New Blogpost, 3-MAR 2025, Reijer Staats
The chico from SEUR
I stand here under the tilted door of the garage of our Villa Merise. A large white truck awkwardly blocks the street, and two sturdy, hairy Latin American hombres, whom I remember from the earlier chaotic delivery of the broken fridge, are now busy packing it up for return. Turning my head to the right to somewhat ignore their construction worker cleavage, I wonder if I can help with anything, and a "Necesitáis ayuda?" leaves my mouth.
When we made our new ático Lolapaluza in Salobreña our own, quite a few online purchases were made, and after the bottle holder in the fridge at Villa Merise broke for the second time, and the guests there – as they claimed – had to drink a newly opened bottle of Spanish white wine in one evening, a new fridge was immediately ordered online by us.
However, the ordered and delivered appliance failed to cool or freeze after a night plugged in. All the contents thawed and spoiled, and because Johan managed to find a new, identical bottle holder for the old fridge online, the return request and refund were quickly arranged. A real full-day task: all the deliveries and returns, driving back and forth between our four casas, couriers who were typically late or didn’t show up, and their incomprehensible babbling on the phone... How do you manage that if you have a regular job?
The words “Hola, soy el chico de SEUR. Tengo un paquete.” ring through the phone. It's the delivery guy for the headboard of the bed for Lolapaluza. I rush home because this chico from the delivery service is always punctual, calls half an hour in advance, and by now knows exactly how to find us – despite the illogical Spanish house numbering, the untraceability on route planners, and the lack of a house number at the gate of our urbanization. Oh yes, and the fact that the intercom system on our small urbanization, as long as we've lived here, still hasn’t worked, doesn’t make things any easier.
The box is damaged, repaired with tape marked REPRECINTADO, and with a deadline – the first guests are almost at the door – I must attach around fifty loose slats between the top and bottom of the bed headboard. This proves impossible without the screws and the assembly template that were missing from the damaged box. Johan hears me swear, comes upstairs shaking his head, and stares at my red face. Only then do I accept a new return – Fortunately, it’s the chico from SEUR picking up this package.