Home depot lawn border

Hey Astoria!
We've searched high and low (aka Home Depot, Best Buy, Bjs and Costco) and all air purifiers seem to be sold out. Does anyone have a spare they'd be willing to let us borrow or buy? I'm 6 months pregnant and the smell of the smoke indoors is making me feel pretty gross. Thank you so much!

Last month, I was driving along the highway, coming back from a trip to my grandpa's house. I can't remember the exact second, but as I was driving, apparently a truck collided with my car and I was knocked unconscious. While I was out, I fell into a dream. One that will stick with me.
I need to type as many details as possible, so here's every single thing I remember.
I was a 7 year old boy, living in New Jersey rather than my real world home state of Massachusetts. My parents would drop me off at a school I never went to in the real world, and I would play with friends I never met.
2024 and 2025 were calm, upbeat years for me. I didn't care much for world events, so I barely paid attention to the news. It was just my toys, Disney Plus, and my friends, Josh, Emily, and Ryan. We played war and crime themed video games and watched hilarious videos on social media.
2026, however, was when things took a bit of a downturn. In March, my friend, Josh, died in a car accident, and they noticed his eyeballs were missing from their sockets after the wreck. I was shown a picture for god knows what reason, and I teared up as I saw my friend's red eye sockets and lifeless face.
That night, I kept my bedroom light on. I don't know exactly what time it was when this happened, but I was lying on my back, staring at the wall when a pair of black pants popped up out of nowhere at the foot of my bed. Sidetracked, I looked up and saw a rusted face. The thing, whatever I saw, vanished as I made eye contact with it. My heart dropped and I called for my Mom.
I chalked it up to the thing having been a ghost. I brought it up to my friends, Ryan and Emily, the next day. Emily told me she was in the car behind the one Josh was in, and saw a man with a rusted-looking face running towards the car, but for some reason she doesn't remember what happened next. Chills ran down my spine as I realized the man was real.
Together, my friends and I decided he was a ghost we needed to avoid. This pact made me feel less alone, and being as afraid of the ghost as I was, decided to never break it.
I slept under my covers to avoid seeing him, and I didn't see him again until the trip I took to Canada's Wonderland that summer. I was riding the Leviathan when I swore I saw a man a few rows ahead of where I sat, with a rust-coloured neck. The adrenaline I felt riding the coaster turned to panic. Time slowed and I wanted off the ride.
This man stole my friend's eyes and was probably after mine too. Once I was off the roller coaster, I looked around frantically for him. I managed to catch him walking into a bathroom. Was he following me? I begged my Mom to take me home as soon as possible.
My friends and I decided to go hunting for the man one day. I think before the end of August 2026. We walked into a nearby forest and waited for an hour. We didn't know where he came from, but Emily pointed out he was around at times we felt the most emotional, and we were telling each other how scared we were of him, which had to count.
Fortunately, he didn't show up. I was overwhelmed with chills, and told the two I didn't want to search for the rusted man anymore, and began walking home.
2027 and 2028 were my preteen years. I took my mind off of the rusted man by focusing on my favourite shows and musical artists. For the sake of getting all the details down, I watched a lot of Simpsons, Gumball, and this show called Camedon that went viral in 2027. The music I listened to was a rapper named Pestilence 40 and a pop singer named Rhonda Miller. In the Spring of 2028, I realized I was Asexual and Aromantic, meaning I didn't feel a sense of attraction towards anybody.
I spent a lot of time researching my favourite things while I'd overhear my parents freak out over a war that involved China. I have a hard time remembering anything more about said war.
The next time I saw the rusted man was shortly after I turned 13 in 2029. I was going through the pictures of my trip to Chicago, and, at the bottom of my camera roll, there was a picture of his face. I jumped.
When did that happen?
I went into the photo's details tab and found out it was dated February 5, 1950. Odd, considering there's no way the phone I was using was manufactured anytime around that year, but I sent it to my friends. Both of them responded by telling me the image was coming up blank. I went back to my Gallary, intenting to study the image closely, but it was gone.
A lot of the time after that were just casual memories of being dropped off at school, playing GTA 6 with friends, watching my favorite shows, listening to my favourite music, and joking about Secret Wars on Reddit and a viral app called BL. Nothing much about the man...
That is, until sometime in 2032, when I saw him walk by my bedroom window while I was right in the middle of a depressive episode. The chills I felt were one of the four emotional highs I felt that year. For the rest of the year, and for a lot of the following year, I felt numb, anxious, and mentally vacant. I barely cared about anything. Not even the man, or the flu epidemic going on at the time.
My friends were going through the same thing, so we exchanged affirmations and shared quotes from singers who were part of an indie wave trying to bring music back to its Billie Eilish phase. I was pretty much over the man at that point. I cared so much less about him, I considered seeking him out to let him kill me. I didn't think I was going to make it to 2034 anyway... so, why not?
Then in 2033, my depression began to lift, and I started to dread the thought of him again. I started drawing pictures of him and posted them on BL. Over the course of months, I gained a following who claimed to have seen him too. Some told me they saw him in their dreams, some told me they spotted him in a crowd, and others saw him in the window of a house they happened to be driving or walking by. Then there were a few people who told me they saw him running across roads and ripping eyeballs out of the heads of homeless people. By the end of the year, I had 10,000 followers.
In 2034, articles were being published about him. He became one of those big internet mysteries with dozens of videos and posts revolving around him and his actions, with some specific autobiographical drawings of mine being used as artistic renditions.
Some people made and posted highly vivid AI generated videos of him performing various tasks like midnight break-ins, murders, and to be jokingly relatable, cooking and cleaning. The videos looked like big budget movies, and, as I watched each of them, I got a deeper sense of dread. I avoided watching the videos altogether, as they began to scare the living shit out of me.
There was a popular form of technology at the time that let people share thoughts and feelings with others. Aside from, joking around with my friends, I used it to let people feel exactly how I felt during my encounters with him. I told them I hoped we'd get to a point where we'd be able to share memories with others, in order to give them the full observer experience.
In the fall of 2036, the FBI announced they were on the case of the rusted man after a string of murders across the US left victims without their eyeballs. I was overwhelmed with chills as I read the announcement. It was official confirmation of the rusted man's existence. I called the police, reporting my encounters with the rusted man. They told me they'd keep a look out for him.
Throughout 2037, 2038, and 2039, I'd hear reports about more victims being robbed of their eyes, yet no official photos or video of the rusted man ever surfaced. There were dozens of fakes all over the internet that were debunked, and I just wanted an official one. At the same time, however, I wanted it to be a hoax. I wanted it to turn out the man with a rusted face was just a murderer trying to become notorious by cosplaying an internet legend. I distracted myself from the whole fiasco by keeping up with the mission to Mars.
In 2040, the lack of photo and video evidence of the rusted man began to bug me. That was until that summer, when something was found. The FBI released security cam footage showing a man with a rust coloured face beating a police officer in a parking lot. His face resembled a mask, but looked organic at the same time. It was him. I knew it in my gut. Comments from other victims commented the same.
"That's him! I can't believe it took this long to get official footage of him."
"Yep. Definitely him. Right down to his eyes. I feel cold watching that."
"Yes, that is the man who stalked me when I was 7."
I too felt cold watching it. I deleted it from my search history and closed all my blinds. He was real. It was confirmed. I knew needed to hide away, even though I hadn't seen the man since I was 13. My friends told me they felt the same way.
The early 2040s were full of fear and doing as many things from home as possible. I made most of my money from making videos about music and movies. Occasionally, I'd make a video about the man, but only whenever he hit the news. I decided to share part of my revenue with my friends so they didn't need to go out as much and risk another encounter with the man. Luckily, most people just ordered food online anyway, which solved the hunger thing.
Sharing revenue with my friends became more important amidst a recession I only barely remember taking place in 2041 through 2043.
I began to go outside more in late 2043/early 2044. The man hadn't been in the news for a year, so I joked the FBI had caught him and found out he was an alien. It found it weird he was only reported in Canada and the US. Maybe it wasn't so weird in actuality, but it was as if something was missing. Like he was present in other places, but no reports had gotten out. I chalked it up to a random assumption and went along with my days.
In the summer of 2044, I discovered a conspiracy forum dedicated to the rusted man. I can remember some of the post titles quite vividly.
"The 'Rusted Man': what is his face really made of?"
"Is the Rusted Man the Last Resort for the US Government on Homelessness?"
"DNA CONNECTS THE RUSTED MAN TO DINAH CORTEZ"
I got out of that forum right away and blocked it from my search results. There was no reason to read any of that bologna...
Throughout 2045, Pop singers would insert references to the rusted man into their promotional music videos, but they usually either butchered him, had him get arrested, or portrayed him as a metaphor for the singer's own mental health issues.
While I was glad he was getting attention, I kinda regretted giving him so much coverage, as it meant I had to hear about him everywhere all the time. I brought it up to Emily.
"Yeah, but, I feel the same way," she said. "I sometimes wish I could hit a button and give everyone amnesia for a week."
While I kept hearing about him, I sure as hell hadn't seen him for a while. I thought I was free of him. Maybe he just left me alone... Maybe he leaves certain people alone after teasing them for a bit...
I was wrong. On one especially sunny afternoon in September 2045, I was jogging along the sidewalk on a road not too far from where I lived. I couldn't help but notice the sky looked like a painting. A really good one at that. As I stared up at the oddity, I bumped into somebody. My face colliding with theirs. Their complexion was odd. It was rough and almost felt like duct tape at the same time. I looked at him and told him I was sorry, but that's when I saw his face.
It was him. The fucking man with the fucking rusted out face. I went cold and felt I needed to force myself to step backwards. When I did, the man let out a chilling shriek. It sounded metallic, but like the climax of a sneeze at the same time. He stared into my eyes, which began to tingle. My heart dropped and I broke the stare, turning around and sprinting along the sidewalk.
Once I got home, I shut all my curtains, reported the man to the police, and texted my friends about the encounter. All I could think was, how long do I have to go through this? At least I was 29 years old, so people would believe it when I say it happened to me. I wasn't a kid anymore, but even then, I wished the rusted man was nothing more than a normal childhood hallucination.
I went to my doctor for my eyes, just to make sure they were alright. He found an odd transparent substance under each of my eyelids and referred me to a specialist. Some tests were done and I was told substance was the same one found in every crime scene involving the rusted man. They concluded I needed to be quarantined in my home for upwards of 20 years. I'm not kidding. That was the protocol.
