Belong to anyone?

On a local level there needs to be major reform for policing standards and competency

The original post was reported 3 times in an attempt to take it down, we can all guess who/why.

So I'm reposting with an update at the bottom.

Almost a year ago, I entered into a consignment contract with a local comic book shop, Central City Comics, owned by Doug.

The collection had a minimum total value of $45,000, and I was incredibly excited about the opportunity.

When I first visited the shop, Doug and I spent hours talking and getting to know each other. We bonded over our shared experiences of growing up in poverty and experiencing hardships at a young age. I confided in him after the consignment was signed that people often didn't go out of their way to do nice things for me, so I was excited for a win. Later in the year, he even brought those conversation up himself and told me he would never take advantage of me, knowing what I’d been through.

Yeah, right.

I have a disability that makes it difficult to find and maintain steady employment. I can’t reliably work regular hours, and finding a job with limited hours has been incredibly difficult. I was really counting on this consignment, both as a source of income and as a way to contribute financially to my household rather than feeling like a burden to my partner.

During the first couple of months, I received about $2,000 from various comic sales. I repeatedly asked the shop owner for written records, sales reports, and receipts so I could keep track of everything. He kept telling me he was “putting numbers together,” but he never followed through.

Eventually, the excuses for why nothing was selling and why I still wasn’t receiving the records I’d requested started piling up:

My mom is in hospice.

I got COVID.

My eSIM was hacked.

My social media was hacked.

The comic market is down.

My mother-in-law is in hospice.

I got COVID again.

The comic market is still down.

About two months before the contract was set to end, I asked him to release the $1,250 he had been holding back for potential grading costs. At that point, there wasn’t enough time left to get the comics graded, so I wanted the money returned. I also genuinely needed it because I had only $30 in my bank account to last me through the rest of the week.

Over the course of several days, I tried repeatedly to get a clear timeline for when I would be paid. He continued dodging the question.

Then came the bombshell: *he told me all of my comics had been stolen, including my Mask #2.*

He offered no additional information, even when I asked for it. He did, however, reaffirm his commitment to paying me out.

I was devastated and had no idea what to believe.

On October 2, I woke up with an overwhelming sense of dread about the entire situation. I reached out to a local comic collector I had met through the shop owner and asked whether I was being scammed or whether the Google #1-rated comic shop in Charlotte was genuinely having these kinds of problems.

He called me, and I learned two things.

First, he and the shop owner weren't nearly as close as the shop owner had led me to believe.

Second, he told me that the shop owner had actually sold my Mask #2 back in June at Heroes Comic Con.

Mask #2 is a rare comic, and the sale had been posted on Instagram. I don't use Instagram, so I had never seen the post.

I used my partner's Instagram account to contact the comic shop that had purchased it. They confirmed that the shop owner had sold them my Mask #2 for approximately $3,000 back in June.

So, while telling me that all of my comics had been stolen, he had already sold one of them months earlier without my knowledge.

When I confronted him with this information, he essentially admitted to it.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm hoping to gain by posting this. Part of me just needs to vent, and part of me is hoping someone here might have advice or know what steps I should take next.

Does anyone know of any law firms or attorneys experienced with consignment disputes, particularly involving comic books or collectibles? Ideally, I'd like to find someone willing to work on a contingency basis or otherwise help me manage the upfront costs associated with AAA arbitration, with their fees paid from any recovery.

These comics were supposed to be a significant financial windfall for me. Instead, this situation has become an enormous source of stress, uncertainty, and potential legal expenses.

I'm completely overwhelmed and devastated. I've spent the past several days crying on and off, and my stomach has been in knots for nearly a week.

~~

**UPDATE**

Doug, yup I'm naming him, has closed his business, and I’ve found another victim

Unfortunately, things havent improved since my original post.

After I terminated the consignment, Doug refused to return my comics or pay me anything. He has now closed Central City Comics, and given the circumstances, I’m worried that may be an attempt to avoid paying what he owes me.

I’ve now learned about another person who purchased 14 of my comics from Doug for $3,470. Doug never sent him the comics, and this person also has evidence documenting what happened.

[Here is his story](https://www.instagram.com/p/DekU0KHgeXQ/?img_index=2&exln=bWV1NHd6N3M2ZnJ4)

Doug is forcing me into arbitration through the American Arbitration Association (AAA).

