I wanted to let you know sooner that I did receive your latest e-mail message, and I apologize for not having responded before now. Your frustration is obvious, and for that I apologize as well, but I wanted to be sure of my facts before I contacted you.
Dr. Kelleher has been in contact with our photo analyst several times since we received your message of October 14th, as he has every time you have contacted us about your negatives. Unfortunately, it is now apparent that your negatives have simply been misplaced over there. Our consultant and his staff continue to search their premises, and we are ever hopeful that your strips will turn up.
We certainly understand your frustration and anger over this situation, but at this point we can only plead for your continued patience, although it fairly apparent from your message that you have just about reached your limit. Some time ago, NIDS put into place some much more stringent consultant accountability procedures, in our effort to avoid just this type of situation. Unfortunately, that was after your negatives had been delivered to our photo analyst.
As a nationally based research organization, we at NIDS find these missing photo negatives embarrassing and unprofessional, at best. But there's nothing more we can do, that we haven't done already. I wish there was more I could say to you now, but we are sorry for this situation. You can be sure that as soon as your negatives do surface and we have no reason to believe they won't we will overnight mail them to you immediately. Until then, we hope you will remain patient, and bear with us until we can resolve this regrettable situation, however much longer it takes.
We are gratefull for the RETURN OF THESE VALUABLE NEGATIVES
NIDS HAS HAD THESE NEGATIVES SINCE AUGUST 2000 --- AND RETURNED THEM ON 8/24/2002 WE HAVE ALREADY RECIEVED THE KODAK PICTURE CD AND OTHER EVIDENCE SENT TO THEM FOR ANALYSIS, AND WE THANK NIDS FOR THIER HELP
One of our photographic analysts had mislaid your negative from the Wolf Creek sighting. He finally found it and returned it to us. We would like to return it to you.
Can you give me your mailing address and we will mail the negative to you?
We recieved the negatives on 8/24/2002 in good shape and with thanks to NIDS for their safe return.
UUFOH
RESPONSE2/11/2002
Dave, I don't know what to tell you. We feel miserable here that your negatives have been misplaced. But unless we go to our photo analyst's shop and tear it apart ourselves, I'm afraid your negatives are beyond our control at this point.
As I tried to convey to you with my last message, we have changed our consulting arrangements and procedures. Unfortunately, though, that doesn't make your negatives materialize any faster.
I had a photo CD on my desk just last week, and Dr. Kelleher thought I had found yours! He was so relieved! Until I reminded him that it was your negatives that were missing, and that I had already returned YOUR photo CD to you. Well, it was another crushing reminder how the best laid plans can sometimes go right into the pooper.
I will of course notify you, if our photo consultant ever notifies us, that your negatives have been located. And I will personally drive over there and pick them up, keep them in my possession at all costs (except if I'm murdered on the way back!) and overnight mail them to A-S-A-P!
On a side note, how are the Olympics affecting you in your daily routines these days? Salt Lake City is beautiful, and Utah is a magical state! No doubt about it!
I appreciate your patience, Dave, more than you can imagine. To have misplaced someone's personal belongings, when that person trusted us to handle them in a responsible manner, is just dreadful to me. And I really really dislike "blaming" it on someone else's lack of efficiency. Unfortunately, that's where we are with this. Don't lose faith in us -- like I said, we've tightened up our protocol. (Which now actually DOES involve ME, and only me, being the person to deliver, notate, follow-up, and then pick-up the negatives from our consultant! Before, it was someone else, who's no longer with us....)
Take care, Dave. Enjoy having the world in your town this week and next, and if we get a lead on your negatives, YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW!
