Story by
Napier Lopez
ReporterNapier Lopez is a writer based in New York City. He's interested in all things tech, science, and photography related, and likes to yo-yo in Napier Lopez is a writer based in New York City. He's interested in all things tech, science, and photography related, and likes to yo-yo in his free time. Follow him on Twitter.
We’ve all had that feeling of not getting the gifts we wanted for the holidays; why did your aunt buy you socks when you wanted a Nintendo 64?
It’s a bit more unusual, however, when instead of the book about chickens you were supposed to receive from Amazon, you get a a piece of conveyor belt equipment.
That’s what happened to Lisa Seger, co-owner of Blue Heron Farm in Texas. She actually wasn’t expecting anything in the mail – the package was supposed to be a surprise gift from a friend – but instead she got the nine-pound conveyor belt roller in a poorly packed box.
Amazon seemed to take the missing equipment rather seriously though, telling Seger she’d have to return the piece or else her friend’s card would be charged.
What I am not sure of is whether @amazon routinely threatens the people who get shipped factory parts in error.
— Blue Heron Farm (@BlueHeronFarmTX) December 4, 2014
Ultimately, it remains a mystery how a piece of a conveyor belt managed to find itself on its way to Seger in the first place, but she has a theory:
Wondering if the shipping of a 9 lb conveyor roller was just a cry for help from an @amazon warehouse employee. — Blue Heron Farm (@BlueHeronFarmTX) December 4, 2014
Personally, I think Amazon’s robot workers are trying to send us humans a message.
Unfortunately, it will take Lisa two weeks to get her chicken book according to Amazon, but you can follow the entire ridiculous saga on Seger’s Twitter timeline.
➤ @BlueHeronFarmTX via Boingboing