He texted me this story and told me he would follow through on his obligations and Oct 12 came and went with nothing.

Unfortunately the fees are an obstacle but I’m trying to file quickly.

I’m still trying to recover my property and the money I’m owed, and I’m doing everything I can to get this situation in front of people who can help.

I’ve contacted the North Carolina Attorney General’s office. If you do too, please ask them to review this situation. Sharing the story may help tell them this deserves attention.

AGrequests@ncdoj.gov

consumer@ncdoj.gov

I’ve already emailed local news outlets, but additional messages from people who believe this story deserves investigation could help bring it to their attention.

WBTV:

investigates@wbtv.com

WCOS:

contactus@wsoc-tv.com

If you know anyone who might be able to help, please share this update.

I have documentation supporting my claims and am willing to provide it to the appropriate people.

I'm not asking anyone to harass or threaten anyone. I'm just hoping for a fair opportunity to pursue what I'm owed.

Thank you to everyone who has offered advice and support so far.

My wife, son and I went to the Smashing Pumpkins concert last night at the Spectrum Center. I cannot say enough about the incredible staff that worked the venue last night. Every single person (and I truly mean every single one of them) was incredibly kind, personable, professional, and just overall friendly. It was such a breath of fresh air given the negativity in the world today.

My wife and I are still talking about it today. From the helpful concession attendants to the staff that greeted us at the doors and actually waved to us and said “goodbye, have a great night and drive safe” as we left…I was truly blown away.

I’m not talking about a few people being nice. I mean…I must have interacted with 15-20 workers there…and it was the best customer service experience I’ve had in years!! Kudos to the staff there, and whoever leads the personnel hiring and training department. It was obvious this wasn’t just a few people going out of their way to be helpful and nice…this is a standard of excellence that they all believe in.

I hope a few of the people who worked last night see this post. The concert was great, but you all who supported the venue are the epitome of the lost art of a fantastic customer care culture. Thank you all so much.

Bring in your own bowl and get free pasta!

Not every kid is an athlete. Not every kid is a straight-A student. For a lot of teenagers, the arts are the one place they feel like they belong.

Today, students at North Mecklenburg High School learned their theater program is eliminated and the Theater Director is being reassigned to another CMS school, effective Monday, Oct. 19, because of staffing and budget reductions.

This wasn't a struggling program. It was built over five years into one of the strongest at the school, with about 80 students enrolled and some of the strongest participation and retention at North Meck. That is exactly the kind of program a school should be proud of, not cut.

Not only is theater a "fun elective", but it also teaches kids to name and manage big emotions, work through conflict, and express anger and stress in healthy ways. For teens who don't fit the athletic mold, it may be the only constructive outlet they have.

The timing is suspicious. It's October. Students built their schedules around these classes and have been rehearsing for productions. They found out the same week it takes effect.

North Meck is a Title I school. The students who lose the most when a program like this disappears have the fewest other options. The arts open doors to scholarships and college pathways for kids who may never get them through sports or academics.

CMS just fired its superintendent without cause and owes her about $340,000 in severance and North-Meck High School also recently got a brand new football field.

I'm not claiming one budget line paid for another. But families are entitled to ask: when money gets tight, why is CMS letting the arts go first, and why a program with this much participation?

From what families understand, this decision came from the CMS district office, not North Meck's leadership. Principal Hood is a strong supporter of the arts. This is a district decision made mid-semester.

I haven't seen an official CMS statement. If you have one, or know more, please share it below.

Before Monday, email and ask CMS to:

- Pause this decision and protect students' current theater classes and productions

- Explain what was done to support and sustain the program

- Meet with affected students, families, and educators

Board Chair Dee Rankin:

gregoryd.rankin@cms.k12.nc.us

District 1 Rep. Charlitta Hatch:

charlittac.hatch@cms.k12.nc.us

Other board contacts are on the CMS website. Please share with every North Meck parent, student, and alum you know.

I have a transponder on both of our cars. Over the last few months, my account has been charged for an HOV violation even when there were 3 or more people, and I had the HOV option turned on. I then had to dispute it, and in every case they refunded the money.

