There is no reason for

this story to have ever happened or written about. It is just a crying shame that people like this exist and are free to do what they will.

Remember back when I told you about the sweet gateleg table I found? Yes, it was marked with tape and easily identified as a piece I wanted. Along with a small kitchen cabinet that I will rework, and a smaller wooden cabinet that had the signs of being stripped and I would finish the job.

This is what I do. Lucky for me Bob is in real estate and has been fortunate enough to be a foreclosure specialist. Sometimes the homes are empty and spotless and other times when a death has occurred the family has gone through the belongings and left the remainder for the agent to dispose of.

The gateleg was in one of these houses. As I said it was clearly marked but not permanently marked just masking tape "X", as were the hutch and cabinet. Bob also is responsible for the clean up and has a team of two that have done this for him forever.

We are talking about something that took place in May of this year, not ages ago. James usually brings the items over. He is the team. This time it took a real effort to do this. Always an excuse of one kind or another....none of them held water so the red flags started flying about.

One Friday after countless phone conversations James brought the hutch and cabinet. Ah, excuse me, where is the table? Bob is the only one that chats with James, he has an accent that is unintelligible to me, and I've been knows not to understand these local accents.

I just know a conversation went on maybe something like this.."where's the table James?.... what table? you know the one with the 'X" on it? Oh, yeah, its safe in the barn. But I asked for you to deliver that as well. I didn't have room he replies, looking at the size of the truck you could carry the majority of a household in there. The subject dropped.

I had time to repaint a room that this table was to go into. I had plans ,if you recall, of painting it red. I never let go of the subject, until one day Bob said not to mention it to him ever again. Huh? Its been sold? (this is what James does, he has a 24/7 rummage sale going on).

I have not mentioned it again. But I have thought of nothing else. I have lost respect for Bob, but this is not news. I want something to be done about James. Yesterday I made of photo copy of a gateleg table, just a precaution incase the doberman gang of a police force is at a loss as to what I will be registering a complaint about.

This has taken me so long since 1) we were told early on we do not sue our neighbors.2) I'm not sueing, I want to know the truth of the matter.3)it is such a painfully small community, and I am the outsider I think my charges will fall on deaf ears. 4) this could easily backfire onto Bob...who needs their commerce. As for me....I've said it often enough...I don't give a hoot about these people and a thief should be called out and reprimanded.

Do I have a leg to stand on? Geez, I hope so. But in reality...very unlikely. I'm going down there today. Wish me luck. Keep safe. RD