Taking delivery

The things I see from my window - today there were workmen next door relaying a drive, grass cutting machinery and trucks coming by every few minutes. Then I saw the guy opposite take delivery of a new motorbike. He won’t mind me watching and taking the photo as he came by earlier to see if it was okay to leave his van in our drive so the delivery could be made - he was very excited about it, he loves a motorbike (he’s the same age as we are!).   

Another delivery tale
A few weeks ago I made an order for three cases of M&S wine. I don’t do this regularly, I think I’ve only done it once before, but they had some wines that we really like on special offer and I thought we might as well stock up before the price goes up. A few days later I got a message to say they were out for delivery that day. That was fine as I would be in all day. Later in the day I got a message to say the cases had been delivered. Well, that’s as may be but they had not been delivered to me. I waited to see if they turned up, perhaps one of the neighbours had taken delivery - nothing. 

So I rang M&S customer service and spoke to a very helpful man. He contacted Parcelforce and was told the cases had been left in the shed. Well, it certainly wasn’t our shed and anyway I was in at the time the delivery was said to have been made. He immediately made a repeat order, put it on next day delivery and I got the wine the next day. Interesting that this delivery was made by the usual Parcelforce guy whom we know. Apparently he had been on holiday (during Appleby Fair week as he doesn’t like negotiating his way round Appleby at that time!!) so it was a supply driver who did the first delivery (or non-delivery).

We did wonder where the cases had landed, but then thought no more about it. 

Until . . . yesterday a lady in the village informed us that she had found three cases of wine in the shed of the house next to us, but round the corner. That house has been empty for several months, since the guy who lived there died. This lady looks after the house whilst the family are awaiting probate and it was only by chance that she went to the shed and found the wine. 

So, what to do? Gordon collected the cases and put them in our garage and we wondered - do we say anything? We guessed M&S wouldn’t be interested, the cases would have just been written off, so . . . Then we thought maybe if we kept them this would be ‘theft by finding’. So today I sent an email to Customer Services describing the situation and asking them what to do. I got a very quick reply thanking me for informing them and saying I could keep the cases ‘as a goodwill gesture’. Result!!

Now I’m watching the rain coming down - a real downpour! Maybe I will open a bottle of wine!