During quarantine, the man never showed up at, or in, my house. I could only wonder what he was doing other than probably killing somebody. I dreaded the idea of him showing up. I had nightmares once a week... other than that, I still had access to the internet, so I watched as society developed while I was unable to go outside.
A political uprising happened in favour of conservatism in 2046, which was met with equal push from the liberal side due to proclaimations of violence towards those that wanted science to be taught in school.
In 2050, Russia collapsed and fell into a civil war, but was avenged by China and India.
By 2053, we were able to use MRI-like devices to project imagined images onto a screen. I ordered one for $100 and used it to recreate my memories of the rusted man and share them online. They were chilling to look at, so I considered not opening them for a while.
In 2056, a major cyberattack brought down various websites. Luckily, no archival sites were taken down.
Personally I just spent the years making content and building a fanbase that sent me emails all the time. The switch from foldable phones to perfectly flexible phones in the late 40s was fun. The phasing out of laptops due to phones becoming ever more useful was welcome.
Things were pretty normal for that stretch of time, aside from the quarantining. I got pretty used to it though, and developed a habit of jogging on the spot for exercise.
Throughout the 2050s, the rusted man made the news once a month. Throughout the early 2060s, he was making the news once a week. This I wanted to look at the news less often, but I had to because it was important. It didn't matter how dreadful the increased volume of attacks was.
Throughout the mid 2060s, reports came out about him destroying AIs, possibly because he didn't have high tech glasses that identified AIs as one of its features, so he likely thought they were human. This led to an upping of security around AIs and advancements in their security protocols. By 2067, a report came out stating less AIs were getting attacked by him.
The man spent the rest of the 2060s and the beginning of the 2070s continuing his murder spree without much to be discovered about him. He was still an unsolved mystery, and had become one of the most notorious figures of the 21st Century.
In 2071, reports about the rusted man's eye thieving became daily and worldwide. Major news talking heads began pushing the idea the rusted man is an alien who could attack a major celebrity or politician. Or course, celebrities and politicians upped their security ten-fold during the mid-2060s due to the weekly attacks, so nothing could go wrong, right?
That's what I thought, until May 2073, when a famous rapper named Fenny DON was found dead, inside his Atlanta mansion, without both his eyes. The security cameras caught the rusted man popping out of nowhere (in a very specific way that's difficult to explain. Either way, I went cold watching it,) restraining the rapper to their bed, removing their eyes, then vigorously ripping their brain out of their head. It was mortifying, and many people said they refuse to watch it, recreate it, share it, etc, but everybody had to have seen the screen shot of the man standing in the rapper's bedroom one second after appearing out of thin air. It was shared all over the internet for months. The video itself was proof this guy could teleport and move objects telekinetically.
The Pentagon released a report soon after, which included speculation about the rusted man's intentions. It was thought the rusted man was after people's eyes because they are impossible to reproduce alone and nothing beats them in terms of perception.
That wasn't the only thing I was wondering, however.
"Why he needs them is still very unknown and multiple theories so far haven't passed the merit test."
There it was. It needed to be figured out soon, because I wanted to know. I anticipated the day the truth came to be known. I needed the damn closure so bad.
In March 2074, I started to thinking of my life as wasted by the rusted man and my fear of him. I was 59 and rotting from the inside out. I didn't open up to my friends about it until I started slipping into a depression in May, despite my quarantine having just ended. That was when my friends told me the most assuring thing they could.
"Remember the little things, and we're here for you," Emily said.
"Yeah, all we can do now is whatever we want to do, because we're probably going to be killed at some point anyway," Ryan said.
It was cliche, but true. The emptiness lingered on through mid 2075, then it sorta lifted. Maybe I was desensitized, but at least I had my friends and the emotionally cathartic shows I was watching.
By the end of that year, I was thinking of upping my dosage of anti-depressants. Emily, Ryan, and I, were hanging out a lot more to make each other happier in spite of our emptiness and fear the rusted man would barge into our homes, randomly appear on the foot of our beds, or chase us down a road. And it was working. On December 29th, I felt the emptiness lift. Who needed pills? We just needed to stick together, like we always had. Emily suggested covering our heads to confuse the man, but I pointed out we'd need to know when he would arrive. We can't wear bags on our heads forever.
"We'll figure something out," Emily said.
In mid April 2076, I was eating dinner when I started hearing a loud rushing water-like sound coming from outside. I went outside to check out what was going on, but I couldn't find the source. I watched as my next door neighbor walked out onto their front porch, then the neighbor directly across the street stepped onto their porch, both of them looked up at the sky with looks of confusion.
I checked the news later on to find the sound was being reported all over Canada, all over the US, in the UK, Australia, Spain, Japan, South Africa, Chile... then pretty much everywhere else. The entire world was hearing this thing. The noise went on for days, then weeks, comments under articles were mixed about the sound. Some thought it was annoying, others enjoyed its fuzzyness. Both Emily and Ryan both told me they thought it was ear-piercingly horrible. Comedians joked about aliens, and NASA started to theorize it was actually extraterrestrial in nature. The sound finally faded in June 2076, and Emily, Ryan, and dozens of people across the internet expressed their relief.
Around August 10, 2076, I was mowing my lawn when I noticed him standing across the street from my house. The rusted man. He stared my way, not moving an inch. As he stared sinisterly into my soul, I was overwhelmed with chills. But that wasn't it. I noticed something off about the my surroundings. The trees, bushes, grass, were no longer moving in the wind. The man even looked static himself. I couldn't help but stare at the oddity. Everything that should've been moving just seemed so two-dimensional all of a sudden.
I pulled my digital glasses out of my pocket and attempted to call the police, but the numbers weren't in the right order. Attempting to dial 9-1-1 brought up a different combination of three numbers each time.
I sprinted back inside and shut all the curtains again, except for the ones in the kitchen, as they refused to move when I tried to shut them.
Over the following week, the fleeting rushing sound returned to the sky. This time, it sounded familiar. Not just because I heard it for two months straight not too long before. It seemed as if I had always known that sound. I realized it more and more as the weeks went on. In early September 2076, I went to the Museum. On my way to there, I noticed the trees were still static and fake looking. I tried my best to not even think about them, but rather on the technology of the early 21st Century.
When my phone decided to work, I texted Emily. Apparently, I had missed 20 messages from her, but I was too freaked out about my surroundings.
"Does anything seem off about the trees?" I asked.
"No? They look fine to me," Emily responded.
"They look fake all of a sudden. The grass too," I said. "Also, I feel like I've heard The Buzzy Static long before this year, and sometimes my phone looks off, which is why I missed your messages."
"Have you told your doctor about this?" she asked.
I hadn't, but I decided to make an appointment. On the day of the appointment, my doctor immediately diagnosed me with Schizophrenia, but I knew there was more to what I was experiencing. The day after my visit to the doctor, Emily and Ryan came over. I showed them the trees across the street and the grass on my lawn. I told them how fake it looked to me. They told me it all looked normal. They didn't notice anything unusual like I did, which only made my obsession deeper. I looked around at everything for a while. My friends tried to convince me to do stuff with them, but I refused. Eventually, they left, and I stood there, trying to make sense of what I was seeing.
Every day, I stood in my front yard for two hours, looking at the trees, bushes, and grass. In late September, the Buzzy Static began to feel more localized to my heart, and I could hear a subtle wooshing along with the buzzing. It too came from the sky.
By mid October, the sound dissipated, but the ambient noise was still going strong. People would walk past my house like there was no sound coming from the sky at all. On October 15, 2076, I stood on my front lawn, listening to the wooshing noise, and watching the trees cease to convince me they were normal. Then, the wooshing sounded localized to my lawn, and then it hit me.
None of this is real.
Suddenly, I immediately alternated from standing to laying down on my lawn without having moved a muscle. I was staring up at the sky, which was getting brighter. I could feel my heart beating. I began to hyperventilate, as this was new to me.
Where the hell am I going?
I looked at the unrealistic trees, then everything went blurry. Pain erupted in my chest, then I was lying on a stretcher. I wanted to move, but I was in shock.
What the... hell...? What's happening right now?
Then I remembered my life. My real life. Then the drive... The crash... I fished my phone out and looked at the date. May 23rd. I checked the calendar for the year. It was 2023. I was overcome with a heavy feeling of sadness. I thought I had spent 53 years being friends with two amazing people, but I was really just... unconscious for a short time?
I can't stop thinking about Emily and Ryan. The whole thing about the rusted man was crazy, but some things will never make sense. Last Thursday, I was sweeping my room, still feeling like I had lost real friends, when I turned around to sweep near the door and saw... the rusted man standing right outside my room. I went cold. It was really him... that rust coloured face... those eyes... I thought I was hallucinating at first. I knew I wasn't dreaming though, as you know when you're awake when you're dead awake. The rusted man lunged at me, and, before I could react, I was being tackled to the ground.
This isn't a hallucination at all... Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Dread overcame me as I struggled. Pain shot up through my back. At some point, I managed to get him off of me, then I sprinted into the living room and out the back door. I didn't have my phone with me, so I couldn't call the police. I looked back and saw the man's silhouette in the door frame. He lunged at me through the dark of the night. My heart sunk and I sprinted away, but tripped and fell face first onto the grass. Not a second later, I felt a painful thump.
I woke up in the hospital with that unexplainable liquid under my eyelids. The liquid I had in the same spot in the dream. My heart sank even further. Great... The doctors told me I'd be going in for testing, and asked me what happened. I told them, describing the man to them as well, but in a plausible way.
"He probably had face paint on or something. Something that made his face look like rusty metal."
Later that day, one of the doctors told me my tests have been scheduled for the 9th.
Just yestarday, I heard Emily's voice in a dream, but she was nowhere to be seen. I woke up with tears streaming down my face, wondering why the rusted man had to be real, but not the two people who were always there for me, or the other victims of the man himself.
My curtains have been shut for days now, I've informed my neighbors of the madman, and the police told me they're still on the lookout. All I want to know is who this man is, what he wants with my eyes, how much longer I'm going to live with him stalking me, and how dreaming truly works.

