After a few days of mulling over my answer, I feel it is time to address the inaccurate allegations leveled against me. The post was pointed out to me by another member Monday evening while I was in the chat room.To those statements, I give this response:
A few days after receiving the check from Z, my family & I made the decision to have our phone/cable/internet disconnected for a period. My wife was off work due to her pregnancy & we had lost her income. During this time, I could not send out a few orders I had received, including Z's. With no phone, or internet, I had no way to contact anyone. Starting in early December, I was again able to get the Net back, and informed my customers as to my situation. The week of Dec. 7th, I was able to send out orders again, including z's fly. It didn't arrive. After a few inquiries(after talking to Z) I discovered the fly had been included in another customer's order,minus the shipping label. This was mid-January. The next time I had met Z in the chat room was the next week, and informed him that I would be sending him the fly as soon as I had received it back, I was met with a statement from him(direct quote) "You're full of crapola, my friend". I then tried to ask him in a private chat what would make him happy, a refund, the fly, or both. I received no response from him, but was asked to quit hiding & come out in the main forum, which I did. After that, we were asked by the chat moderator to please "go private" if we had a dispute with each other, which I then tried again, with no response. At this point, another rant was aimed my way & Z left, with no response to either question I posed.That was the last time I had spoken to him. Then , as I stated, I entered the chat earlier this week & was informed of the "Dishonest Member" post.
Addressing the allegation that I had tied the fly & passed it off as my own: I take pride in my work to the point that I provide a signature card with my flies. My work is MY WORK- just that MINE. If Z thought that I was passing my work off as someone elses, then why was it the SECOND fly he bought from me by the same tier???? Almost two years has passed since he bought the first one, and I had never heard a complaint in that time. If he would like authentication of the flies, I can contact the tier & have him contact Z as to the authenticity of both flies.
The money from both flies I sold Z was fro a charitable organization I have done work for. With the money already in the hands of the organization, I have refunded Z out of my own pocket, NOT THEIRS. The frame for the first fly was also paid for out of my pocket, NOT THEIRS. The one thing I cannot understand is that if Z thought the fly was fraudulent, why almost two years later, would he buy another fly from the same tier from me??? Doesn't make sense.
What I am guilty of is sending the fly late. Of all the folks that had late orders, Z was the only one to have a complaint. In the 21 years I have been selling flies, you could count the number of complaints I have had on one hand & still have fingers left over. Was it bad for business?? Of course it was, but my family comes first, and given the choice of angering a few people or feeding my family & putting a roof over their heads?? No question, family wins every time. And, of those whose orders were late, 2 have made additional purchases from me this week.
So, to those of you who might have been swayed by a shovel full of angry words, make your own minds. I'm not hiding from anyone, and i'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Z, the fly was sent out today. If you don't want it, send it back. I'll gladly add it to my collection. I remain, Jamie Webb(mcmutt)