Adventures in Email

So, since our movers took it upon themselves to randomly disregard our SHIP and STORE stickers, we found ourselves without some items that would have been really useful. We have been dealing with this lack in one of three ways: 1. Swear at movers, buy a new one here. 2. Swear at movers, figure out a way to do without. 3. Swear at movers, find someone to build, sew or make a replacement here. Since my shepherd's hooks didn't make the cut, I have been lamenting their absence in so many ways.  They are good for hanging candles in the yard, hanging plants in the yard, hanging my upside down tomato grower thing on, hanging my bamboo wind chimes from, and generally hanging stuff. S-hooks, of which I had two, both of which apparently met the standards of the movers and made the trip, are similarly handy when you have tree branches and want to hang things from above. So.  I searched high and low for someone who does iron work and could make them both for me, in quantity, since there are no Home Depots here and I didn't want to pay duty on purchases from overseas. I came up with Mr. Dany, a man who does local iron work, usually of gates and banisters. His website gave an email address that might have given me a clue to the tack this conversation was going to take: wrouhgt_iron@*****.*** Uh oh.  But in my usual Pollyanna mode, nothing ventured... What follows is a partial record of our epic email conversation. (any parts with a white background like this are my notes to you and were not part of the emails). --------------------------

Leanne Collier
                          Jan 10

to: wrouhgt_iron

Dear Mr. Dani,

 I am looking for someone to make me "Shepherd's hooks" which are wrought iron poles with a hook on top and an "h" shape to put in the ground. 
                                
Would you be able to do this? 

Thank you,

Leanne Collier

-------------------------- wrouhgt_iron@****.*** to me

Jan 16

good day,

yes, i can make what you need, but for more detail on specifications, can u help me provide the picture and how many pcs you need, then i will reply you with the price...

Thank you, waiting your reply asap

Best regards
Dany

-------------

Leanne Collier to wrouhgt_iron

Jan 20

Thank you for your reply.

I am attaching photos of what I want:

The shepherd's hooks need to be between 2 and 2.5 meters tall, I would like 6 of those. 

The 'S' hooks should be about 60cm tall, and I would like four of those.

Thanks!

Leanne Collier

[in the above email, I attached the following pictures:]

---------------

wrouhgt_iron@****.*** to me

Jan 23

To: Leanne Collier

Thank you

I've seen your picture, and I know what that means, my (company) can do your request, Thank You

hopefully we can establish this partnership, thank you
We await news of your

---------------

Leanne Collier to wrouhgt_iron@****.***

Jan 24

Hello again,

As you can see, your email to me last night was cut off. 

I will await your answer and further communicaton. 

Leanne

-----------

wrouhgt_iron@****.***    to me

Jan 24

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

good day

sorry, if there is an error, your email I've seen, and I already see the picture you sent me, that the company We are prepared to work on your request. hope we can work together your company's premises

thanks

Dany

---------------------------- Leanne Collier    to wrouhgt_iron@****.***

Jan 26

Hello Pak Dany,

Saya senang Anda dapat membuat kait kait untuk saya.  Saya saja orang yang memerlukan ini untuk rumah saya.

Boleh saya membawa sebagian pembayaran kepada Anda dan Anda dapat mulai bekerja?

Maafkan yang buruk saya Bahasa Indonesia.

[I'm glad you can make hooks for me. I am just a person who needs this for my house. May I bring some payments to you and you can start working? 

Forgive my poor Indonesian.]
I am just a person who wants these hooks for the garden. 

May I bring partial payment so that you can begin work?

Terima kasih!

Leanne

----------------

wrouhgt_iron@****.***    to me

Jan 26

Thank you
too bad I speak english, but I understand your Indonesian, I must also apologize to you, because it made you confused with my english,

Your request will I do, and before I would make the price for you, now it's late, tomorrow I checked the price of matrial, then I make the price for you.

thank you for your belief in our company.



DANY

----------------

wrouhgt_iron@****.***    to me

6:44 am

Dear Leanne

together we hereby offer the goods you order

S hook 60cm Rp 65.000
shepherd's hook 2 and 2.5 m Rp 85.000

thus offers from us, our great hope, we can work together

thanks
 

Dany

---------------

Leanne Collier to wrouhgt_iron@****.***

10:22 pm

Dear Dany,

Excellent.  I accept your price offer and am prepared to pay a total of Rp. 510,000 for the tall shepherd's hooks (6) and Rp. 260,000 for the S hooks (4).

