I'd never sold anything on Craigslist until a month ago. Because of recent tragic events involving local people, who were selling on Craigslist, I was a bit nervous about the idea. But I took photos of the equipment, wrote the ad and decided to give it a try. 
I had three Nikon cameras collecting dust and not being used. It was a challenge to get Scott to agree to the sales, since my husband is not one to take anything back or to let anything go. On the other hand, I'm the one who's always saying, "If we haven't used it in six months, out it goes!" He was finally convinced by my logic and the fact that any money gained from the sales would go to a good cause. Me! I'm in the market for better camera equipment.
I started receiving email responses within a couple days of posting the ad for the first camera. I texted my daughter and son-in-law, who've sold on Craigslist, and asked how I was supposed to continue correspondence without revealing my email address or phone number. Their experience was - at some point you have to make the connection or there's no way of selling the merchandise and getting paid, but be sure to meet in a public place. That made sense. I responded to the inquiry, we decided to meet, and I asked Scott to be my body guard. So, we headed out highway 512 to MacDonald's to meet the prospective buyer.
The sale went well, the camera and money were exchanged, but I must admit, it felt very strange getting an envelope of cash pushed across a table while the "pusher" packed up my gear and headed out the door. I was left looking about furtively to make sure someone wasn't eyeing me with the cold hard cash in my hand. I never carry the stuff; I'm all plastic these days!
The second camera sale went well also, but I grew more leery about the third sale. I'd started receiving email responses from people wanting my PayPal account number so they could pay more than I was asking, if I would ship the camera oversees. It was hard to tell some of those inquiries initially from legitimate buyers, since those requests (scams according to Craigslist warnings), didn't appear until a second or third round of email exchanges.
As we again headed for MacDonald's at the end of highway 512 to see if the third camera was going to a legitimate buyer, Scott assumed his action figure, super hero, Hawaii Five-O persona. He has a permit to carry a weapon and so - it too accompanied us on the trip. My orders were to enter MacDonald's by myself. He would wait in the vehicle parked right outside the door. If anything went down that wasn't according to Hoyle (whoever that is), I was NOT to come out smiling. Scott also calculated the direction in which the perpetrator would run. (Not sure what he would have done with that information, however. Scott is an amputee on an oxygen cord that only reaches about four feet max!) However, I did appreciate my husband's concern and willingness to lay out a plan of action in the event of trouble.
I walked into MacDonald's clutching an REI bag meant to disguise the camera gear I was carrying. Much to my surprise and delight, I was greeted by a 30-something year-old man carrying a one-year old boy. He introduced me to his wife and two more small children. It turned out that Rebecca is a photographer and her husband, Kevin, a youth minister. She checked out the camera, took a few pictures, checked them on their laptop, and then counted out the money. We had a great visit! As she counted out the money, I started to say something about "...feeling like a..." and she finished the sentence, "drug dealer?". We both laughed and she assured me this is the new way of doing business. We exchanged business cards and I walked out smiling.
Scott didn't have to spring into action after all. Craigslist does work, if you're careful. Now, if I can just convince Scott to get rid of more stuff... Our children are smiling at the thought of my tenacity meeting Scott's propensities head on. But just think, Honey Haverly, it will give you more opportunities to be my Superhero! BonnieKingPhotography.com
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