Pot Sent to my Home

[Michael956]

Two Brazilian guests just checked out this morning.  They were lovely guests, if a bit high maintenance, and I enjoyed their stay.  However, as they were checking out they shocked me by telling me that they'd ordered marijuana seeds by mail and that they hadn't arrived yet,  but that when they do arrive they want me to keep them and plant them in my garden.  What?!?!  About a month before they arrived they asked if they could have some on-line shopping sent to my house, and if so would I give them my name and address.  I always say yes to these requests because I know that foreign guests  often buy consumer merchandise much cheaper in the U.S, and they love to order things from sites like Amazon.   They told me to watch for 4 packages.  Three packages arrived by the time of their visit, all addressed to me.  Now I just learned that the fourth contains marijuana!!  Marijuana is legal in California, and just as I allow guests to drink wine and spirits in my home I allow guests to smoke marijuana (outside in the garden), BUT I draw the line at having it sent to my home!  Although it's legal in California,  it's not legal at the federal level and all their other packages were sent via the U.S. Postal Service.  That was very inconsiderate and clueless on their part to do that.  I hope I don't get a knock at my door from someone wearing a badge!  I don't want to prohibit future guests from ordering on-line and having the packages sent to my home because it's such a nice service to provide and creates a lot of goodwill, but this has given me pause.  They are a well-educated, upper middle class couple (one is a doctor, and I adore Brazilians and speak Portuguese myself), but I'm flabbergasted by their assumption that that was appropriate.  They consume a lot of pot and I guess their heads are too foggy.  Anyway,  I doubt there'll be repercussions in pot-friendly California, but imagine if they'd done that to a host living in a state that still criminalizes marijuana.  I'll have second thoughts the next time a guest asks to send packages to my house!  

[Letti0]

@Michael956  Never let guests use your address for mail or delivery of items. It's always a bad idea. People have been known to use it to get residency, driver license, college in state tution, open bank accounts, etc. Always return any mail for guests "Not At This Address Return to Sender" on the front with a black marker cross out your address and just let his name show and drop it in a mailbox. If it's a FedX or UPS just drop it off at one of their stores also with the address crossed out. 

[Emily487]

@Michael956 I hear ya - I have Brazilian family members who stock up on loads of things while here in the states though lots of times their luggage gets  "misplaced" by the authorities once they are back in Brazil. 

[Linda108]

I also do not think it is a good idea for you to allow guests to use not only your address but your name as well!  There are so many things that can go wrong with that scenerio.  But since you did and you are very understanding and supportive of such on line shopping, I am not at all surprised by their actions.  It is surprises like you experienced that probably make many of us have to rein in our desire to be soooo helpful.

I wonder if there are package receiving sites in your area that are in the business of accepting on line orders.   Just a thought. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

so, did you plant them in your garden? 🙂

[Michael956]

It did not arrive yet, but I might!  It's legal in California.  

[Ange2]

@Michael    I always direct people to delivery services : check out SwapBox, Doorman, and if from Amazon they offer locker storage and pick up.

[Luciana248]

HELLO! I'm Brazilian and I live in São Paulo; I'm just, really, shocked by this story! 

[Victoria567]

Hi @Luc10iana

Im not shocked one bit....it’s amazing what some entitled guests try on , if they think they can get away with it.....

Considering my British sense of Irony, it’s something more suited to an updated version of Fawlty Towers, and quite hilarious, particularly where it concerns such entitled behaviour....and I’m quite enjoying some schadenfreude as it has involved some virtue signallers😉

[Michael956]

Victoria....big eyeroll to your last sentence

[Victoria567]

Good at least you understand the meaning of schafenfreude

[Victoria567]

Schadenfreude🙄

[Victoria567]

Virtue Signaller" But you CAN'T flatten those tents a few blocks from my air bnb! Not only do homeless people live there, but I enjoy spending most of my time trying to educate some guests who are shocked that this happens on my doorstep and then have the ABSOLUTE NERVE to be shocked that this happens nearby and give me a 1* for location!

Shocked guest....I see that the host has taken it up themselves to show his support for refugees.Have they donated money or time?Are they giving free English lessons?Are they making a free room available?

PAUSE for thought by shocked guest.....NO! NO! The host is just virtue signalling😉

[Luciana248]

Hello Victoria

@Victoria567

I speak German and I laughed a lot with the `Schadenfreud`!!!!

About all your comments I laughed a lot, you`re funny...rssss...although the subject matter is complicated. 

I`m thinking (imagine) to host Mr Bean...

[Victoria567]

Hello Luciana

@Luciana0it’s what us Scots call an Irn Bru moment and this is typical of my humour...Mr Bean is funny, but Scottish banter is a league of its own as we Scots like to make fun of situations

https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/drink/12-of-the-funniest-irn-bru-tv-adverts/