2022 despite being a strange year, I’m sure you know what I mean, offered some exciting new adventures. One in particular was the Oddities and Curiosities Expo. This last October I got to wander amongst some of the best oddity businesses in Seattle. As I wondered around feverishly enjoying my surroundings, one thing I found everywhere was wet specimens. I had seen many on Etsy and I remember a middle school teacher that had a few in her classroom and found them to be quite interesting.
As the end of the year was quickly approaching I was perusing the listings for gifts on Etsy. I’m a big supporter of small businesses, I know how much work and effort goes into running one of these! I some how found myself down a rabbit hole and glancing at the curiosities of wet specimens. There were so many offerings, but one in particular caught me mid scroll, it was an offering for a shark pup. I was obsessed, which I tend to do when I find a unique piece to really draws me in. I closed my browser and figured if I really wanted it I would find it again. Well it didn’t take long before I was flashing the idea to Kyle who offered me some kind words and the push to order.
I guess it does feel pretty good to order yourself a gift for the holidays, cause I was full of anticipation when I clicked that purchase button. Mind you the listing did advice that it takes 40 days for your shipment to be sent out. 40 days roll by and I see that my order is in pre-ship, my label had been created! A week goes by and no update from USPS. The status still sat “waiting for package”. Damn, I wanted my shark! After two weeks of this I reached out to the seller only to find out that my order had indeed shipped and had been in transit for some time, but USPS hadn’t updated it for some reason, who knows. I finally get an update that it had arrived at the local distribution center, I was eager to get my long awaited self gifted gift. It sat and it sat and it sat for a week when I got a notice it was out for delivery! Only it was out for delivery in the wrong state. USPS had sent my package back to the sellers state. I quickly called the customer service number, the wait wasn’t too bad, but the news I got was a joke. Instead of actually looking into why they told me the seller must have requested it back since they wouldn’t have done it.
I was so frustrated and concerned about the condition my shark was in. Was it dried out? What the box ok? Was I ever going to get this piece?! I reached out to the seller only to get the news I expected. The seller hadn’t requested it back, it would have cost them substantial amount to have USPS return the package. No one knew where it was exactly or why it had been returned, it was a mystery to even the very people who had position of the box. At this point the seller had graciously offered to resend the box once they received it. It was all I had and despite my deep disappointment, I reluctantly caved and decided it was best just to wait.
A week goes by again and I received an unexpected notice, my package was set to be delivered! While I wanted to get excited I felt it best to just wait it out to see if it was actually going to happen. I lucked out and there in my mail box was the package! I was not surprised at all to see the box in utter ruins and figured I would find a little shark with shards of glass protruding into its body. I figured it was worth me picking up some 70% rubbing alcohol just in case since your can’t mail them with the alcohol inside.
I begin removing the loose tape along the top flaps of the box, the sides were beat so badly they swayed when your moved them. Inside I was surprised to find a large bubble wrapped mailer; and inside was another and another. The seller did such a fantastic job of packaging my order, the jar and shark were intact and exactly as I had hoped! There was one last thing, was the shark just wrinkly because it needed alcohol or was it totally tried out from the trip? I opened the jar to find it still moist thanks to the wet paper towel that was stuffed inside. I rinsed out the jar with the shark until the water was clear and filled it up with the alcohol. Finally my newest oddity had arrived, I was ready to add it to my collection.
It’s never fun having an order missing or on an extended journey, but it was thrilling to receive it, clean it, and top it off. I find myself wandering over to my Cabinet of Curiosities & Oddities to glance at it. Each of my items has a story, but so far my shark beats them all.
Check out the video and the latest addition to my collection
