Epay Stories - Mink Jacket of Marilyn Monroe

Epay Stories

  Mink Jacket of Marilyn Monroe

  By

  Max E. Harris

  Copyright 2014 Max E. Harris

  rev. 1.01

  This edition of Epay Stories Mink Jacket of Marilyn Monroe has been updated and revised.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  The characters and events in this story are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Table of Contents

  Preface

  Mink Jacket of Marilyn Monroe

  About the Author

  Preface

  This story if one in a series of fictional narratives of activities related to purchases on the Internet. Of course, there are many true stories that begin with an ecommerce sale. People who buy or sell on the internet often encounter events they did not expect. Either there is an upset in the purchase, something happens in the delivery, or the object traded is not what the buyer thought he was buying. With goodwill and perseverance most of the misunderstandings can be resolved. Like any transaction at a distance, there is this chance for miscommunication. Sometimes the most interesting events occur when the buyer starts examining and using the item purchased, for better or worse.

  Mink Jacket of Marilyn Monroe

  November 15.

  This is the day I always start my Christmas shopping for my family and friends. You should understand that I am an industrial production planner in a bearing factory: I live by a calendar and a clock. Actually, it's more like a stopwatch than a clock. Everything has its place in the schedule. When the schedule is violated, Armageddon can only be one step or one day beyond.

  Part of what makes a process flow smoothly is using past experience whenever possible. For this I have my list of recipients and their preferred gift. The best recipients are those who can be satisfied with a consumable. If they consume it soon enough, they are pleased to receive the same thing a year later. Maybe even before that, like for a birthday. A trip to the liquor store takes care of at least 75% of people including my brother Jim. The drinkers are usually pleased with a bottle of a good whisky. The non-drinkers are either meat eaters or vegetarians, a relatively rare breed in my part of the country. A good smoked meat does the trick. One year I buy all turkeys, the following it is hams. Then back to turkeys. As with my job, I have preferred vendors which again makes life less dramatic.

  The one problem I always have is with Jim's wife Laurie. She has everything she wants for the house. Jim gives her more intimate gifts including perfumes so she makes me have to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to decide what to buy her. This year I just got lucky.

  There was an old film on TV the other night from the late forties or early fifties. It included Marilyn Monroe and a couple other prominent actresses of the era. In one notable scene Monroe wore a mink jacket that was absolutely stunning on her. Laurie is no Marilyn Monroe but she still is very attractive. Jim travels a lot for his work. A few times a year when the trip is only for a few days and not to a small town in Minnesota, he takes her along to give her a flavor of the big city. They go to nice restaurants, see some good live entertainment, and have the opportunity to dress well. Laurie would really look great in a glossy fur coat.

  My preferred source for anything I can't find in my local grocery store or hardware store is Epay. Good selection and negotiable prices. My job is like that, too. I buy good quality and have a good selection of vendors. It works about the same for sporting goods or mink coats. Or at least that's what I thought. The difference between a new object and a used or previously owned object is the used item has acquired something of a history all its own. If you just want a good quality product, the new item with a warranty is the better choice. But for a little romance, that historic patina really adds value. Sometimes the patina is the only value. You see guys buying old cars and rebuilding them from the ground up. All the original car had left was the reputation it had established. Like a demented old general in a nursing home.

  Not being familiar with this category of clothing it came as somewhat of a surprise to see the great variety of fur coverings. From almost single animals to full length coats there was a vast range of furs in various conditions. This is why I love Epay. In 1990 there would have been no way for someone in a small town in the center of the country to be able to shop amongst such a great variety of offerings. In a half hour's time I had learned the lingo of the fur business. "Guard" hairs. Who knew? Now I know. Most anything you buy comes from a class of items that have their own special language, whether it is fur coats or farm equipment. The internet makes it possible to become familiar with any area of interest in a relatively short time at virtually no cost. Having said that, generally all you can do is read descriptions and look at pictures so it is not as good as being guided by an expert in the field in front of real samples. Looking at a rose is not smelling the rose or being stuck by its thorns.