I just read your summary on page one. It is loosely accurate. I didn't save my original writeup and honestly don't feel like rewriting it now, so I will just correct the writeup on page one with any extra info:
SUMMARY (correct me if my info is wrong): corrections in GREEN
1. Long ago, Parks comes on the RPF looking for an MPP for his new line of replicas.
End of the summer, 2003
2. Steve (Ghost Host) offers his, which is worth about 800$ and is perfect. An arrangement is made that he will get it back soon, and he is given a few Parks items for his trouble.
Parks offered one of his Aliens pulse-rifles as compensation for borrowing someone's MPP. When we originally connected up, I made a counter offer for one of his less-expensive items... one of his Sterlings. And, additionally, when he was finished, one of the parks MPP replicas. We agreed to approx. 4 months originally. BTW, I actually paid $827 for my beautiful, pristine MPP.
3. Months pass.
At the 4 month mark I asked how things were going. No response. Around the 5 or 6 month mark I did it again and got no response.
5. More time passes. Steve asks again. Then more time passes, and he asks again.
At around the 7 month mark I asked again and got a brief response that things were talking longer than expected. Around the 10 month mark I asked again. At this writing I can't recall if he responded then or not. I know at the one year mark I dropped him a note reminding him it had been a year already. I think his response was about the most comprehensive to that date. But it was basically the same answer. Taking longer than expected in China.
6. Parks MPP replicas go on sale (though incomplete).
Well I asked him about it again in Dec./Jan (approx. 16 months after I loaned it out) and Jeff says he expects my MPP returned soon and will send it to me as soon as he gets it. He also tells me he had to strip the paint off my one-step shroud, and has repainted it. :angry Not happy about this but what can I do at that point? A month or two goes by (I think late January or early Feb.) and I am hearing about folks getting their parks MPPs. Wait a minute... why are people getting their replicas and I, the guy who loaned the original, am not getting MY replica OR my ORIGINAL yet, being that supposedly my original was being shipped back with the first shipment of replicas?
7. Much much much later, Steve gets his MPP back. So he thinks. What he receives is actually his MPP tube, but parts are missing, and some original parts are replaced with replica parts.
So at this point I am pissed get pretty pushy with Jeff (NOTE: first time I get pissed or pushy with Jeff ever) and tell him I am seeing people get their MPPs and why haven't I gotten anything.? He gives me an explanation and I cool off a tad, as he says he had my MPP, but it was missing the clamp and he was waiting for China to send it. But he agrees to send me what he has in hand. Fine. Not thrilled, but satisfied at the moment. I finally get a package. It contains my original and the replica. The replica is nice, best yet, though a few details are disappointing. Then I look at my MPP. what's there looks good, even the repainting of the shroud. So I send Jeff a kind note to let him know I got the package and to compliment him on his replica. The next day I am looking over my original MPP and notice that more than the clamp is missing. The entire bulb-release section (black plastic piece and hardware) have been replaced with replica parts, as well as the thumbscrew on the shroud,
AND the shroud has been retapped to use a parks replica screw. So I sent Jeff another brief, yet kind note to let him know that I just noticed a few more parts that are missing. I did not get pushy or mean in that note in any way, but had to tell him to add those parts to his search list. I didn't even go into the retapping of the shroud.
8. Steve inquires what's up? And gets no response.
Actually I got an immediate response (within a day).
9. He inquires again, and again, nothing. Finally Parks shoots back with a testy email saying if Steve continues to ask, he will never get any explanation or recompense, "RPF or no RPF."
I got a response telling me He'll look into it, but I'd better not be pushy or he'll just write me off completely, RPF or no RPF. I couldn't just shut up after this note and his treatment of me through this whole ordeal ...and now loosing almost half of my original MPP parts. So I told him so (NOTE: 2nd and last time I ever got angry or pushy with Jeff). He replied simply "
Goodbye Steve".
10. Steve makes this all public, here. We, certain RPF members, start a completely unofficial boycott until Jeff is willing to settle up. At which time the boycott will end. The RPF staff refuses to take any position.
I tried to call Jeff at this time and spoke to Andy. Nice guy but defended Jeff's position to a fault. After maybe a week I sent Jeff another note to apologizeif I had come off too harshly in my notes... and just wanted to work things out, but that I was shocked at his attitude towards me and upset at the loss of my property. I further promised to publicly announce it once we have a resolution.
11. Jeff ignores Steve, and the boycott. Various RPF members blame it on China, on miscommunication, on Steve, on the cosmos. Various RPF members continue to buy from Parks. Jeff Parks never makes the effort to apologize to, acknowledge the dilemma of, or assist Steve.
Basically true, though jeff vaguely responds to my apology note through another member, taking a really twisted righteous position... with some Christian/prisoner rant, virtually incoherent and somewhat scary, which is how he probably meant for it to be taken.
I want to make it clear that I never called for a boycott against Parks. I don't want to be thought of as responsible for folks not buying their sabers and stuff. But I appreciate the solidarity, nonetheless.
