Good people exist somewhere out there.
My place was robbed sometime ago. It was mentioned here, there and elsewhere some time ago so I consider it a widely known fact. I found a noticeboard for stolen photographic equipment so I left the description of my missing toys, serial names included. Nothing happened.
Then the police arrested some guys among whose things my necklace was (and it's still at the police, I'll get it only when no-one else claims it or what....). And nothing more happened. Occasionally a letter comes informing me on some progress or lack of it.... but yesterday a guy called.
"Is it Ms. .....?"
"Yeah, in person, how can I help you?"
"Am I calling the right place?"
"depends on what you need...."
"You see, I went to [the best secondhand photographic stuff store in the city. With particularly good reputation] and I saw a shift lens there.... and then I went to check some technical parameters and found your notice on the stolen one... and you know, the numbers match so I just wanted to tell you that it's there."
"Blah?"
The rest of the conversation can be omitted.I created a few thanks, promised some chocolate to the guy and went to find the number of the local police station who is investigating the robbery. after trying the online phonebook (useless as usual) I found some letter form them, called them.... The police guy wasn't really getting how come that a total stranger knew about my stolen lens, I had to explain it like three times. And, as the conversation proceeded, the cop told me that they don't have internet at the office so I looked up the address of the abovementioned shop, its opening hours, I told him where and how to find the stolen noticeboard and it was hilarious and sad at the same time. He scribbled it all down and promised to call back.
After half an hour he called. He asked about the noticeboard again, how it works and that it's a cool thingie indeed, then he wanted the phone number of that fair guy (who could have happily got the lens cheaply, it costs like 1600 euros when new......), and wanted me to explain once more how come that this guy just called me. Maybe after serving at the police for a few years he only couldn't believe that there are people like that and needed to hear the story once more... dunno.
However, he promised to call back again later on to let me know how things are. Later in the evening the police caled again telling me that their colleagues from the police station downtown went to confiscate my poor innocent lens, that it's at the police in a drawer and that I'll get it back after the necessary paperwork.
I made a rough guess that with this speed I'll get my Dior eye paint in April 2009 and at around 2035 my thesis could be found.
It felt nice. It it always nice to know that the world isn't full only of selfish morons and that some sort of solidarity works.... The shift lens, for that matter, isn't a thing one gives to an auntie so that she could take pics of her dogs, it's a professional equipment and that's why it's rare to find it used. Pros hardly ever sell their toys. And normal people don't buy shift lenses. Should I find it secondhand, I would check as well, for that matter. So, some solidarity apparently worked, you're photographer, I'm a photographer, we're buddies and buddies don't do bad things to each other.
And since my blonde brain logic tells me Where is the lens, there will be the camera, I'll go check today. Just in case.
Then the police arrested some guys among whose things my necklace was (and it's still at the police, I'll get it only when no-one else claims it or what....). And nothing more happened. Occasionally a letter comes informing me on some progress or lack of it.... but yesterday a guy called.
"Is it Ms. .....?"
"Yeah, in person, how can I help you?"
"Am I calling the right place?"
"depends on what you need...."
"You see, I went to [the best secondhand photographic stuff store in the city. With particularly good reputation] and I saw a shift lens there.... and then I went to check some technical parameters and found your notice on the stolen one... and you know, the numbers match so I just wanted to tell you that it's there."
"Blah?"
The rest of the conversation can be omitted.I created a few thanks, promised some chocolate to the guy and went to find the number of the local police station who is investigating the robbery. after trying the online phonebook (useless as usual) I found some letter form them, called them.... The police guy wasn't really getting how come that a total stranger knew about my stolen lens, I had to explain it like three times. And, as the conversation proceeded, the cop told me that they don't have internet at the office so I looked up the address of the abovementioned shop, its opening hours, I told him where and how to find the stolen noticeboard and it was hilarious and sad at the same time. He scribbled it all down and promised to call back.
After half an hour he called. He asked about the noticeboard again, how it works and that it's a cool thingie indeed, then he wanted the phone number of that fair guy (who could have happily got the lens cheaply, it costs like 1600 euros when new......), and wanted me to explain once more how come that this guy just called me. Maybe after serving at the police for a few years he only couldn't believe that there are people like that and needed to hear the story once more... dunno.
However, he promised to call back again later on to let me know how things are. Later in the evening the police caled again telling me that their colleagues from the police station downtown went to confiscate my poor innocent lens, that it's at the police in a drawer and that I'll get it back after the necessary paperwork.
I made a rough guess that with this speed I'll get my Dior eye paint in April 2009 and at around 2035 my thesis could be found.
It felt nice. It it always nice to know that the world isn't full only of selfish morons and that some sort of solidarity works.... The shift lens, for that matter, isn't a thing one gives to an auntie so that she could take pics of her dogs, it's a professional equipment and that's why it's rare to find it used. Pros hardly ever sell their toys. And normal people don't buy shift lenses. Should I find it secondhand, I would check as well, for that matter. So, some solidarity apparently worked, you're photographer, I'm a photographer, we're buddies and buddies don't do bad things to each other.
And since my blonde brain logic tells me Where is the lens, there will be the camera, I'll go check today. Just in case.
posted by Karolina Krátká at 10:55
<< Home