Richard Bott of looking back…looking forward is a master story teller.

Unfortunately he seems to be involved in a real life misadventure and true to his story telling skills, readers of his blog don’t know if this misadventure has a happy or unresolved ending.

And now, reading this, you don’t know either:^)

On top of his real life misadventure his blog is borked so only the latest post shows. Still, it’s an indicator of the larger picture.

The cast of characters are as interesting as anyone a fiction writer could dream up. The circumstances are shared by many people who have to pull up roots and move.

Richard and his family moved to the west coast of Canada the end of July. Richard and a friend drove out, the family followed.

Richard was supposed to arrive in the new parish first, but it didn’t work out that way.
His road trip was a bit more unpredictable than anticipated, however all the people in the story have been welcomed to their new church and look fine on the church website.

The stuff - the belongings the movers  are hired to long haul across the country hasn’t arrived.

There is a contract, a deposit, a time frame of delivery and this has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous. There is an empty manse, suitcases a family is living out of, the stresses of starting a new job with a new congregation….and no stuff. Nothing tangible that makes home, home.

Driver A apparently had a breakdown and called Driver B who supposedly picked up the load. (all this supposedly happened near the Bott’s old home) Note the repeat use of the word supposedly.
Two weeks later Driver B hadn’t set off on his journey, the stuff had been sitting stuffed in the back of the van. Supposedly.

This is where the reasons for delays start to sound suspiciously like excuses. This company has communication problems and/or the stuff is damaged, gone or something common to moving nightmares.

The owner of the company promised, in spite of the setbacks, breaking the contract, yada yada, that the Bott’s stuff would be delivered by Driver B by…last Saturday. Lovely, quite awhile after any reasonable company would have burned rubber to deliver the goods and maintain their reputation, but hey, it’s a big country to get across and there are so many excuses and so little time.

The company owner says Driver B, wait for it…

Due to circumstances, that we were unaware of, that (Driver No. 2) had recently with another man of God (we are not able to discuss it with you, but you could ask (Driver No. 2) yourself) (Driver No. 2) is leery of everyone.

We all have our woes. So Driver B doesn’t deal with ministers very well. Welcome to the club. Few do.

Men of God do rip people off, even ones with titles like The Rev. Dr., but this company has more than had proof of purchase so the leery-of-God-people is pushing it a bit, especially coming after oodles of other excuses.
No stuff.
You leery yet?

Did the Bott’s stuff get delivered?
Or is this one going down in the moving scam hall of fame?