The below email was sent through the website on Friday night. It just happened to come through whilst I was using google analytics and I could see that someone in the United States was using our contact form. I was excited, I thought it might be a potential customer. It might still be, but I am not sure I would ever want to do business with this kind of character.
Last year a local celebrity woman, who was a presenter on a popular Sydney reality television programme, committed suicide. Part of her terrible frame of mind around the time she took her own life was brought on by people who were tweeting her and basically telling her she ought to 'off' herself.
When the email below came through I didn't quite feel like that, but for a brief moment I needed to consider what this person was saying. Seneca, one of the great Roman Stoics, once said that if you are insulted you had a number of ways in which you could handle the situation. The first is that you need to assess if there is any validity to the insult. For, if someone is being truthful when they insult you, you ought to consider what they are telling you. So, for that, I owe my troll some respect. I am indeed overweight bordering on obese. It has been something I have not managed to get a grip on for some years. I exercise all the time but perhaps the stress of family life and running a small business plus the fact that I never seem to feel full when I eat until I am too full, is part of my general issues surrounding food. So, you are correct my 'friend', I am at best portly, at worst obese.
Seneca then went on to say that if a man insults you and he isn't stating the truth, then the best way to retaliate is with humour, if you are quick witted. Today I am not feeling quick witted, so let me just answer the incorrect part with some reasoning.
As for my products, Paul, you are not correct. My products are designed for people who love bow ties and who appreciate silk. I love all kinds of bow tie shapes Paul and over the years we have thrown a good two dozen or more on to the website but over time our customers continually come back to our modified butterfly shape, which is the one your 'colleague' wore no doubt.
If reducing our prices and the size of our bow ties would make you a customer then I shall have to put my prices up and make bigger bow ties. If you knew how to tie a bow tie you would know that the size of the knot and finished tie depends on your skill at tying a knot.
I am wishing you a merry Christmas - I have never had a troll before - and in a way I owe you a thank you - you made me realise we are doing okay at what we do.
Name: Paul
Email: pwatsoneree555@gmail.com
Phone:
555-555-5555
Body: I have been
looking at your bows for quite some time, and have come to the unfortunate
conclusion that they are vastly overpriced.
I have also noticed from your bows owned by a collegue, that they are
very generously cut...as if intended to be worn by a portly overweight
gentleman. Sure enough, I have noticed
on your blog frequent photos of one of your models (who is at best portly, and
at worst, obese), with dark hair and a beard, sporting your bows. I assume I have guessed correct, and that your
bows are cut for overweight men.
Perhaps you should consider both reducing your prices and
reducing the generous cut of the bows, so men of normal size do not look
dwarfed by them.
Regards
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