Saturday 24 November 2007

does hope ever die?


F12 again, as the zombies are calling. While the coffee perks, I will give you the results of my investigation into The Case of the Missing Laptops. For they still have not come. Craigslist, my son's hallmate Phil, and the Bank of Montreal have all let me down. Isn't it interesting how you can be resigned to your fate, calm in the face of disappointment -- and still experience uprushes of hope? The fedex guy came to the door yesterday and my first thought was: At last! The laptops have come. Of course they hadn't. As I carried the box of books inside, and signed the plastic plate on the top of the portable thingie they use to record deliveries, I was cast down all over again, reliving my moment of realization. Reminded me of the time Miriam dumped me in high school -- days later, walking home from school, I would become suddenly suffused with warmth, as if I had only to turn my head to see her beside me, with her pony tail and alto sax case. Ahh, me. I think her name was Miriam.
So I went through my notes on the case of the laptops, made some phone calls, and have come up with the following data. I am publishing them here as a warning to anyone out there who may be trying to get a deal on laptops from Craigslist. Here's our suspect: Mike Ogden from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (not Bill from BC at all -- the fiend misled me). He banks at BMO (who wouldn't give me his phone number or address. Curse their sense of customer privacy). His bank account number is 03087213117. He talks in a kind of lazy murmur, like it's too much trouble to form the whole word in his mouth before letting it out. If you run into this man, beware! Shun him. Or better yet, kick him in the goolies for me, and then shun him. Be careful which Mike Ogden you kick, though. I found several on the net, and they seem okay. There's a film producer Mike Ogden, a 3D artist Mike Ogden, a Mike Ogden who keeps snakes, and a Mike Ogden who collects art -- he's a dentist, and the picture -- titled "Genesis" -- at the side of this blog is from his collection. (I don't know why I decided to include it -- it's kind of cool, I guess.) Anyway, don't kick these guys. Kick my Dartmouth guy.
There. I'm done. Mike, I am free of you. I will hope no more.
But, uh, Miriam, if you are reading this, why don't you zip me a line, hmm?

8 comments:

Sandra Love Nichol said...

Drat. I was still counting on Bill coming through!

Phooey.

Richard Scrimger said...

Don't you waste any time on Bill. He's a figment. Hunt down Mike, and kick him. RS

Marilyn said...

Sorry about your laptops. That guy is bad!
I just got my laptop fixed...the hard drive died. It came back sort of zombie-like though, making strange sounds and everything looks faded, like this is the after-life of the computer.

Richard Scrimger said...

At least your computer doesn't go around feasting on other computers. Sounds more like it's in limbo -- not voodoo mythology but Catholicism. RS

Anonymous said...

Mike Ogden has raised his deceptive ways in Montreal as well.
Flagged and tagged.
I feel your pain.
And now, I hope, so will he...

Anonymous said...

Curse Mike Ogden, He has raised his deception in Montreal as well.
I feel your pain.
Now, if all goes according to plan, so will he...

Richard Scrimger said...

You mean you've found him and kicked him? Or are you a fellow dupe? What (pardon my ignorance) does flagged and tagged mean? Is it like named and shamed? Or is there internal security with boots? (Here's hoping)
RS

Anonymous said...

If you find a Posting on Craigslist you 'Flag' it, to prevent further mishaps from that account.
More like a slap on the wrist compared to the slap to the face he pulled.
However, there is hope after all. In my search for justice I found out we are not a minority of dupes. Check out mogdenscam.blogspot.com
Not that seeing a face to the name helps much, but it is reassuring to know good people are not alone.