These days I've been putting up for sale quite a few things that I own. Times have changed and many of my personal belongings do not bring me any joy, not anymore... but well money is the number one reason I'm willing to gladly part with all these things.
One of the many things I am selling is my 120mm refractor telescope, very nice one. I bought it myself quite a long time ago, and basically I gave it a complete overhaul. I took it all apart, and painted it myself just the way I wanted, it came out very nice looking, but well I had painted many things before including some of the cars I owned. I had upgraded some of the parts on that telescope and it is and excellent instrument to watch the sky with.
Since I put it up for sale I did have some people emailing me asking if I am willing to send it in the mail, but I do not trust that kind of deals, therefore I declined, but soon I got an e-mail from a local interested in the telescope. He e-mailed me saying that he really wants to come over, but he can't because he has some back pain at the moment. Since myself I am dealing with back issues for many years now, I wrote him back and gave him some advice from my own experience, how to deal with it. He seemed to be very grateful, and saying that he also likes to help people any chance he gets, and will e-mail me back when he feels better.
About a week later I get an e-mail that he wants to come over. We set a time to meet, this past Friday, so he comes over, a man of about 55-60 years old age, clean shaved and dressed, everything seemed to be alright. He presented himself as being from a certain country in the middle east, that was very easy to guess by his facial complexion. I bring him inside and show him the telescope. Pretty soon I realize that he has no idea about telescopes/astronomy. He was telling me that he's been into astronomy for 30 years, turned the telescope on all its sides, looked thru it and was very impressed, but didn't know how to operate any of the knobs, nor he knew the name of the parts/terminology, that's how I realized he has never seen a telescope in person before. Then it turns out he never meant to buy it, but for some reason he was willing to make a trade, some jewelry that he owned for the telescope. Be aware of people who offer you jewelry in exchange for something, most likely that jewelry is fake, the metal won't be what is claimed to. For me that was a "deal breaker", and I nicely told him that I am not interested in any trade at all, my ad for the telescope was clear I was selling it for cash. Then I had to leave the living room for only 10-15 seconds max. When I turned back I discretely checked the room, and nothing was missing, we talked for a couple more minutes then he wanted to leave, so I lead him outside. I was looking at him while he was walking away, he did not come by car, or there was no car near by that he got in. I had a strange feeling that something was wrong, but surely nothing was missing from my home. I kept watching him until he vanished from view.
I turned back in, looked around again and all was fine, not a single thing missing. Few minutes later when I grabbed the telescope to put it back in its place... SURPRISE!! It was badly scratched up on a side. Those are very deep and sharp scratches, they could've not been made with a key on hand. He must have had with him something sharp, like a knife, because the scratches are really deep thru the clear coat layers and the layers of paint as well.
Needless to say I was very mad, now I know why I felt suspicious of him from the time he offered me the trade, I paid for my mistake of living him alone in the living room. Now what can I say? I am not mad anymore, but... it just adds to what I see going on around, people trying to take advantage of eachother, and doing harm to one another for no reason at all.
The telescope was a shinny object that he wanted, and because he couldn't have it, why not destroy it, right? That's little thinking!
It came to me that he had malicious intent to start with, offering me that trade and bringing in such a sharp object, which most likely was a knife that he used to damaged my property because it was not going his way. I actually have no doubt that he was caring a knife with him and that's what he used on my telescope.
Who knows what intentions he came over with. Be careful who you invite in your home, surely no stranger will step foot in my place again, when there is no need to.
Is it so hard to be a decent human being? Is just sad how low people can get. For those of you out there who are reading this, let it be a lesson, learn from others mistakes, when possible.
25 July 2017
Marius