But I’m not a catfish, I promise. Everything else here is true… I think at least. 27, female, 168 cm, HWP, lifelong learner, strongly dislike the smell of cigarette smoke. Trying to decrease screen time, which will likely be more successful next week. Social omnivore (aka eat meat when there are enough people watching, the opposite of flexitarian, which is only eating meat when nobody is looking), mostly lacto-vegetarian at home.
Intimate: Prefer someone monogamous, close in age and in location because I am terrible at online relationships (IRL in case it was not clear). From that, you might be able to infer that I would like to meet sooner instead of us texting for two months first, conversation fizzling out, and me having to post again when reddit has a grand total of eight visitors a day. And in case you have not noticed, I exaggerate a lot. However, I take everything literally, which sometimes is frustrating, both for me and for whomever I am talking with. I say this because I think good communication is important in a relationship, as are aligned values, reliability, and spending time together. Do not want any kids (shocker, I know, on this sub), but pets are cool, as long as it is not something like a border collie (unless you have a huge farm with a bunch of livestock).
Platonic: Looking to create or join a friend group with childfree people, preferably working (or having worked) so we are at a similar stage in life and have more to talk about. Totally open to meeting people of all ages though! (Above 15 or 18 years old though, not sure what is an appropriate cutoff age for friendship. Just old enough that we are not babysitting you or making your parents wary of us.) I am not from the country, so I would like to make closer friends. Also so that we all have a friend group to hang out with (for when everyone else we know is busy with their kids). Maybe we could organize some activities together, like board game nights, group brunch/dinner, hikes, travel, etc. Though if you prefer parties and getting drunk, maybe we are not a great fit.

