On Saturday, Jan. 7, I took a roll of 35 mm film to be developed for one-hour photo service at a local business.

The photo operator began to develop them immediately. After waiting two hours, she asked me to return later that afternoon as the machine was “actin’ up.”

At 5 p.m. that afternoon, I received a call from a photo clerk telling me my prints had come out dark, but she would see if she could lighten them.

When I returned Sunday to ask for my prints, the two clerks who worked there said I had given them a blank roll of film, which they held up to show me. They apologized over and over to say how “sorry” they were.

The prints that were lost were irreplaceable, as my son and daughter-in-law had driven me four hours to Ocean Springs on Friday, Dec. 30 to the Walter Anderson Museum of Art to see my 38 Walter Anderson “Widgets” that had been on display since September, figures I had collected over a lifetime. Also, we saw a painting by Mac McConnell Anderson, one of the three Anderson brothers, also on loan to the museum.

A friend I had not seen in 20 years came from Long Beach to meet me, and we had a very happy reunion. Those prints were also lost.

Little did the two ladies who worked at the photo counter who contrived the story to deceive me and appear to be overly apologetic know I had been called that afternoon to tell me my prints were dark, but she would try to redeem them.

They deliberately deceived me instead of admitting the film was destroyed by their machine malfunctioning.

On Tuesday, Jan. 10, I went to the store and asked to speak to the manager to present my grievance.

He was cordial and sympathetic and promised to reimburse me for my loss. He promised to call me that next morning at 10 a.m.

I waited by my phone for his call, and I am still waiting.

I would like for area businesses that handle precious memories to realize that customers are trusting you with pieces of their lives. Mistakes happen, but lying about it only makes them hurt worse.

 

Dotty Stubbs

Natchez resident