How would/do you handle this situation?

[jason4kstate]

Just curious on how the veterans on here would handle this type of situation. This has happened to me personally a few times...

So I was at at GS that had a bunch of turquoise jewelry and antiques. The sale was supposed to start at 9 but there were already people inside this persons garage looking around so I think "hey she opened early." Well she didn't...So I kind of lurch outside waiting for her to open. She comes out and starts to set up. I then notice this lady rummaging around in a box. I notice she is looking through the jewelry before this woman has set up and placed it on a table. I thought at first she just carelessly left it out in a box and didn't care. She comes out and looks perturbed that this person was looking through it.

She goes "come on inside and I will let you look through it." My wife and I go inside and this other woman (the other shopper) grabs the box of costume jewelry and hands my wife the "good" box. My wife was looking through it for about 5 min (at this point it was getting really crowded around me with a little shoving going on). My wife asks me to hold it so she can look through it one last time before putting it back. Then I notice this other woman's head is literally up and over and practically on my shoulder trying to get at this box of jewelry. She then starts grabbing at everything in the box while its still in my hand. I then get ticked and go "wait she still looking through it." She then gets snippy and goes "well I guess that's what I get for handing it to you."

Please post your thoughts, opinions, advice.

 

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[Lost&Found]

If my hand is on it then it's in my possession till I put it down. The situation reminds me of vultures descending on a carcass and establishing a feeding hierarchy. Usually civility prevails and other buyers show respect by asking are you buying that? For me there is no item worth that much to get into an argument over whether I am the one holding it or "just missed out". There will always be another score for me.

If someone else scores then I am happy for them. If I was not this way I don't think I could read any of the threads on the forum.

 

[s.tan]

Its a tough one and I understand how the situation put you in a bad position. "You" weren't going through the box (your wife was) and the "lady" (we'll use the term loosely) had handed your wife the box and felt that since "you" weren't looking through it, it was open game. Obviously it was still really rude since the box was in your hand. To have avoided putting you in a bad position, the first question is what happened that your wife was unable to complete her examination of the contents? It would obviously have been better for your wife to have looked through it completely and then moved on. The solution for next time you are asked to "hold" onto something might be for you to pretend to examine the material that you are "holding" indicating that it is unavailable. Just some thoughts.

 

[jason4kstate]

Its a tough one and I understand how the situation put you in a bad position. "You" weren't going through the box (your wife was) and the "lady" (we'll use the term loosely) had handed your wife the box and felt that since "you" weren't looking through it, it was open game. Obviously it was still really rude since the box was in your hand. To have avoided putting you in a bad position, the first question is what happened that your wife was unable to complete her examination of the contents? It would obviously have been better for your wife to have looked through it completely and then moved on. The solution for next time you are asked to "hold" onto something might be for you to pretend to examine the material that you are "holding" indicating that it is unavailable. Just some thoughts.

She wasn't quite done looking through the last two pieces. She had her hand near one of the pieces the other woman was trying to get at. I think it freaked her out that my wife was about to examine the piece she really wanted which caused her to reach.

 

[jamey]

i think the lady has been reading too much on tn...i always want to be nice even with rude ones,and there is always something else to go after out there part of the game i guess,dont let it get to ya.

 

[releventchair]

I might develop a retching cough her way.

 

[jpdriver1]

or a little elbow use?

 

[Rodbuster209]

I have had simular incidents like what happened to you, normally if there is alot of people around and interested I usually buy all of it,my wife can go through it later and then unload what she doesn't want. People here are extremely aggressive when it comes to jewelry, costume or real, especially if it is a jewelry box with loose pieces. Good Luck!

 

[jerseyben]

Happens all the time in my neck of the woods. Have practically gotten into fights with people in very similar situations.

 

[diggummup]

Been there done that, and will again i'm sure. If it's in a box and you have possession of that box, it's all yours until your done going through it, period. It's called etiquette or common courtesy. Granted, this has become a thing of the past lately, but if your ever at a sale with me and you reach into a box i'm holding, I will remind you very quickly that it is mine, mine, all mine. lol

 

[cyberdan]

If my hand is on it then it's in my possession till I put it down. The situation reminds me of vultures descending on a carcass and establishing a feeding hierarchy.

I was at one sale last year and see a big box (maybe 11 x 17 and 4" deep) of bagged jewelry on a table. As i get closer there was one guy poking around in the box. I pick up something in one corner and this guy slaps my hand like a mother would do to a three year old. I yell at him, what the ____ do you think you are doing? He says this is his territory (or something like that) with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I was as ticked off with the smoke as I was with him. I know the owner saw the whole thing but didn't come over. I left because it was not worth going to jail over and ruin the rest of my yardsale shopping day.

 

[Dak]

I was at one sale last year and see a big box (maybe 11 x 17 and 4" deep) of bagged jewelry on a table. As i get closer there was one guy poking around in the box. I pick up something in one corner and this guy slaps my hand like a mother would do to a three year old. I yell at him, what the ____ do you think you are doing? He says this is his territory (or something like that) with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I was as ticked off with the smoke as I was with him. I know the owner saw the whole thing but didn't come over. I left because it was not worth going to jail over and ruin the rest of my yardsale shopping day.

you are a good person. peace