I tried Home Depot but it doesn't seem to have them. My neighbor and I want to locate survey pins on our properties but don't want to involve the city. Any suggestions?

Ember played with the boys on the floor, their hands reaching for him. Pouring over the files of the latest security breach on our magical borders, my eyes fell on Alex playing with his new friends outside. Waving at me, Jack embraced me from behind. Kissing the top of my head, it felt as if something big was going to happen today. A tender blush rose to my cheeks, my hand cupping his face.
“We need to raid an outpost today. Hopefully we can get information on the main headquarters.” He informed me warmly, biting my neck. Drinking his fill, my crippling anxiety stole any joy it normally would have given me. Missions like these frightened me, every cell in me wanted to turn into a raven and fly away for the day. Finishing up his breakfast, he set down an armored filled dress with leggings. Salford whispered something in his ear, sliding him a pair of car keys. Rising to my feet, I took my new outfit to our bedroom. Changing quickly, the dress felt heavy on my frame, the leggings seemed to be lined with chain mail. Pulling my hair into a ponytail, I ran into Jack on the way out. Embracing me lovingly, the keys dangled off of his fingers. Feeling his simple black suit, a light armor lined it. Chewing on my lips, our friends waited for us in matching black armor.
“We are ready to go.” Raven announced proudly, my eyes falling on Salford. “Salford said that he was going to watch the boys.” Adjusting their backpacks, weapons clanged in their bags. Guilt gnawed at me, the concept of putting them in danger sickening. My lips parted in protest, Raven raising her finger.
“We are coming. Those bastards killed my family and they are going to pay.” She asserted firmly, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Besides, I want to back my friend up.” A deep sadness haunted her eyes, my hands cupping hers. A gentle but broken smile dimmed her features, silent tears staining her cheeks.
“I appreciate it and I apologize for not being there to stop it. I ruined everyone’s life by not being there.” I choked out shamefully, bowing my head. “I failed you and everyone else. I will make it up to you guys, I fucking promise you that.” Grabbing my shoulder, her other hand lifted up my chin.
“You were busy doing your own shit. I heard you showed up, girl!” She chatted pleasantly, my shaking fingers wiping away her tears. “You have a place where humans and monsters get along with ease. Have you been sleeping? You look like hell.” A deadpan expression appeared on my face, her last comment ticking me off slightly. Brushing it off, Jack cleared his throat. Placing me on his back, he carried me to a delivery van. Hopping off of his back, I let myself in. The Tainsworth twins sat in the front with their armor on, Raven climbing in with Ruby. Messing with her curls, Raven basically sat on top of her. Adjusting my bell sleeves, the leather hugged my slender arms. Oppressive silence hung between us, Ruby refusing to look at me. Folding her arms across her chest, something needed to be said. Choosing not to say it, the time passed horribly slow. The van screeched to a halt, Jack pulling me into a hidden compartment. The door squeaked open, heavy footfalls echoed in the back.
“Who are you?” A gruff voice demanded, Ruby speaking up. Clearing her throat, her voice tone seemed rather bitter.
“We wish to join your ranks. I can’t stand vampires, especially their fucking queen. She could die for all I care.” She snapped hotly, truth oozing from her words. “She is hiding somewhere in this van.” Horror rounded our eyes, her betrayal striking us in the heart.” Opening the compartment hiding us, she took a step back. The hunters slapped handcuffs on us all, Ruby grinning evilly ear to ear. Wicked laughter rumbled in her throat, her head cocking back.
“I have been working with them the entire time. There is no information, just the home of your executions.” She gloated sensually, the twins cursing in her direction. “I am not even a teenager. I am a witch who has been alive for centuries. Can I tell you a secret? I am the leader of the hunters. Everyone else was just a puppet.” Sighing with satisfaction, she circled us. Tears welled up in my eyes, Raven sobbed softly next to me. Pulling a gun from her pocket, Ruby shot her in the head. Time slowed, the twins crying out. Emptying her gun into them, a broken wail burst from my lips. Their bodies dropped forward, ruby dripping from the holes in the middle of their foreheads. Jack twitched darkly next to me, my mind officially broken. His bangs hid his eyes, his claws extended from his fingernails. Unlocking his handcuffs, he pretended to get madder as he worked on mine. The metal clanged to the ground, Ruby’s eyes widening with terror. Tears blurred my vision, my scythe sliding into my eager palms.
“You fucking bitch!” I screamed vehemently, pacing back and forth. Reapers held their souls in their palms, all hope of saving them was gone. “You are going to pay.” Shrugging her shoulders, she leaned forward.
“How pathetic for the queen to lose her cool so quickly?” She taunted cruelly, Jack fumed dangerously next to me. “You can’t damage me. You can kill this body and all I have to do is find another one. Angel of darkness! Kill all of my hunters and give me their lives.” The hunters holding us hostage dropped to the ground, thousands of white glowing balls flowing into her. Panic gripped my face, reapers burst from the ground surrounding her. Death himself popped up next to me, one raise of his hand stopping them.
“I am going to bring these souls to Heaven. Take her out.” He commanded urgently, the balls floating into a worn leather sack hanging off of his wrists. “They are all dead. You did all that you could. Good luck.” The last ball of light floated into the sack, a snap of his finger signaling his disappearance. The three of us remained, a ball of shadowy energy building in her palm. A low hissing noise echoed around us, the delivery truck fading to the base of a dead twisted tree. Violet grass danced around me, a chill running up my spine. Gripping my scythe tightly, rage mixed with depression. Sauntering out from behind the tree, a single wave of her hand sent us a couple of yards away. Gone was the armor she wore, a tight leather number hugging her body. Violet needles rested in between her fingers, dead man’s blood dripped onto the grass.
“I suppose you want to hear about my tale and why I am doing this?” She mused with a wicked chuckle, licking the blood off her hand. “I have a bomb ticking away. The lovely thing will release a virus that will kill all of the monsters in the world. Humans will be infected with a magical mind control. Don’t worry about your friends. I killed them because they were annoying me. Do you know how hard it was to pretend to be friends with you and arrange your fucking role? I made a deal with your father to kill you. How did you like the little bonfire?” Wanting to charge at her, Jack held me back. Raising my scythe into the attack position, the corner of my lips curled into a snarl.
“You freaking bitch.” I growled through gritted teeth, leaping into the air. Raising her hands in the air, thousands of needles floated behind her. Flicking her wrists, the rain of needles tore through my body. Jack would die, my boots pushing off the branch. Covering Jack with my body, the needles struck me instead. A burning sensation coursed through my veins, inky sludge pouring from my eyes. Cracks lined her face as needles struck the tree, an idea coming to mind. Jack trembled underneath me, his eyes falling on the blackened veins coursing lining my porcelain skin.
“Shoot her in the hands. She can’t throw her needles if her wrists can’t move.” I wheezed, coughing up blood. Dragging him behind the tree, my chains blocked the needles heading towards Jack. His hand quaked, his bullets hitting everywhere but the target. Lining my free arm up with his, my hand steadied his.
“I can’t!” He protested with wet eyes, his mental state beyond repair. “My friends are dead. My friends are dead! She used to be my friend!” Shimmering teardrops crashed to the grass, the grass darkening to an inky black. Confusion dawned on his face the moment I held his gun underneath his eyes. Teardrops flooded the chamber, my hand guiding his hand to the level of his eyes. Getting behind him, I clicked the safety. Aiming for her palm, a quick yank sent a blackening bullet up her arm. A wave of relief washed over me the moment her needles glitched, the muzzle of his gun aimed for her other palm. Pulling the trigger, the bullet shattered her other arm. Dropping to her side, cracks echoed in the air. The cracks on her face had deepened, my attention turning towards her tree. Swinging my scythe into the tree, her shrill shrieks filled the air as flames raced into the center of the tree. Water snaked around their branches, my chains clinking their way around the thick trunk. Mouthing a silent spell, the needles floated out of me.
