I found it interesting. It all started at the end of August, when I ordered a gas cap for my car. It was $20, and I was told it would arrive in a month or so. Why I chose to buy one online is now a mystery to me. I could easily have asked the person who services my car to order it. Maybe I didn’t even need one.

The item, a name brand as far as I could tell from a Google search, was going to be shipped from Turkey. That seemed odd, but I never doubted it would arrive.

Even though I have worked in journalism for more than 40 years, I am too trusting. Those working in journalism should be skeptical. There have been times when I would have bought a bridge from a career criminal.

Anyway, the gas cap arrived within the time frame, but, sadly, it didn’t fit my car. I had been specific about the year and make of the car, but I understand all too well that mistakes are made.

I have made more than my share of mistakes. I am pretty sure you will find a typo or missing word in this column. I am lousy at commas, and semi-colons are a no-go.

Anyway, I decided, illogically, to return the gas cap. I discovered it would cost me about $15 in postage to return the $20 item. I decided not to have it returned to me should it go undelivered. In post office talk, that means abandoned. I was pleased to see that the return address was in California.

The item had to be sent before a certain date, which I met by more than a week. After the deadline, I got a note from eBay saying I wouldn’t get a refund because I hadn’t met the terms of the return.

I appealed the decision. Minutes after my appeal, I received an email from a person named Julie. She said something like the appeal had been investigated and the ruling would stand. No refund.

For some reason, it reminded me of a brush with the law I had years ago. I have never shared this story publicly, so maybe it is time to get this off my chest. Or maybe it should be left untold. But what the heck.

I was in court when I was 16 for a driving infraction. I let a friend drive my mom’s car, and she didn’t have a licence. She crashed into a parked car. She got out and ran, leaving me to deal with the other car’s owner and the police. I was scared, but understood, given I was the guilty person in the case.

It turned out the girl ran to her minister’s home. They were at her home when I arrived. The minister, a man I knew from going to school with his son, offered to take me home to talk with my parents. I declined, figuring I should face the proverbial music alone. The music was loud, as it should have been.

When I went to court, the judge, a woman named Tillie Taylor, read the details of the case. Everyone in court laughed boisterously. Judge Taylor seemed to get a kick out of the circumstances of my caper, but felt compelled to tell everyone to be quiet. I was hoping she would clear the room, so I could beg for leniency and not be seen crying in front of all the parking ticket infraction people. What a bunch of losers.

Judge Taylor gave me a welldeserved lecture, and fined me the minimum account. I can’t remember what it was. Fifty dollars rings a bell, which was a lot of money in 1971, especially for a kid who had given up his paper route.

Just before COVID hit us, I saw the brother of the girl that was driving the car. I asked him how his sister is doing. He said she was married and has children. I didn’t ask about a driver’s licence.

As for me, I have never stood in front of a judge again. I have sat with a couple of judges, and once chatted with one at a Christmas party. Sitting, or standing with a drink in your hand, is less stressful than having a person with a gavel in front of you.

Sorry for the digression. Now back to eBay, although my court case was probably more interesting and amusing for those of you who have read this far.

I was asked to rate the way my appeal was handled. I gave it a one, because I couldn’t give it a zero. EBay was sorry to hear that and asked me about Julie’s service.

I am sure she is a nice computer message, but I gave her a one. EBay was sorry to hear that, and asked what could be done to improve its service.

I said, “Get me my refund. It’s not a lot of money, but it is now the principle of thing.” I then said I should never have tried to return the item, and that I should have sold it on Kijiji. I thought a body shot would go a long way.

Maybe it did. I received a message as the deadline for this column snuck up. It said my case was being further reviewed because of my concerns. EBay said it would get back to me in 48 hours, which is now sitting at a week.

I can picture eBay bigwigs sitting in a board room discussing my case.

CEO Jamie Iannone is probably saying, “Let’s offer the guy $19. I don’t want to set a precedent. At the same time, I don’t want him to go to the media.”

I would never do that.

-Cam Hutchinson