Round 6

Subject:	Re: refund
Date:	Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:44:23 -0400
From:	Jack Ludwick <jludwick@ieee.org>
To:	Wade West <wade@afauctions.com>
CC:	deleted

It appears that you have not actually read my previous notes. I have not asked for yet another assertion that your customized trip has no relation to another's pre-packaged one that has long been available online. We have already seen enough confident statements "in writing" that have later been shown to be incorrect.

What I actually have continued to ask – not "nefariously" make "allegations" and/or "complaints" about – is for an explanation of why your trip has IDENTICAL dates, not just, as you continue to attempt to obfuscate, "some of the same dates," and why the itineraries are also identical, down to the same grammatical errors.

In case that has slipped your mind, I can resend the files showing that the dates and itineraries are identical.

Since it appears that you are not able to understand this question, perhaps your Administrative Assistant can explain it to you [for an instant I had included "in terms that even you can understand," but Betty Lou made me remove it. We had previously received an email from his administrative assistant that claimed he would be the one in charge of all communication from then on. He seemed to be an intelligent and reasonable person, so I ignored him in favor of dealing directly with the loose cannon.]. I am sure that no other addressee has had a similar difficulty.

I would have thought that no one would been more concerned than you in finding out why this is true. Why haven't you questioned your – unidentified – vendors about this amazing coincidence? Unless you already have, but are unwilling to release the results.

Once again, you bring up unrelated stories about others who haven't had the misfortune to experience the results of, first, an unresponsive travel agency, followed by a continuing campaign to discredit our valid concerns, rather than respond to them.

We also had been looking forward to a similar rewarding experience, and had thought that on Samantha's return she would provide us with other options that were free of such issues.

However, it's hard to understand how refunding the cost of an untaken trip will "reduce the contributions (you) can make to other worthy charities." As you say, the Orchestra will receive the entire amount of our contribution, and you're not refunding your fee. [I originally had written "your cut," but Betty Lou made me change it. By now, I was getting fed up with his overbearing, bullying attitude. It's obvious that he's unused to having anyone question his views, but I was really surprised that he would reveal to others how unhinged he actually was.]

No doubt you will add that question to the list of those you have already chosen not to answer.

Regards,

Jack Ludwick

Mr. Ludwick,

I have answered each of your questions and allegations numerous times. For example, you keep insisting that somehow we offer the Virgin Vacations trip. I have previously told you twice in writing that we do not use the Virgin Vacations trip. Why you do not accept that, I do not understand. After previously telling you twice that we have no interaction with Virgin Vacations, you continue to find something nefarious in the fact that we have some of the same departure dates as they do. I do not call a direct written answer, twice before, “dodging” anything.

I can only compare your other complaints to the series of rave reviews we receive from other travelers. For example, last evening at a hospital event, a man who had traveled with us twice previously purchased a photo safari, and told me he did so because of his previous trip experiences with us.

I cannot permit our time, and the Orchestra officers’ time, to be consumed by an ongoing series of repeated allegations. It is obvious that you will never be pleased by our service. I personally believe this is nothing more than buyer’s remorse. But rather than making our agents, staff, and the officers at the Orchestra continue to have to deal with you, although you signed twice to acknowledge that all purchases are final, I have directed that a refund be made as you originally demanded. A refund of every dollar that was retained to pay for the trip will be credited to your VISA card ending in 0406. As you stated, the 10% that covered the auction expenses will be retained. Most importantly, the entire amount of your contribution to the Orchestra will remain with the Orchestra. As we are a not-for-profit foundation, this will eventually reduce the contributions we can make to other worthy charities and organizations, but, so be it.

It will take a few days to process that refund, as it must be done manually, since your card is not present here to “swipe.” When it is completed, you will receive a copy of the refund credit slip and an accounting of all transactions regarding your purchase. That documentation will be sent to you by traceable mail so we will know it has been delivered. A copy will be sent to the Orchestra as well. We would send you a check, but VISA/MasterCard rules specify the refund must be applied to the card that incurred the original charge.

This is the last communication you will receive from us, other than an email giving you the tracking number of the envelope containing you credit receipt and accounting information.