“Water from my heart! Flames of the Dead! Chains from my master! I call upon thee to burn the tree down, drown it from the inside. Choke the shit out of it.” I ordered sharply, each word hurting. “Final spell, turn my blood into venom for a witch.” Raising my right hand, a bell rang the moment the tip of my scythe made contact. Closing my fist, the needles dug themselves into the tree. Flames devoured her skin, cold water filled her lungs. Chains snaked up her body, a sea of fiery orange coloring her skin. My vision blurred, Jack snapping out of his paralyzed state. Raising his gun, a bullet whistled into the tree. The bullet being the last thing we needed, the tree decayed to dust along with her. The dimension crumbled away, my legs giving out. Leaning against the destroyed van, fresh tears flowed freely at the sight of our dead friends. Jack picked up one of their backpacks, his tears soaking the top of the bag. Pulling out a medical bag, he ripped out a needle filled with milky liquid. Jamming the needle into my leg, the effects of the venom dying down. Pressing my ear to the ground, an ominous ticking echoed in my ear. Tick, tick, tick! Feeling around the dirt, a metal door clanged underneath my hand. One look in Jack’s direction, he understood. Spinning the rusty handle, he lifted up the door. Gathering the rest of my strength, I popped in. Shutting the door behind me, the lock sealed my fate. Jack protested outside, the top refusing to budge, my heart sinking at the only option. The only way to stop the bomb was to set it off in a dome, the spell caster having to be in the center of it. Praying that my reaper side would keep me alive even Jack had to know that he didn’t stand a chance. Using my scythe as a walking stick, my feet moved with adrenaline. Sniffing the air, the sweet smell told me where to go. Limping through the twisted concrete halls, my breath hitched at the orange angry metal ball. Taking a deep breath, the image of my dead friends and that town I called home flashed in my mind. Pushing through, I sank to my knees. The last of my power built around my hands, a sad smile haunting my face the moment I placed my palms on the surface. A water dome glittered over me, reaper’s flames reinforcing it. Channeling the rest of my flames into core, the metal rattled violently. Preparing for the worst, a giant raven folded its wings around me.
“I will protect you no matter what.” Dr. Death promised warmly, his energy providing me safety as the chemical blasted everywhere but us. “Dissolve the poison.” The colorful particles lightened to a snow white, everything hitting me at once. Ruffling my hair, he disappeared back into my mind. Jack sprinted in, his shattered expression speaking volumes.
“I am so sorry I couldn’t save them.” I blubbered uncontrollably, falling to the floor. “I don’t deserve you. You should just k-” Rushing over to me, he clutched me desperately to his chest. Tears flowed freely, neither of us able to move. Laying back, the clarified chemicals reminding me of snow. A tortured wail burst from my lips, my quaking fingers clinging to his jacket. Saphiro and Hazard skidded to a stop, their faces dropping at the sight of us. Shaking our shoulders to see if we were alive, gracious grins brightened their features at us breathing. Their words faded in and out, a rough darkness enveloping me in it’s sea of madness.
Jerking awake, an eager Alex and Hazel hovered by the white hospital bed. Covering my eyes from the blinding lights, their arms embraced me from either side. Eloise smothered Jack in love, his numb expression matching mine. Bursting into tears, their smiling faces taunted me. Holding me tighter, his words faded in and out. Jack screamed for everyone to leave him alone. Kissing Hazel on the head, Alex dragged her out. Walking over to my bed, his little sister sulked out. Crawling in next to me, his head rested on my chest. Wail after wail burst from his lips, my slender hands being the only thing comforting him. These were his friends and now they were gone. The fault was all mine, guilt eating me raw from the inside. Hours passed like this, him going numb then screaming with raw emotional agony. Swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, he tugged on his boots.
“Are you coming?” He asked hoarsely, offering me his hand. “We need to go home and raise our family.” Accepting his hand cautiously, he yanked me to feet. Placing me on his back, the look in his eyes begged for me to rest my head on his back. Walking into the hall, he ignored the pleading nurses. Saphiro blocked his path, his depressed smile not helping the situation. Tugging anxiously on his navy vest, my mind chose to focus on the midnight black blouse underneath his vest. Clearing his throat, clammy sweat drenched his skin.
“Come with me.” He begged kindly, Jack seconds from saying no. “Please. I have a couple of things to show you.” Caving to his request, we walked for a solid ten minutes to the cemetery. Three caskets waited to be lowered to the ground, Jack dropping me. Struggling to my feet, my heart shattered at him draping his arms over the coffin. Whispering a prayer to them, he took a step back. Pulling me close to his waist, his sobs grew louder as they lowered the caskets into the ground. Death popped up behind us with three letters in his hands, his head bowed in respect to the dead bodies.
“These are from your friends. Call it one final letter.” He informed Jack sullenly, turning towards me. “Thank you for your services. Unfortunately, I can’t remove the curse.” Offering me his hand, my fingers curled around his hand. Shaking it once, he bowed in my direction. Pressing his palms together, a twinkle glinted in his eyes.
“Once everything settles down, we should get together to have tea. I am sorry for your loss.” He expressed serenely, understanding death but not the grief part. Snapping his fingers he was gone, an eager Jack reading the letters. Curiosity burned a bit but my inside voice told me to leave it alone. Tucking them into his pocket, he placed me on his back. Following Saphiro back into town, his crooked grin lit up his face for a quick second.
“They said not to lose you.” He chuckled softly, a bit of hope glinting in his eyes. “Time will heal my wounds.” Hundreds of eyes watched us enter back into town, my jaw dropping at the statue of the five of us. The plaque read the heroes of the dawn, the two of us unsure of what to feel. Jack thanked him profusely, Saphiro pointing to the Victorian mansion at the top of the nearby hill.
“That mansion is yours to conduct your business as well as living in it.” He promised earnestly, fresh tears flooding from my eyes. “We hope you choose this town as your home.” Jumping down, I cupped his hands. A tender blush rose to his cheeks, my real smile illuminating my features for the first time since yesterday.
“Only if you'll have me, good sir.” I returned politely, his brow cocking at my response. Alex ran up to me with the boys in his arms. Accepting them, life was okay. Please karma, grant me peace for the rest of my life.
Epilogue:
Alex had his head buried in his work, the twins ran around the yard. Elise read in the tree, the two kiddos looking so grown up. The morning sun bathed the idyllic scene, a good five years had passed. Holding my swollen bump, two wails snapped me out of my trance. Jack stepped out with our white haired twins Sammy and Raven, the one year old girls reaching for me. Their fiery orange and red eyes glittered with love, my arms scooping them up. Wrapping his arms around my bump, Mark was due in a couple of months.
“Alex, Elise!” He barked with his trademark grin as they rushed up to him. Elise smoothed out her white summer dress, Alex adjusting his glasses in a brisk manner. An irked look greeted him, his stern gaze shutting down any protest.
“Watch the boys for us.” He ordered lightly, passing them wrapped boxes. “I need to take your sister somewhere. Boys, go in and watch a show with your uncle and aunt.” Sprinting into the house, Alex shot him a thumbs up as he followed them inside. Guiding me down the hill and through the town, his beard kept capturing my attention. Grabbing three bouquets on the way, he dragged me to the cemetery. Stopping in front of our friends' graves, he laid a bouquet on each tombstone. Dusting off his navy designer suit, my simple orange summer dress felt like a sad attempt to match him. Rubbing my back, he kissed my bump.
“We came by to tell you how things are going. Alex and Elise are learning how to drive. Yeah, that is as scary as it sounds. Sammy and Raven’s birthday happened a couple of weeks ago. They are both one year old. Crazy, isn’t it?” He chatted pleasantly, happy tears welling up in his eyes. “We have one more on the way. It’s another boy. We are going to name him Mark. I miss you dummies every fucking day. I wouldn’t have survived if you gave me that letter. Thank you.” Wiping away his tears, Sammy and Raven cooed in my arms. Kissing the top of my head, Jack guided me to the square. Sitting me down at the fountain, he took the girls in his arms. Passing me a bundle of envelopes, they were all from the townsfolk and monsters all over the world.
“Word got out about where you live and they all wanted to write their thanks.” He explained jovially, sitting down next to me. “Read them tonight and write back. They would love to hear from you.” Flicking through the pile, this was going to take a while. Popping to my feet, I could sense that Alex was getting frustrated. Walking back home, the fact that people wanted to thank me touched my heart. Opening the door, my boys bounced towards me. Dragging me to the couch, one of Alex’s shows was playing. Climbing onto the couch next to me, Jack took the other seat next to me. Hazel skipped in, her long hair grazing the worn wooden floor. Sitting down by my feet, Elvira laid on her lap. Basking in the moment, this was how life was supposed to be. Thank you for the gift of a good life. All the tragedy led to this moment. All of the scars told the tale of my twisted journey here. Jack leaned his head on my shoulder, the boys laying on my lap. Playing with their hair, I hoped sincerely that this would never end.