If you would like partial payment delivered to you, please tell me where to bring it. 

Thank you so much for your patience, and I appreciate your English very much.

Leanne

[the price quoted is not quite ten dollars apiece. That is just a little more than half what the ones I got in the U.S. cost- moral of that story; cut out the middle man.]

--------------

Bintang Kencana

we will check the price of shipping to your place so that we can do the billi...

Jan 28 (4 days ago)

Bintang KencanaLoading...

Jan 28 (4 days ago)

wrouhgt_iron@****.***

Jan 28

to me

thank you very much

we say many thanks for your approval for our quotation we did before.
 
we will soon do the job as soon as possible in accordance with the agreements we've done. for it then we ask that you are willing to send us your shipping address where you stay
 
for your information that our offer price does not include shipping cost to your address.
 
we thank you for your attention and your willingness to reply to our letter

sincerely yours



Dani

--------------------

wrouhgt_iron@****.***

9:23 PM

Hello Dani,

I have put a downpayment of (hampir) half in your BCA account, so that you may begin work.

I would very much like to pick up the hooks when they are ready.  I have a large vehicle and Indonesian driver who can help me.  Please provide an address where I can come to pick them up and we can save the trouble and expense of shipping.

It is a pleasure to do business with you,

Leanne

-------------

wrouhgt_iron@****.*** 

Feb 7, 2011

We are sorry, your letter is so long I reply, because of busy, hope you can understand my situation

I hereby convey my office address and workshops
Jln: K**** K**** **** RT 03/01 P****** JAKARTA UTARA 1907-0

THANK YOU


Dany 

---------------

Leanne Collier

 to wrouhgt_iron@****.*** 

Feb 7

Bagus sekali.  Saya mengerti.  Tolong bilang kepada  kapan datang saya. [Very good. I understand. Please tell me when to come.]

Cheers!

Leanne

--------------

wrouhgt_iron@****.***

 to me

 Feb 11


Thank you

I am very grateful, for your understanding, your order stuff I've done,

I wanted to ask, whether ordered items you will need to be painted? since Monday, February 14 ordered items you're done.


--------------


Leanne Collier

 to wrouhgt_iron@****.***

Feb 12


Thank you so much!  If possible, I would like them painted matte black. 

I am out of Jakarta until 17th Feb.  - I will arrange to pick up my hooks then.

Thank you again my friend, it has been a pleasure doing business.

Leanne

--------------

wrouhgt_iron@****.***
 to me
Feb 12

You are very complimentary, I am very grateful for many, for your belief in me
Thank You :

Your ordered items will soon be my black paint, dated February 16, your order
already be taken.

If you are in Jakarta, I can take your order, to your address in Jakarta

If I may ask you, what I call on you, Mr., Mrs. or Miss,

Sorry I'm bad english, so that makes you confused

Thank you


Sincerely I
Dany

--------------

Leanne Collier

to wrouhgt_iron@****.*** Feb 16

Hello again Dany,

I am indeed in Jakarta.  If you are able to bring the hooks to Jakarta Selatan that would be great- we are at #5 Jalan B**** *****, Cilandak *****, Jakarta Selatan 1*****. I can pay a delivery fee.

If this is not convenient, I can pick them up at your shop. 

Cheers!

Leanne

---------------

wrouhgt_iron@****.***
 to me Feb 16


ok ... I will take your order the goods to your door. until night when the goods arrived at the place you whether anyone would accept it? freight car because I've gone since early morning. and this afternoon will be your place.


thanks
--------------

And as promised, Pak Dany was at my door Wednesday night, about 8:30 pm in the pouring rain, with my six shepherd's hooks and four S hooks. 


They are industrial strength... in Ted's words we could "hang a whole deer from them". 


Here's my scale model with one of our new hooks:

I hope you enjoyed this little tour through "It's YOUR country why don't you speak MY language???"


Indonesians are unfailingly polite when we jabber on.  If they have any English, they will always try to help us out, but honestly why should they have to?


Far too many expats expect their host nationals to know English, yet how many of us know the language of visitors to our country? 


(hint: almost nobody)


So thank you Pak Dany for your patience with me and the unintended chuckles you provided as you tried to run your business and accommodate your language challenged customer. 


I hope we can do business again.  :-)