Last month they charged me so much that I had a lot returned to my account, and the balance was so high that they actually returned some back to my credit card. Before all of this, I called them, and they were like, " Are your cars tinted?" I have had both my cars for years, and this was never an issue (not saying that any of my cars are tinted).

Is this a ploy to hold cash through wrongful charges to maybe make some interest before giving it back? I just hate having to keep checking my account in order to not have them slip through any wrongful transactions.

Why does it seem like the YMCA system doesn’t encourage anyone to play pickup basketball in this city?

I have noticed that every single YMCA I’ve been to (about five or six of them in varying parts of the city) rarely ever has any pickup basketball games going on. I’ve gone to multiple locations at multiple times of the day and times of the week and it seems like nobody is playing pick up basketball.

I grew up in the Winston-Salem area in no matter which YMCA you went to any day of the week there was a lot of people always running pick up basketball. But one thing I noticed is a lot of the YMCA is in the Charlotte area. Don’t even have full-size basketball courts. I went to a YMCA in a suburb that only had about 15,000 people when I was in high school but literally every single day until about 9 PM. There were pick up basketball games nonstop. But the YMCA also had high-quality basketballs to check out to use as well. Not many of the YMCA I’ve been to in Charlotte have that.

Has anyone else had this experience and also, where do you go to play?

I attempted to go vote today at the Former University Library and unfortunately ran out of time as I didn’t expect it to take over 40 minutes just to be checked in ( but I’m so proud and impressed by the turnout of early voting this year!)

That being said while I was there I was given this flyer (pictured) regarding the constitutional amendments on the ballot and why to vote “against” them. First off I’m registered unaffiliated and I’ve always been raised to hear both sides to make a solid decision- I was fully prepared to vote against the requirement for photo ID as this has been a topic for a few years at this point and I believe that as long as you are registered to vote then additional verification shouldn’t be required. However the reasoning for the other 2 items in relation to income tax and property tax gives me slight pause.

Income Tax cap at 3.5%- NC does not have a progressive income tax rate and considering it was 4.5% only 2 years ago I would imagine capping the rate would make sure everyone can see more of their paycheck (whether you are $10 an hour or $100k a year). The argument of all these services and exponential fees being passed on to families doesn’t seem sound to me as other tax revenues like excise tax on tobacco or income tax on corporations should be targeted more than Individual income tax.

Limits on Property Tax increases- especially in a heavily populated county like mecklenburg it’s no secret that the growth has greatly impacted the tax rate in many areas. The argument again that services would be reduced, does not seem viable enough to vote against this. Also, the point about renters not benefiting and out of state corp landlords brings up a bigger issue that we should be addressing- people who are coming here and not anticipating to stay or not supporting our community yet benefiting off of it should be scrutinized more. Why should actual homeowners have to carry the burden of property tax to cover transplants and out of state residents who won’t even register their cars here but want access to our public schools, hospitals, and public health services?

Given everything that has happened in Charlotte specifically as of late I think our bigger concern as a community should be focused on who we are actually voting in office and what they are doing with the budget currently in place. I’m not against taxing corporations, tourism, or elective items such as alcohol, gambling, and tobacco as these are items and person(s) that are choosing to come here and benefit off our community but I would like to understand why we push so hard to vote for bonds every year that significantly add to property taxes but want to vote against putting a cap on individual income tax and property taxes at the local level? Again- I’d like to hear both sides just to make sure I’m not missing a more important point but I think holding corporations and transplants accountable is more valid than increasing taxes for actual residents and working people.

Hello! I am desperate for a great dry cleaner, preferably one that is modern and uses all the fancy, nontoxic stuff. I’m looking for a place that covers buttons.. and is super particular about doing things properly. I’m willing to pay extra for superb cleaning. Thank you!!

Site says broken pole and could be back up around 10am to 12pm

Edit: now saying 10,000+ affected

Thanks again for all the love and the support!

This Sunday 9AM at freedom park we will be having our first male walking event! We will meet near the recreation garden.

I have linked my previous post, we are essentially trying to make a group where men can let their guard down and talk( and walk)!

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to me! We hope to see you there!

I accidentally threw my AirPods away while I was in a rush to change at work and Javier from the Johnson group (cleaning company) literally went dumpster diving and found my AirPods. Like I am genuinely in shock rn he wouldn’t take my money. I’m already planning on baking him something but I need to find who to contact from his job. Someone please help me!!!