I don't shop there that often and finding a particular item takes quite a bit of wondering.
With Home Depot for example, isles are labeled on Google Maps if you zoom onto the store. ( https://goo.gl/maps/Nv4DRogCuto7VCW7A )
Is there something similar with Costco?

Hi all,
I am a 26 yr male looking to find a roommate / roommates in Dallas. I’m pretty low-key: I don’t really party; I keep things pretty clean (I currently clean my apt weekly and am not a neat freak but I do like to keep things usable); I’m really only home after work and on weekends (I do usually work late, however). I enjoy climbing, lifting, backpacking, video games, skiing, anime, and reading. I have a stable job in finance and will probably be here for the next 2 to 3 years. I’m currently living alone but just don’t enjoy pissing money away on rent. The only thing I think could deter someone from me as a roommate is that I’m gay, so you’d have to be okay with that. I don’t really bring people over but it does happen occasionally. Other than that, you most likely won’t even notice.
As a roommate, I’d prefer if you’re direct (aka, if you want me to do something, just ask and 99% of the time I’ll do my best to accommodate. The other 1% I’ll probably ask for a compromise). I’ve lived with a variety of people over the years and my best experiences, believe it or not, have been with straight males. I’ve found there’s less drama this way for a variety of reasons. I’d be open to more than one roommate if you needed a third.
I’m looking to live in the Lower Greenville / Uptown / Oak Lawn area. I could be convinced to go a little bit more north near SMU. My office is in Uptown so I wouldn’t want to be too far from it. I’m looking to pay about ~$1500 in rent, which should be pretty doable. So, ~3k or under for a 2 bedroom.
Feel free to PM me if you’re interested and / or ask questions below.
Edit: typo

I have an 11 week old BordeAussie mix and I’ve honestly never seen a dog or puppy love toys and chewing as much as this girl. It’s been a long time since I had a puppy this young. She doesn’t even really seem to have a preference because she loves every toy we’ve gotten her- ropes, Nylabones, Kong tumblers, squeaks, everything.
I’ve been scouring Chewy and Amazon for puzzle and enrichment toys and things I can buy to switch out in her crate because while one of us is usually home, my DH is going on a two week work trip and she’ll have to be crated when I work. We’ve been trying to get her used to it but I was thinking toys she only gets in her crate will help? Puzzle ones, treat dispensing ones, maybe a mat. She gets a lot of exercise because of her breed (and tbh she doesn’t really seem to enjoy walks, she tries to pull me back home almost immediately).
Can I have some recommendations on good toys your super chewer loves/d? I was looking into Barkbox too.

I looked at the Home Depot website and they don’t have any standard electric drills. Any ideas?

