So I decided it was high time to get rid of the old BBQ at the back of my house. But who'd have thought a free 6 burner BBQ giveaway could be so difficult?
Yes indeed, long term readers of this blog will recognize this bad boy as Operation BBQ resurrection from a couple of years back. Since then it's fried up a few snags, burnt a couple of burgers and even boiled up a couple of home brews but it hasn't been used for a while, rust had taken hold on a couple more burners and since we're moving soon, it was definitely time to go.
I tried to sell it on Gumtree, no bites. So I slashed the price down to zero and stuck it out on the front lawn with an obvious sign that basically screamed 'This is a free bbq, don't ask questions, just take with my blessing.' Then I advertised that fact to both Facebook classifieds and Gumtree and waited for it to disappear.
Which it didn't - but not from a lack of interested people throwing questions my way ALL DAY and into the night. Because why come and grab a free BBQ when you can sit back all day and fire questions at me across your Sunday?
What's wrong with it?
Does it work?
Where is it? (The fact that the ad said where it was located was a worry)
Can I pick it up tomorrow?
Is it still available? (Ad says ad will be taken down when BBQ disappears)
Is it broken?
Can I send my mate around to look at it? (Of course you can It's out on the street!)
Would you take $20? (IT'S A FREE BBQ! Actually I think this reply was a scam so I didn't get back to them in the end.)
People were still asking for the address as of 10pm last night and as much as I urged them to come around and grab it quick to avoid disappointment, this morning it's still there. And it won't surprise me if it's still there when I return home this afternoon.....after answering 50 million more questions via Facebook of course..
Sigh. Anyone want a free bbq?
Edit: the free BBQ timeline has come to this
Day 1 - BBQ listed for free
Day 2 - 10 people contact me about the BBQ, nobody comes around to grab it.
Day 3 - five more messages about the address, even though it's clearly in the end. Send the asker's the address again. BBQ still there.
Day 4 - Someone tries to organize a time to come round and look at the BBQ. I explain that it's out on the street and they can turn up anytime they like to look at it, make appreciative noises about it and take it home. Bbq does not move from where it stands.
Day 5 - someone asks about the BBQ so I text my wife to see if it's still there. Apparently it's gone! Someone has finally taken the free BBQ! However when driving home, I see it right where I left it...
...turns out my son was playing with my wife's phone at the time of the message and looked out in the back yard for it before reporting back. Of course I only discovered this after I deleted the Facebook ad. Bbq is now missing the thermometer and rusted grill plates as someone took them and left everything else there. Also the pile of stacked up burners? Someone also set them back up for no reason I can see.
Day 6 - A message from Gumtree asking if it's available from a name I recognize from one of the Facebook messages. I don't bother replying back.
Day 7 - Incredibly satisfying feeling taking to it with a power drill and unscrewing it down to a million pieces. Pieces taken to nearest transfer station where it ends up in the giant metal recycling bin, hurled at great force next to the other piles of unwanted BBQ bits.
Day 8 - bracing myself for the next message asking if it's still available..
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