How Gullible Do You Think I Am!!

I expect a reasonably high value ebay purchase is going to go sour very quickly. It wasn't a coin but a rare Camera lens. The seller is based in France and had noted that they would be away until the 3rd of July. The lens was one I had been looking for, the price was a little cheap but I could see some markings on the lens barrel and, as it was a paypal purchase, I felt reasonably confident.
What also reassured me was a positive feedback profile of almost 350 and only 2 neutral feedbacks over the last few years( and one negative well over 12 months ago. I get back from the ANA Summer seminar and on the 4th check the purchase status....it hasn't been dispatched! I check the sellers activity and see that he/she had been leaving a raft of feedback for buyers on the 3rd (for items sold on the 18th of June). So I send an ebay message just asking for an indication of when the lens might be expected. The first message is not replied to. I send a second message on saturday...this time in French. I get a reply in English....apparently due to the sellers brain surgery that saw them in hospital til the third they won't be posting it until tomorrow and I should wait 10 days for delivery. Now years ago when I was an ebay Novice I had a sovereign purchase go wrong from a different French seller. I never got the coin and as it had been a cash payment never got a refund. Funny thing is the excuse back then was "Brain surgery!. Its sunday night I have told the seller about the previous experience and quietly mentioned if the item doesn't arrive the police will be contacted. The really annoying thing is the ridiculous excuse still has me wanting to cut the seller some slack!

I have had French colleagues who made similarly ridiculous claims to explain why they missed important meetings....one had Chicken pox four times in one year.... I really hate people who play on illness!!