I have been sitting back reading this thread on and off today, holding my tongue, and I will keep my opinions to myself. I will say that I ahve known Eric for many years, as we work together at our real jobs. Eric has always been clear and up front, and isn't one to just "blow up" about trivial matters. It takes alot to get him going, and this situation was jsut one of those things.
He called me right after this event, and told me the story, and I have to agree, I would ahve been a little on the annoyed side myself. It seems that this event has been a bunch of little issues that grew into a snowball from hell so to speak, and it is coming to a point where you are picking sides and exchanging blows.
The whole issue was snake traded, not snake he thought he was getting, called to replace, told to return, gets there and told that trade not good, take original snake home. Those are the facts, everyhting else is fluff. Would i be upset if after 2 hours driving with 4 kids in the car to return in the end with the snake I started with? Probably... I could only imagine how I would feel.
Was this final situation approached in the correct way? No, probably not... did it happen? Yes, it did. In my opinion, both parties have a certain amount of blame in this no matter whose side you decide you want to be on, you have to admit that both sides had a certian amount of error in this issue. No one person is to blame...
And as an afterthought.. It really isn't polite to question a mans feelings towards his children, or to comment on his mental state when it comes to his children.. to do-so is in verty bad taste. Also, the statements about "daddy duty" and whatnot... I don't know how anyone else raises thier kids, that isn't my concern, but home or at work, awake or asleep, I have a daughter, and her father, and I am always on daddy duty.... so there is no "daddy-duty-free time".
Well, kind of long, and probably not a neccessary contribution to this thread, but its my say... my 2 cents so to speak... The Horse wasn't quite dead yet...

(i think it is now)