I always know when I have spent too long staying up at night drinking wine, because I often find next morning that I have bought something online that I do not need and quite often do not even want. I think I revert back to a type of mid-life crisis when I am a bit drunk. This is how I ended up buying a telescope the other week.
I thought about trying to negotiate a refund, but a deal is a deal so on Easter Monday I made the 1.5 hour drive to a little industrial unit set in a remote suburb of Bristol somewhere near Portishead, where I met a very friendly Chinese man called Graham.
Although he had hundreds of telescopes in stock, mine was the only one of its kind left - thankfully. As he demonstrated the operational features of the scope, something inside fell off and rattled about when it was turned one way or the other. It was a little mirror which - he explained - could be easily fitted back on by him if I didn't mind waiting a day or so to have it delivered.
This was just the excuse I needed to back out of the deal. Normally God is not so kind to drunken idiots. I did not even mind wasting the day on a long and fruitless journey.
God has not been so kind to me about another impulse purchase though. So far I have spent more on the latest Volvo than it cost me to buy, but the difference is that - unlike a telescope - I need it.
There is one thing in common between my car and a telescope though. Both are not used at night after I have been drinking.
I tend to buy multi-packs of Pork Scratchings, and haven't regretted any purchase as yet.
ReplyDeleteReach for the stars.
DeleteI wonder if there is a vape version of late night purchases.
ReplyDeleteYes there is. I have used it more than once.
DeleteOn ebay I once bought a sack barrow when all I wanted was a yard of hessian! On picking it up, it was so heavy due to the beautiful cast iron wheels, it took two men to lift it into the car. It would have graced the set of Murder on the Orient Express! I wouldn’t mind but I didn’t even have the excuse of being shibadeed at the time!?!
ReplyDeleteLX
You should have bought a lighter barrow to carry the heavier one.
DeleteI love the fact that you chose to buy a telescope when drunk! Haha. :)
ReplyDeleteI just put a bid on a huge pair of binoculars. Just got back from a party.
DeleteYou might have been better following Cro's advice for purchase - but then you wouldn't have been able to look at the stars through pork scratchings.
ReplyDeleteI might end up lying on my back, which is a good start.
DeleteYe gods 15 years ago i bought my house after drinking copious amounts of wine and had not slept just looking at a prospectus of the house. Yes i had gone to see it n really wanted it!. So i phoned solicitor at 9am put in offer picked a number out of the air for it . In scots law was accepted and binding!. Had 6 weeks to flog my flat ouch. Worked out well but was a stressfull 6 weeks!.😂
ReplyDeleteBig things are easier. Small things niggle longer.
DeleteAbout 5 years ago I too bought a telescope, from a TV shopping channel. I, too had been drinking red wine. It hasn't been out of its box yet...same with a sewing machine I bought about the same time. Ye Gods, red wine has a lot to answer for? Thank goodness I'm not so easily persuaded these days, although I did recently purchase 500 hand painted wooden buttons from China. Seemed like a good idea at the time!
ReplyDeleteGet it out of the box. Spy on your neighbours. Get your money's worth.
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