As these things go, it was quite amusing and very memorable. I was recently sent Mr Thorne's artwork for a missing kitty. If ever one of the cats go missing, I will be asking Mr Thorne to help produce the posters.
Now, we have a friend who's name is very similar to Mr Thorne's. Around Christmas time a couple of years ago, I was trying to organise a gift for a friend who was a going skiing for a while. We decided that some hollow ski poles would do just the job (it probably needs no explanation that she was off to spend a ski season in the mountains). Hollow, so that they could be filled with a tipple of choice, or indeed different one in each pole. I only hope she didn't try using them to mix martinis, but that's another story.
So, in sending an email to solicit donations from mutual friends of my travelling, drinking, skier, I managed to email Mr Thorne. Here is a copy of the email exchange (edited so as not to splatter names and email addresses all over the place:
My Original Email:
>
> On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 7:32 PM, S S wrote:
>>
>> I am thinking about a gift for Clare for her skiing adventure - my sister in law finds the following indispensible:
>> http://www.liquorsnob.com/archives/2005/10/coldpole_liquor_reservoir_ski_poles.php
>> These are US based - I need to find out where Tina got them from but here's my idea (above)
>> Anyway, what do you think - anyone want to come in on this with me?
>> S
Mr Thorne's reply:
Hey guys,
I'd love to go in on the ski poles but unfortunantley I don't have much money at the moment. I have attached a picture of a spider that I value at around $250. I hope that this will cover my share of the present.
Say hi to everyone for me.
Love David xoxoxoxo
My Reply:
S to show details 11/24/08
https://www.theski-shop.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=395&category_id=47&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1
£90 so will order and split cost among those who have contributed.
Dave - the spider only as 7 legs so I can't accept him as payment. Please offer other legal tender.
N - I will invoice your Dad!
S
Mr Thorne's Reply:
David Thorne to me
show details 11/25/08
You're so hard to please, Suzie. :)
I've reattached the spider with eight legs. Can't believe I stuffed it up.
- Dave.
Observations from the namesake and others:
Hmmm there appears to be an usurper in our midst with an additional "e".
I wonder if this is the same guy who made enquiries about a Chevy truck a few months ago that caused a series of ever more desperate emails from a dealership thinking they were about to make their first sale of the month in a credit crunch...
-
Reply N G
show details 11/25/08
Sod the Chevy truck, what he really wants is a villa in St Lucia! And boy have I got a deal for him ;-) Not many 7 legged spiders, though, cockroaches and geckos are more the thing out here!
Reply Reply to all Forward
Reply D T
show details 11/25/08
Hang on, this guy is an internet phenomena:
http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=4031496
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=667093
My final observations although we concluded that it was the real Mr Thorne.
S S
show details 11/26/08
Are you sure he's not just impersonating an internet phenomenon? Al
posted that spide story on facebook. He probably kidnapped the spider
for his own financial gain. Mr Thorne that is not al.
Just goes to show that getting the correct email address is a thorny problem.
