fit together and he is happy as a pig in mud to do that kind of thing. This is like the IDEAL PROJECT for the two of us to do together: I got to “shop” for three weeks straight to find the perfect item. Then I got the awesome adrenaline rush of GETTING said item, for a very impressive discount, as well as the thrill of posting a CRAIGSLIST WIN to Twitter (sorry for the gloating, I couldn't help it). Then he gets to putter around Home Depot feeling up gadgets and inventing reasons he needs new tools and it costs us nothing, at least, not yet. (I imagine the hardware will set us back twenty or thirty bucks? Maybe?)

Anyway – Dave. You should get yourself one like him.

Comments

[craftyashley]

Wow. That is just the most amazing story ever. Pictures of cute new bed?

[HereWeGoAJen]

That's pretty impressive from both of you. Does Dave paint? I need the whole house painted.

[Jesabes]

Hmm. Will you be willing to trade for him?

[Grace]

I think my guy could stand some Dave lessons.

[Lynda M O]

Yes, I have a Dave. His name is Ormond and he still, after twenty-five years, thrills the hell out of me with the stuff he does and the deals he makes. Isn't it wonderful and you did all the work leading up to the actual Score itself. Lucky girl. Congrats.

[megan]

I have a Dave, too, only my version is named Josh. He gets discounts and stuff for free because he has - and I have heard this from numerous people, so it's extra-true - "an honest face." No, he really does.

Yeah, he always does the right thing, the good thing, while I sit and skulk over what selfish thing I would have done instead.

[Steph]

This post made me so happy! :)

[Lissa]

LOL this is the cutest story. You are a lucky girl. I am covetous of my IRL friend's Dave (actually named Dave even!). Have fun with the bunkbeds. Craigslist is seriously one of the most revolutionary things in the 21st century.