Allan,
I think you'll find MANY members here who have responded to "starters" of tying/flyfishing, and have, in good faith, packaged up materials, books, reels and, yes, in some cases, rods, to give this new-bie a good start ... and never heard from them again. Guess the operative words here are, "in good faith". I feel pretty sure, if we watched e-bay diligently, we'd find the stuff we sent. We'll ... whatcha gunna do? I'm always hopeful.
Then I go shopping for more stuff!!
Betty
Oh ... while I'm thinking of it, it's not just here on this site. I even was taken in by a European site where a guy wanted to trade turkey feathers for wax. I carefully wrapped and shipped a wonderful turkey tail to this person, and he thanked me, but, nope! No wax, no nada! He dropped off the face of the Earth! Oh, well!
Trouts don't live in ugly places.
A friend is not who knows you the longest, but the one who came and never left your side.
Don't look back, we ain't goin' that way.