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On Topic Story: Illicit looking deals

This week, in anticipation of making my charity necklaces, I bid on a lot of

40 assorted pendants: mostly carved gemstone roses, but some shells, Hill Tribe silver, enamelwork and big coral focals. When I won the auction, I realized that the seller lives only one town away from me.

I figured that meeting her in person would achieve two goals: I could pay her in cash, so Paypal wouldn't take a slice off the top; and I'd get instant gratification and not have to wait for the postal service. I emailed her, offering to meet her in a public place, and she thought that was a great idea.

Today at 2 p.m., we were to meet at a local shopping mall. I didn't spot her right away, but DD was looking around and found her. (He said he recognized her because she was scanning the crowd and wearing a lot of lampwork) We chatted for a little while, I handed her the folded wad of cash, and she handed me a couple of taped up boxes. She didn't count the cash, and I didn't open the boxes.

We talked about lampwork for a bit. (I startled her by asking if she had a Hothead or a Minor - she has a Hothead and is saving for a Minor) She admired the necklace I made from the Fauxpals, and I admired her Lampwork and Bali bracelets and Hill Tribe necklace. Then I invited her to join our happy little group. She sent me a reply this evening, saying she'd check it out once her little ones were in bed. (Erin, if you're reading this -- hello!)

We parted ways and we went back to DH's truck. Once we were safely on the road, DH turned to me and said, "Do you realize how much that looked like a drug deal? You hand her a wad of cash, she hands you a sealed box, and you both just leave the shopping center. Neither of you looked at the money or what was in the box."

I thought a moment and laughed. He was absolutely right -- I've seen similar scenes on police shows and this matched it to a Tee. I reflected on the addictive nature of beads, and that in some ways they could be considered drugs: expensive, makes me happy, and I can never have enough. (And in the case of seed beads, I buy them by the kilo)

BTW, DH told the woman that I have a million dollars worth of beads. When I laughed at him, he estimated that it was actually worth between ten and twenty thousand dollars. I'm not confirming or denying that estimate at all.

Kathy N-V

Reply to
Kathy N-V
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vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from Kathy N-V :

]I thought a moment and laughed. He was absolutely right -- I've seen similar ]scenes on police shows and this matched it to a Tee.

can't you just imagine the look on some poor police officer's face when he opened the box and found BEADS????

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

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Bill of Rights - Void where prohibited by Law.Regime Change in 2004 - The life you save may be your own.

Reply to
vj

And Kathy even recruited her into our little (huge) bead "dealing" group! Way to go Kathy! :)

Reply to
Kandice Seeber

I have so many un-set stones in my studio (both cabs and faceted) that I don't even let my husband know when I'm buying more! We both know that if I worked 8 hrs a day,

7 days a week, I couldn't set them all in 5 years. Still, every time my supplier shows up, I buy more....... God I love tourmalines........... Barbara Dream Master
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"We've got two lives, one we're given, the other one we make." Mary Chapin Carpenter

Reply to
Barbara Otterson

Unfortunately, that estimate of value, $10,000 to $20,000, is probably correct or even low. I find it a little scary. And when we do our insurance, we need to remember to include beads on our policies.

Tina

Reply to
Christina Peterson

I had sort of a similar experience once. One of my son's friends ran away (I later found him and convinced him to come home) and the cops came over to talk to us. I have a lot of zip lock bags and there was a package of chives on the kitchen counter. The cop looked at it suspiciously and wanted to know if we were selling drugs. Then he wanted to know what all the bags were for. LOL. I'd like to see him tell the judge we were smoking chives. Patti

Reply to
Beads1947

Sounds like a gratifying Close Encounter.

I hope Erin -does- join us. If you are reading, Erin, here's a big wave in your direction.

Welcome to the opium den.

Deirdre

Reply to
Deirdre S.

I have probably 100 unset faceted tourmalines in every color you can imagine right now. Including bi-color. Barbara Dream Master

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"We've got two lives, one we're given, the other one we make." Mary Chapin Carpenter

Reply to
Barbara Otterson

Word of warning: check into the insurance laws in your state before doing this. I mentioned it to my partner, and he said that if we were to try to add a rider for my beads -- or his screen-printing equipment -- we'd *have* to go over to business insurance, which is several times as expensive. It's like health insurance for the self-employed: nice if you can get it, but often not financially feasible.

Celine

Reply to
Lee S. Billings

Reply to
Kandice Seeber

You know what's really sad, you could still get busted for dealing if the cop thought you were selling chives, but telling people it was pot. They got some folks some years ago for selling caffeine pills (very legal), but the dealers were telling their customers they were selling amphetamines. They got arrested for drug dealing, not fraud.

Reply to
Louis Cage

Reply to
angela

I had gotten some comments from because I had mint leaves for tea in my desk. I never did convince them of the virtue that I really did still have then.

And now that I work with beads, I have been questioned about why I have so many drug baggies.

Tina

Reply to
Christina Peterson

On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 23:28:26 -0400, BeckiBead wrote (in message ):

But how funny would it have been when he tried to smoke soap? (snicker)

To get back on topic, you should have seen the postman's face the first time I had a package from Caravan Beads. He asked me what on Earth could be so tiny and so heavy. "It's my kilos!...of beads."

He no longer asks about the multitude of teeny packages that arrive at my house with amazing regularity.

Kathy N-V

Reply to
Kathy N-V

I got that at the P O too. Just what is it you keep getting in these little packages. (I use my PO Box instead of having my tiny treasures left at the top of the road.).

Tina

Reply to
Christina Peterson

This would make a great scene in a movie.

Deirdre

Reply to
Deirdre S.

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