This post may now be moot with indications that Hardge is walking from Mullen, but the academic side of me wants it on the record that there were clear signs that Hardge was not being on the level with his sayings and dealings. Plus the fact that I already had most of this written last night, and was waiting for Financial Journey to release the actual recording of his call with Hardge to confirm what had been said earlier.
On the one hand, Hardge has repeatedly spoken boastfully (not at all humble) of all the massive deals he personally had lined up, all of whom wanted to work with HIM and not Mullen. He then talked like he was doing Mullen and its shareholders a favor by sharing the alleged profits of these deals with Mullen. Hardge sounded quite miffed that Mullen seems to not want to agree to his terms for the deal and considers it a huge knock against his public credibility. And yet despite all this, he still wanted to try to work something out with Mullen so he can be paid the $5M that he believes the company owes him.
Let’s take what Hardge has previously claimed at face value.

• He owns the patents and IP for the EMM. So all intellectual RIGHTS and LICENSING is apparently set.
• He has multiple independent test results proving that the EMM does what he claims. So all VALIDATION of the technology is apparently set.
• He has deals with Saudis and multiple other Middle East countries ready to provide BILLIONS of dollars. He even has individual investors wanting to put “a billion dollars” into his company (15:20 mark). So all FINANCING needs are apparently set.
• He has an international manufacturing company that is ready to make tens or hundreds of thousand of EMM devices starting within 4 weeks (2:36 mark). So all MANUFACTURING needs are apparently set.

So why does Hardge need Mullen Automotive to sign any agreement at all?

What does Mullen bring to the table that Hardge did not already have in place?
He claimed that all these international agreements were in the works and ready to go BEFORE Mullen entered the picture. The only thing that Mullen would seem to do is take 51% of the revenue. LH claims he wanted to share these deals to “take the load off”. But if he had BILLIONS in financing commitments, shouldn't he be able to hire ALL the necessary labor and engineering expertise he could ever need?
Credit to Cal for asking Hardge (26:27 mark) why he doesn’t do the deal direct with the Saudis. Hardge claims he needs the engineering staff and facilities that Mullen has to do the work installing the EMM. Hardge’s response is just unbelievable, and again credit to Cal for trying to pursue it a bit further with Hardge in asking him why that would be such a big problem if the return is so much greater. Hardge claims that he would have to hire “consultants to do all of that in the midst of an already hectic business schedule.” But that’s just a basic part of running a business!
And then at the 28:48 mark Hardge talks about Mullen’s vans. Here’s a key statement Hardge makes: “They didn’t have a manufacturing for the installation, I went and got my own that I already was working on*. Now we got a deal, they can provide any numbers around the world, international manufacture*.” It sure seems like Hardge knows how to arrange for manufacturing and installation deals, which directly contradicts his explanation just a couple minutes earlier for why he wants to work with Mullen.
Hardge has also said on multiple occasions that the EMM is “easy to install” and “plug and play” such that “a high school drop-out could install this system in these vehicles” (8:15 mark in the Mullen Troy livestream). In other FB livestreams, he spoke about the EMM as an aftermarket device that the buyer would install on their own vehicle, just like putting on a window shade or cell phone cover.
In addition, Hardge himself said as reported by Cal in Twitter space meeting that Mullen engineers apparently didn't know how to do any wiring stuff, and that when he was at Mullen's Troy facility doing work on the vans that he had to do it all himself, or something along those lines. Not exactly a sign of confidence in Mullen's technical staff, is it?
It makes no sense for Hardge to say (2:09 mark) that it would take the Saudis 2-3 years to build a factory in Michigan to manufacture the EMM, given that he has said previously that the cost to make the EMM is just $85 and can be built using off-the-shelf parts from Home Depot or Lowes.
There are multiple clear contradictions between what Hardge claims he has on hand (deals, financing, manufacturing) and the degree of effort that he has put in to try to get paid $5M from Mullen to finalize the Definitive Agreement. Hence my play on Shakespeare in the title of this post: Methinks Larry doth protest too much. It seems unbelievable that anyone that genuinely has all the deals and such that Lawrence claims he has lined up would still be sticking around trying to work out some sort of agreement with Mullen. I believe that Hardge was trying to pull a fast one on Mullen from the start, and unfortunately for the company and its shareholders David Michery bought into the con and dragged Mullen into the last several weeks of buffoonery involving LH. And the damage has already been done.
EDIT: Added bullet points formatting

Finally got my outdoor setup mostly complete. Words of advice to any newbie (like me) who wants to start hitting balls in your backyard.... do it right the first time. I could have saved hundreds of dollars had I just went with the right solution first.
Money I wasted:

1. Original net was too small (10 x 7) ~$200
2. Additional netting to protect my walls and windows ~ $100
3. More additional netting to protect my neighbors from skyrocketed driver shots ~ $100
4. Crappy hitting mat from Dicks ~ $60
5. Broken window (still waiting on an estimate). This happened AFTER I added all the extra netting (the ball found a 2 inch gap in front of the net). ~200

This doesn't mention all the time I wasted trying to build something that didn't really work, plus tearing it down and putting it back up every time I wanted to use it. What a pain in the...!
So, the cage is the big expense but it allows me to actually hit balls inside of it which offers a lot of protection. There is also enough distance to use the Garmin R10 when hitting inside of the cage. There are still a few modifications I want to do to make the cage more secure like foam around the back poles and something to keep the netting from drifting too far back where a pole hit is possible. Hitting a driver shot into a pole is no joke and the last thing I want is for someone to get hurt.
All in (minus the Garmin) the cage/mat setup is about $1500.
Parbuster Mongo Cage - $920. This includes Netting, Poles and Hanger Kit and it includes $120 shipping. I also had a $50 discount. I live in FL and they shipped from WA so the distance couldn't get any farther. Shipping might be cheaper for others who live closer to WA.
SimTurf Ez Tee 4x6 mat - $455
Cheapo Artificial Turf - $100 at Home Depot.
I've saved $80 this week alone walking into my backyard and hitting balls. This will pay for itself in a year.
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https://preview.redd.it/vwqtnjnrum4b1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd7cda13bd06ca08935651d3a6b7dd5641424935

The Capital's order's are as follows:
Attack: Thurshamrar, Ilkarya's Barrier, Valle Dei
Defend: No direct order received
Hold: South Hel, Castle Eitrivatnen
​
Transcript from the Capital~

"Brave and resolute Knights, you have shown everyone you're fighting for back home true inspiration. Local children have begun to once again believe they have a future worth preparing for, whilst the rate of volunteers for the crusade has risen by 65%. In light of this new hope, a monument in the lower plaza has been erected to honour the soldiers who gave their life for this war!'"

