we were puzzled yesterday when cousin got a call from the school administrator asking for an emergency meeting to discuss some "problems" with our school packages...we check every package with the parents to make sure the packages contain everything on the list and, whenever a parent doesn't like a product, we take it out and discount it accordingly (happens very seldom)...so, cousin went there and, thankfully, the only product where there is a real product is our plies (?) of bond paper...we were sold half-plies and were told that was the standard size...she reached an agreement with the administrator/teachers: the school will accept the plies from the parents, then gather them and give them back to us and we will replace them (no biggie, should be about $0.10 per plie and I don't think we sold more than 100 of those!)...the other "problems" were instances where teachers did not approve of certain brands we had used, but, the ADMINISTRATOR saw the substitutions and said to the teachers those complaints were unfounded, as the products we had used were of similar quality...another "problem" was that a teacher said she had requested metallic board paper and we had brought metallic wrapping paper...cousin asked that an original list be brought from the school files and TA-DA! there it was: papel estaño, not CARTULINA estaño (as in all other 4 lists!)...settled, in our favor!...yet another complaint was the fact that they had asked for a (brand) pencil sharpener, with two sharpeners,one for standard pencils, one for thicker pencils or crayons.. code 511-004....surprise, surprise, no such thing exists!...the (Brand) 511-004 only has one sharpener, for regular sized pencils...since they had used the code, we bought and sold the one correspoding to the code...the administrator said they'll accept them and make sure the same mistake is not made when writing up the lists for 2008...
Next!: the liquid soap bottles we provided did not come with a pump...the list only said: 1 liquid soap bottle, 230 ml (note: that size doesn't exist in the market, we had to buy the bottles and fill them!)...the administrator said: Teachers, you did not specify a pump, so you must accept the bottles ...

Other inconsistencies--that did not affect us, but that the administrator detected and ordered changed: one list requested Staedler Mongol pencils...Mongol is a trade mark of Paper Mate, so, which one is it? Mongol or Staedler pencils??...

Cousin also asked about the metallic netting they had requested (we were wondering what they used it for, and why it had to be metallic, for the 4-6 year olds, it seemed kind of dangerous!)...and told them of our concern about safety (we did get hurt and had "splinters" of metal while taping the ends with masking tape...but, with use, the masking tape will deteriorate and the ends will be exposed!)...she offered to make/bring them a sample made with plastic netting so they can see if it will serve the same purpose...they must have been very impressed, because the administrator asked her to come in October to meet with the teachers and review the lists before sending them to print! I guess this guarantees we will be allowed to sell again next year and, also gives us another advantage over our competitors!