Coveted Crochet aka My Work Was Stolen

The company I work for uses an elephant as its mascot. I was so happy with how my elephant turned out that I took it to work to put on my desk. My coworkers love it. Everybody loves it.

Occasionally, the sales guys go on the road to do trade shows and other industry-specific events where we set up a table and hope to build new and expand existing business relationships. After I brought my elephant in, one of the guys asked if he could take it with him to put on the table as a decoration. Sure, I said. That was a huge compliment in and of itself. The professional dudes at work want to use my stuff to help them sell our actual products? Heck yes! Turned out the elephant was a big hit. It attracted people with its adorable cuteness! Yay me! My elephant has since travelled around Canada numerous times with the sales guys. It’s been to places I’ve never been!

My elephant was on the road this past week. I got a text Thursday night from my coworker, raving once again about how popular the elephant is and how great it would be if I could make another one specifically to raffle off at the next event or something like that. I had been thinking along those lines for a while so that I could bring my elephant home, while the one I’d give to the sales guy would be dedicated for his use. I even wanted to try using surface slip stitch to see if I could get an approximation of our company logo on the elephant’s hip. My coworker also told me that one lady apparently gave her business card to him with a request that I should please call her because OMG CUTE ELEPHANT. I went to bed that night feeling really awesome!

Friday morning shortly after I got to work, my coworker called to say SOMEONE STOLE MY ELEPHANT. That’s right, STOLE IT. This person—A SUPPOSED PROFESSIONAL IN OUR INDUSTRY, someone that we MIGHT BE DOING BUSINESS WITH—swiped it off the table while the sales guy was standing RIGHT THERE but was engaged in conversation with other people. This person waited until my coworker was suitably distracted and then WALKED AWAY WITH MY ELEPHANT.

The sales guy was so angered and devastated he enlisted the assistance of other people to go around the event hall trying to see if they could find the person carrying the elephant around with them. He confronted people, including the lady who gave him her business card! He emailed the event rep to complain (not that they can really do anything about it) and asked for help to spread the word that the elephant was handmade by me and should please be returned. He sounded so guilty when he was telling me about this on the phone.

I am so mad, and so upset! Not at my coworker—at the broker. It took me a month to make that elephant. I realize I can make another one but THAT’S NOT THE POINT. What kind of lowlife “professional” adult does a person have to be to steal a stuffed toy from an industry event?! Does this person run their business this way?? Not to mention the audacity of stealing the elephant from under the nose of the sales guy while he’s standing RIGHT THERE. He’s not a small guy either. He’s like 6’2” and built! The elephant wasn’t even at the front of the table. Hard to misconstrue as a freebie when it’s not at the front! But hey I guess that doesn’t matter. Other people’s stuff? Whatever, just take it if you want it!

My mother says having my work stolen is a kind of compliment. “That person wanted your elephant so much that they couldn’t resist taking it.” Pfft. Like that is supposed to make me feel better. You know, if that person had just shown respect and asked I could have made another one. Now? Suffice to say, I’ll make one for myself but not for the sales guy to take on the road. He agrees: obviously we can’t trust the people we do business with! Even if the elephant turns up anonymously (not holding my breath), one bad apple ruined it for everyone.

SO MAD. SO BUMMED. Never going to see my elephant again! :’( PEOPLE SUCK.