Yet Another Surprised eBay Customer

A couple of weeks ago, my mom was lamenting the loss of the lid to a two-quart pitcher, said pitcher being almost as old as Younger Sister and having spent summer in, summer out dispensing batch after batch of homemade iced tea. (Every try Half&Half? That's close to what Mom's iced tea tastes like.)

To show her I did learn something in two years of grad school, I coached her on searching eBay for gently used duplicate, and then I placed a bid for her. We won, and I paid for it.

We both promptly forgot about it, until I got a phone call shortly before leaving for work this afternoon.

Mom: Just wanted to tell you there's a package here for you from [out of state].
Me: Oh, that's yours. You can open it; it's your pitcher.

Pause. I start to worry she's having memory problems.

Mom: (puzzled) It can't be my pitcher. This package is way too small.
Me: Well, do me a favor and open it and take a look at it. If it's wrong, let me know and I'll
take care of it.
Mom: I just don't think-

By now, it's 12:59 and I had planned to be at the library at 1.

Me: Mom, I gotta leave for work right now. Leave me a message about it, O.K.? O.K., bye.

I locked the door and hadn't even gotten to my car before my cell phone rang. It's Mom.

Me: So, what did you get?
Mom: (relieved) It's the pitcher.
Me: It's the right one?
Mom: Yes, it is. I just can't believe it fit in there.


It's from a famous line of fairly indestructible (except near heat sources) plastic home goods. I don't think it needed a whole ton of bubble wrap to go in the mail.

And some of those eBay sellers? They are shipping wizards.