Bat houses should be free...

[harryball]

What can I say...

We had someone call me directly. They wanted several bat houses because bats are flying around.

OK, they are $X for the single... err... what's that?

"Oh, I don't have any money to buy one, I just need you to send me one..."

Huh?

"I'm in Georgia, we have bats around and I need a bat house. That's what you do, I just need you to send me one."

OK... and... why would I send you a free bat house?

"That's what you do right? You make houses for bats, that's what I was told."

OK, We SELL bat houses and do bat education. I don't know who told you we give bat houses away for free. We do have bat houses that are damaged or I could get you one unpainted to make it cheaper...

"No no, I mean we need to have a bat house to put up for the bats. That's what you do, you put bat houses up and we need you to come put one up. I don't want to buy one, you just need to come put one up for the bats."

--- OK, so at this point I'm thinking this guy must be misinformed somewhere down the line and I explain a little about who we are and what we do again. We don't work for the State or anyone, we do this as a business to make a living etc...

"Yeah yeah, but you just need to send us one 'cause we can't afford to pay for one."

--- So now I'm sure my phone is now getting service all the way to the twilight zone.

Sir, we can't just give our bat houses away. No one gives me the material, the machinery, the electricity, the food I need to live or anything to make these bat houses. So if I give them away, where am I suppose to get the money from to do all this?

"Man, I thought you guys helped bats. I see how it is, you're just in it for the money..."

No, there are many other things I could do for money that would make more money and be easier than this. I do enjoy doing this, I like helping the bats and teaching about bats but in order to do it this I have to make money to do it.

"Well you get it from the State, they helpin you do this stuff. They've got money to do it. You send us the bat house so we can put it up for the bats that' s what the State gives you money for, right? ..."

No, we do not get State funding, or grants or anything.

"Aww.. you know you do..."



--- I wish I could have recorded the call. What leaves me sad is how serious the guy was. How perfectly logical it was to him that I should just send him a bat house for free. How reasonable it was to him that government pay for it and how sure he was that we get money from the goverment and the only reason I won't send him a bat house for free is because I'm greedy.

Just someone tell me this isn't how the majority think? We are doing something about this kind of thinking, right?

No... don't answer that.

/RB

[shilala]

When I got to "Man, I thought you guys helped bats. I see how it is, you're just in it for the money...", I cracked up. Sorry, brother.
Did you ever see the show on tv, the pawn shop in Detroit? The entire show is the story you repeated, just over and over again. A buddy of mine has a pawn shop and I've been on the phone with him while he's dealing with this sort of thing. He's so used to it that he just makes a game out of it. It's absolutely hilarious.
Take it at face value and laugh it off, it's just plain ridiculous.

[Rob Gunn]

Wow, I wish I could say I am surprised but this type of thinking has become way to common. Yea, "just get the money from the state". And where do these idiots think the state gets the money? From us working tax payers. Not the dead-beat non-working welfare "want a free bat house" idiot! OK, now I feel better that I got to rant a little.

[jerry_stanek]

Gee I want one of those government bat houses maybe I could get 2 as I have a large area to cover.

[harryball]

When I got to "Man, I thought you guys helped bats. I see how it is, you're just in it for the money...", I cracked up. Sorry, brother.
Did you ever see the show on tv, the pawn shop in Detroit? The entire show is the story you repeated, just over and over again. A buddy of mine has a pawn shop and I've been on the phone with him while he's dealing with this sort of thing. He's so used to it that he just makes a game out of it. It's absolutely hilarious.
Take it at face value and laugh it off, it's just plain ridiculous.

Yeah... gotta laugh if off. It's disturbing though. If I was sure that mindset wasn't in the majority and allowed to vote I could laugh harder.

/RB

[kartracer63]

Oh man... I would have had so much fun with this guy.

I would have said, "sure... we supply bat houses". "But, to qualify for the bat house you'll need to fill out some paperwork and answer some questions".

I would have actually taken the time to draft a 3 or 4 page form with questions related to the bats in his area, including questions that he would only know if he was to get up close and personal with some of the bats (like size and color of genitalia, color of the guano and if there were any other specs of a different color present, etc...).

I would have asked him to attach photos of the bats he's concerned with to the form when he submits it.

If he actually did all of this work and then submitted it to me, I'd be so heartless and send him back a rejection letter, but thanking him for his concern.

[rcnewcomb]

Robert,

You need to lobby your representatives to hurry up and pass The Affordable Bat House Act of 2012

(My father told me you only want to do business with 95% of the population. He was right.)

[harryball]

Oh man... I would have had so much fun with this guy.

I would have said, "sure... we supply bat houses". "But, to qualify for the bat house you'll need to fill out some paperwork and answer some questions".

I would have actually taken the time to draft a 3 or 4 page form with questions related to the bats in his area, including questions that he would only know if he was to get up close and personal with some of the bats (like size and color of genitalia, color of the guano and if there were any other specs of a different solor present, etc...).

I would have asked him to attach photos of the bats he's concerned with to the form when he submits it.

If he actually did all of this work and then submitted it to me, I'd be so heartless and send him back a rejection letter, but thanking him for his concern.

ROFL... dang I wish I wasn't so preoccupied sometimes to think stuff up like that. We're plugging away and discovered I need to buy a new spindle (the current one is lightly toasted) and I was in way too a serious a mood when I answered the call.

I think if he'd done all that I'd have sent him a bat house!

And maybe there is a government program for spindles... hadn't thought of that.

/RB

[michael_schwartz]

ROFL... dang I wish I wasn't so preoccupied sometimes to think stuff up like that. We're plugging away and discovered I need to buy a new spindle (the current one is lightly toasted) and I was in way too a serious a mood when I answered the call.

I think if he'd done all that I'd have sent him a bat house!

And maybe there is a government program for spindles... hadn't thought of that.

/RB

Considering some of the things tax dollars get spent on It would be a better use of money.

[michael_schwartz]

Oh man... I would have had so much fun with this guy.

I would have said, "sure... we supply bat houses". "But, to qualify for the bat house you'll need to fill out some paperwork and answer some questions".

I would have actually taken the time to draft a 3 or 4 page form with questions related to the bats in his area, including questions that he would only know if he was to get up close and personal with some of the bats (like size and color of genitalia, color of the guano and if there were any other specs of a different color present, etc...).

I would have asked him to attach photos of the bats he's concerned with to the form when he submits it.

If he actually did all of this work and then submitted it to me, I'd be so heartless and send him back a rejection letter, but thanking him for his concern.

It sounds like you have done something like this before.