I Got A Call . . .

On Tuesday, April 26, 2011 "Someone" supposedly called from TDW Closeouts, The Discount Warehouse.  He wants to "put this behind us."  He used a certain ethnic thing he thinks we have between us that he used once before to identify himself without giving his name.  He wants to know what I want.  I think it was the owner of TDW by the accent, but I can't be sure.  He just says he is my friend.  I don't quite believe him there.

I gave him a figure I wanted to remove my blog and youtube video about his company ($3,600.00).  This included the original $2,400.00 refund I asked for earlier, and $1,200.00 to cover the writing I had to do to get him to come to me to resolve this.  Plus, if I had just put the original $2.4K in the bank that I sent TDW in 2005, I probably would have made that much in interest.  He mentioned figures, but never as much as the $3,600.00 I stated I wanted.

He also said he has tried to contact me several times since our original phone conversation in 2006.  He also says he offered me a refund a long time ago and I never wrote about it.  Well, I did.  See the earlier blog post at http://bit.ly/m2pgQa .  It is not true that he tried to contact me again.  I am at home quite a bit, and when I am not, I have voicemail.  He never contacted me in any other way, except I suspect as an anonymous commenter on this blog.

Anyway, I told him I wanted a check for $3,600.00 and it had to clear before I take this blog offline, and he said he would have his attorney draft a check for half at $1,500.00, which for some reason he sees as half of $3,600.00.  And his attorney would draw up a contract that we both have to sign.  That would make it legal.  Yeah, right.  I am on the other side of the country, and good luck enforcing that contract.  So I told him he would have to trust me, and send all of the money (as I did when I ordered his merchandise) for me to remove this blog and the youtube video I put up about TDW Closeouts, The Discount Warehouse.

He told me that he wants to take care of this, but that what I am doing is illegal.  I informed him that he is in the good ol' US of A and that I am exercising my First Amendment rights in telling what I see going down.  I haven't libeled him or his company, but merely stated the facts as I see them.  This blog and the youtube video have apparently caused him some distress, and I don't know if he has lost business because of them being online, but I am only stating the truth as I have seen it happen.

He also tried to buy me off by offering me merchandise from California, free of charge, but I am no longer in that business, a dream destroyed by the load of stuff they originally sent me.  I was supposed to get high-end designer shelf pulls and out-of-style articles, but what I got were mostly Macy's castoffs, notably a lot of washcloths and towels.  I told him I want cash.  Let's see where that goes.

He told me that he would call me yesterday (on Friday, April 29th) in a conference call with his attorney.  I'm glad I didn't hold my breath.  No calls, no missed calls on my phone, no voice mails in case I didn't hear the phone.

If you are reading this, Raphael, first, I am writing about what transpired, and that you again offered a refund, but with nothing to back it up, and no follow up.  This is not an offer of a refund, or anything close.  Like I said during our phone conversation, I don't trust you.  And you proved why I shouldn't.  Don't call me again.  My blog and youtube video will remain in place, and if I find you in another internet venue, I will let the good people there know how you treat people like me.  If you are serious, have your attorney call me.  And don't bother having your attorney try to intimidate me.  You know what that got you last time:  Nothing!  You know what I want.  And I know what you want.  Giving me the run-around won't get it for you.  If you really want to put this behind you, man up and do the right  and honest thing.