Is there a cool event going on in the Area i missed? Curious as to why they'd be coming into CLT

I’m freshly homeless due to falling for a rental scam and only have enough for a few more nights in a hotel, but will be on my own starting Monday. Are there any safe places I can park my car to sleep in it where I won’t be at risk of getting towed or broken into?

I have a planet fitness membership but they’re only 24/7 Tues-Thurs, so I need somewhere for all the other days. Im not sure how many weeks I’ll be in my car for, but it’ll be less than a month.

My first thought is maybe the Atrium emergency room parking deck, since it’s relatively cheap to park there, open 24/7, and I can go inside the hospital if I need to use the restroom. I’m open to all suggestions

Im a long suffering fan of the Tampa Bay rays being a devoted fan when I grew up in Tampa bay though the Devil Rays era.

Now they are in the ALCS I'll love to find what sports bars in town may be playing the game and, Better yet, may have other fans to watch it with.

Definitely for the rescheduled game 4 tonight but also for game 5+ if I'm so lucky

Go Rays!

Anybody know of a dentist who’s great with kids who have sensory issues? Every visit to the pediatric dentist with my 6-year-old has been an absolute nightmare. The dentist and staff aren’t doing anything wrong, but we need a place that has more experience with kids like mine. TIA!

looking for a legit therapist ideally near uptown for anxiety who can also provide an ESA letter for my apartment building. I am looking to do therapy, not just get a letter. thanks!

Does anyone know how to track down what times the train rolls through matthews? I have a 2-year old who is obsessed with trains and I’d love to take him over to see the real thing! Just couldn’t find anything online.

All assistance is appreciated!

Not sure what flair to use but we recently found these kittens stuck in the storm drains near our residence. There are four and mom is likely hanging around nearby. We are working on getting them out but have not had any luck with animal control or the fire department. Our main priority right now is trying to find someplace for them to go after we get them out but many of the shelters are at capacity or are not responding to our calls. If anyone has any helpful info please let me know. We are trying to get them someplace safe before it rains overnight and we cannot bring them into our place as they may pose a risk to our animals.

Hi,

I am in Monroe because I am escaping human trafficking and homeless. I have contacted social services and was able to get food assistance. I contacted the shelter when I first arrived and contacted them again when I was at social services. They said I have to go there and provide proof that I am in Monroe and I have that, but they said it would be 2-3 weeks wait.

The police here have acted very aggressively towards me. They threatened me with arrest for sitting with a sign at Walmart on Roosevelt.

On Tuesday, my pushcart broke and I was able to drag my property to the corner where a hotel is. I had no money for transportation to get anywhere, no money to get a new pushcart, no phone to call anyone and I don't know anyone buying a very nice couple from the internet that helped me.

My phone just makes emergency calls. I sat there with my sign and someone helped me with a donation to get a pushcart, but I still needed help to get somewhere.

I made the mistake of calling the police to see if they would help and all they did was pull aggressively and issue me a citation knowing that I'm a trafficking victim and knowing I had no other options to get help.

Are there any organizations that are willing to help with transportation to drive me to a more homeless friendly place or organizations that would help with a few items of winter gear and a small tent so I would be able to start walking. I need a small tent for shelter to rest if I'm having to walk a long way and if there is rain.

I contacted:

The Monroe Shelter - 2-3 week wait after providing documentation

The domestic violence shelter - not an option for me.

Social Services - provided food assistance

Heart of Monroe - emailed and received no response.

Crisis Assistance Ministry - they said they don't help with tents.

Operation Reach Out - they don't have tents in stock and didn't provided the phone number of a woman I haven't had the opportunity to call because my phone just makes emergency calls and has internet.

I feel like Monroe police are trying to escalate by constantly harassing me. I have never witnessed any other homeless person panhandling getting harassed by police. When I ask where it's legal to be or sleep, they don't have an answer and insist that panhandling is illegal. The ordinance says you have to have a license and doesn't say anything about prohibiting a person from having a sign.

I don't have a way to call and get information about obtaining a license or transportation to get to city hall or wherever to get one.

I filed a complaint last night and the cops appeared where I was earlier today. I'm thankful for any help or suggestions.