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Report from the front
After news of the battle in North Hel reached the Capital, sparks of compassion amongst the population began and soon sparked a protest in regards to the plan of sacrificing the units for time. This caused a mercenary group by the name of 'Goldpack Knights' (who usually only fight for gold) to come to the Knights rescue. Within a few hours of reinforcement, North Hel was under our control, yet the Knights marched further into South Hel catching the Vikings in the retreat and expanding the border further.
With high morale and extra reinforcements, the army in Hel tore into Bilfrost (a small farming territory) and suffered small loses as the Vikings had set up no defences. It is believed that the Vikings never expected us the take their inner lands and so were unprepared for the spirited charge. They now continue their march towards Thurshamrar. In a shocking turn, the enemy garrison in Dagda's Strings begun to rebel against their oppressors and wave our flag!
After being tasked with holding the fold, the soldier stationed there wore down the attackers and opened a wound in Ilkarya's Barrier, this was followed by a battalion of heavy knights who plan to dig deep and lay claim to the territory, with hopes of holding an even better position for the next pincer operation that will be targeting Hylur.
Lastly, the POWs in Defensor had a single Knight escape, this soldier was given proper care before being questioned on the situation. They claimed that the camp the prisoners were being held at was lightly guarded and close the border, but each prisoner is locked in a cage that is buried underground with just the top for air and only gruel for food. Apparently they themselves only escaped because they played dead and was thrown into a nearby swamp to the east.
Well that's it for today's report, may your swords be sharp and your shields strong.

So, this is a bit of a rant, I guess… Every time I go in to the Nordstrom in Scottsdale, AZ I shake my head, but I’m guessing it’s like this across the board: it’s the downmarket quality of the appearance of the salespeople. I understand that society has gotten progressively more casual, but I still think that salespeople should be wearing what their selling. I have no faith that a guy dressed like he’s about to mow the lawn can advise me about suits and ties. I trained as a salesperson at Nordstrom (yes, in the last century) and learned not only to keep my customer book update and correspond periodically with past customers, but to also KNOW the products I was selling and be able to talk fit and function and make recommendations. Our manager had meetings with us to talk not just about sales, but about seasonal trends and how best to wear the clothes we were selling. I knew our buyer and he’d pop in regularly to give us more knowledge about the products. The “shoe dogs” were legendary! And they made BANK because they knew their products. The store started out as a shoe store, so it was one of the premier departments to work in. You could spot a Nordstrom employee a mile away, just by noticing the way they dressed and their brown customer book in their hand. A woman was once sent home because she wasn’t seasonally dressed. Another had to change her hosiery because “tan” wasn’t enough of a fashion statement. These 2 examples I remember well. Yesterday? Honestly, it was sad… the gum chewing (so gross), the hanging out and chatting with each other about “stuff”, and the general attitude of just being there to ring items up rather than assist in sales, it was just so underwhelming. You’d think they’d really push the idea of modeling how to dress and what to put together to create an environment you can’t get online, but no. It’s been a very disappointing experience for awhile now, but yesterday it just really got to me.

I work for a small startup coffee company in one of the midwest markets. We are getting ready to launch in 35 stores in about 2 weeks, and I will be making some deliveries but have not received any guidance from the home office. So far I've just been told that no appointments are required, but I dont want to just show up not knowing some of the protocols and being generally unprepared. Going forward we will be one of the vendors that replenishes our own stock, but first deliveries will be before the floor set so I assume Ill be leaving the product in the back.
What kind of paperwork will you guys expect when making our deliveries, just BOL's or will new purchase orders need to be made at every delivery?
Come in through the front or back of store? Who should I be asking for(title or position who can best help)? Should we find said person upon arrival or not bother them until we are ready to leave and need to take care of paperwork?
Anything else I should know so we are not inconveniencing anyone too much?
I have spent many years in retail ops working for stores that basically had no receiving paperwork because it all came from the DC(Macy's) and stores where I had to create 15 POs a day because of constant small vendor deliveries(Home Depot), but its been a while so forgive me if I'm out of practice. Thanks

Long story short: I'm a car enthusiast, but one who of course can't afford to drive everything that I fantasize about getting to enjoy- thus, I decided to put together a little budget simulator setup. One of the ideas I had was to pick up a cheap little shift knob to replace the plastic one that came with my shifter. The idea was to just go for a cheap ebay knob since it wasn't going in a real car and didn't need to be nice, and I planned to use the adapters they put in the box to attach it(basically, the plan was to just hold the adapter down with a washer, then screw the knob onto that).
Now, uh... that's where things immediately become just a little awkward. I was banned from eBay for buying something from eBay. Genuinely(Support refused to tell me why, said they were the expert and that I knew nothing.). Amazon, I do everything I can to avoid supporting. So, I stumbled on someone selling the same thing for the same price on Etsy. That's weird, I thought- but it's the only other place I can find selling this specific knob, so I hold my breath and place an order.
Fast forward a week, and it comes. The knob itself is actually really nice, considering I only paid about $10 for it, but the adapters are... nuts?
No, like, seriously. They went to the hardware store, bought two nuts, and put them in the box. Those are the "adapters" that they say in the listing are included.
Now, I don't know if it's just me being familiar with cars, but I feel like it should be pretty obvious that this wont work. At best, you can screw the nut onto your shifter. That is all you can you do with it. There are no outside threads or any other way to attach it to the knob itself. They're both too big to even sit in the hole on the knob.
I tried contacting them, telling them they put nuts in the box. They tell me that those are the adapters. Back and forth, all they want to do is tell me they're right and I'm wrong. I try to get them to show me a photo of them mounting the knob with one of the adapters, thinking they'll finally notice how dumb this is. Nope. At one point they tell me to take it to an auto expert, and I debate the merits of making a fake e-mail or text from a mechanic to screenshot and show them. It sounded funny, but I didn't bother.
Okay, whatever. I'm only out $10, and by now I've managed to crudely construct my own adapter, which works fine- although that's made it so I've had to spend another $10, which is a little annoying, but whatever. I figure to go ahead and escalate the case to Etsy support, just because this shop seems to be completely based off of hocking cheap car accessories en masse, and they're claiming to be a small business from California who handmakes their stuff, which is.. an odd claim. The address points to a literal door in a back alley in Rowland Heights, and all of the messages from them come in around 1 AM in my time zone(Which, oops, happens to be California)- so in addition to getting them to stop falsely advertising the contents of the box, I'd very much ike to make Etsy aware of someone who seems to be misusing the platform.
Before Etsy support can even reply, the seller jumps in to comment on my ticket- saying twice in their message that they're "sorry i don't know how to use an adapter", while trying to say that one of them is upside down in my photo. They're both nuts from Home Damn Depot(and both sitting right side up in my photo). They attach a return shipping label. Ideally I'm hoping to just get my money back so I'm not out the cost of having to go find my own adapter solution, but I know that's probably not realistic, so whatever- my main goal is just for some action to be taken on this weird, scammy looking shop. Buuuut, Etsy has different ideas- when I get a response from them, they tell me in weird, slightly broken English to send the knob back at my own expense, and totally ignore everything else I've said, the photos I provided, and the descriptions of what the seller is doing.
Man, I don't even know. This is obviously a bit much for a $10 shift knob, but it's the principle of the thing that's driving me up the wall. Should I not even care? I've never bought on Etsy before, is this just normal, by the book behavior?