April 17th
Dear Rupa:
In regards to your letter dated 4/11/08.
I’ll try to answer some of your concerns.
After viewing your photos and video, without going into a lot of detail – we thought the overall photography job was quite nice – and captured your entire day, even with the prevailing conditions of the day.
It is very difficult and extremely challenging to work with a bride that passed out. When this happens and it doesn’t happen often and never twice, the photographer eases off with a lot of posed photographs and constant flashing.
You also appeared very tense and appeared distracted on more than several occasions. This was quite evident and it showed in both your photographs and video. Truthfully, I’m amazed Lorraine was able to photograph as much as she did.
In short, we are not going to go into each and every detail. If you want to blame us 100% for not giving you a perfect job, that is certainly your right. I’m surprised you forgot to mention the other issues in your letter, along with leaving the affair 1 ½ hours prior to the wedding ending.
We are sorry you feel this way about Duval. Since 1966, we have worked with our clients, however most do not wait approx. 6 months to write a letter.
To put this matter behind and go forward. Kindly call us at your earliest convenience to arrange an appointment in our studio. We will be more than happy to give you an in studio portrait session at no cost. You will be supplied with all images on a CD. If you wish to bring a change of clothing, please do so.
Again call us at your earliest convenience to arrange for your in studio sitting.
Any questions, kindly call, it will be our pleasure to serve you.
Any defamation of character, implied or outright, written or spoken will certainly be answered through the proper legal channels.
Best Regards
Phillis Fein
On April 28th I wrote:
Duval Photo & Video, Inc.
1883 Wantagh Avenue
Wantagh, NY 11793-3932
ORIGINAL SENT: April 28th 2008
RESENDING REGISTERED MAIL: June 10th 2008 RECEIVED June 13th 2008
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Phyllis Fein,
I’m writing in response to your letter dated April 17th 2008.
Thank you for responding back. I realize nearly 6 months would be an unusual time for someone to respond about unsatisfactory pictures under normal circumstances. However my mother passed away and I was out of the country. Also I also did not receive the wedding Video from Duval till early April 2008 and thought it best to write after I was able to review both the pictures and the video.
I am writing back because I’m concerned you may have me mixed up with another bride for various issues mentioned in your letter.
1. I never passed out at the wedding, not twice not once not at all.
2. I also never left my wedding early. My husband and I were the last ones in the wedding hall writing checks to our vendors while the crew was cleaning up. And this was long after we personally said our thank you’s and good byes to Joe and Lorraine.
3. Every single picture and video from that day including those from Duval show me smiling and happy not tense or distracted.
All of the above leads me to believe there was confusion between me and another bride because I was frankly very shocked by the tone of your letter and the claims in it neither of which applied to me at all. And you offered my apparent passing out was an explanation for the photographer not taking enough pictures and not using flash.
I look forward to hearing from you with a correction.
Sincerely,
Rupa Gawle-Kale
When I never heard from them again I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau on July 9th 2008.
Two days later the following ANONYMOUS registered letter came to my husband:
Dear Mr. Kale,
I am writing in regards to your wife. I work with your wife and you must be a real Saint.
Everyone that knows your wife, feels the same way. We all know that she HATES children and has no respect for them or their parents.
We’ve just seen her blog. What a pig! She seems to love the F-K word. I guess with poor upbringing for family values, this is the way one relates.
I am also writing to Justice Masilli Mt Pleasant Town Court along with Duval, her Photographer, to make them aware of her nasty, rude and arrogant blog comments.
I am also writing to Human Resources, to show what Rupa does on company time.
Innocent children read blogs, and your wife has no respect for them. If she did, she would not use the F-K word as freely as she does.
We all know from the work area, disagree a little with Rupa ands he states, she “Rupa”, will F-K you back. Very nice and ladylike, using threatening language in that tone.
The “had enough with Rupa” group.
The same week the below letter also ANONYMOUS along with the letter sent to my husband was sent to Human Resources at my job.
Friends of (My Company)
July 1st 2008
(My Company)
Human Resources
(Address)
Dear Human Resources:
I am writing this letter along with some of my peers in regard to another employee:
Rupa Gawle-Kale.
We want to make you aware of certain issues pertaining to Rupa.
We thought about this and did not want to proceed, however, we feel at this time, harmful attention could be drawn to (My Company). A Company we love.
In short – check Rupa’s Blog. www.janeofalltrades.verveblogs.com
We understand from other sources, regarding her wedding photographer of October 21st 2007, that there was a slight disagreement and now Rupa brags…she’s out to get them.
Why is this an issue for (My Company)?
Upon viewing her blog, date: 4/27/08, she says, “You don’t fuck with me that way”. She also says, “I will fuck you back, I promise.”
We personally do not know if the photographer knows this is out there. When he/she realizes this is out there, I’m sure eyebrows will be raised.
Going further, checking her blog, you will notice her 4/24/08 blog states: Rupa doesn’t like Daughters and Sons Work Day. As she states, “What the fuck, Somebody gonna get hurt real bad.” P.S. this was on company time; Thursday 4/24/08.
Other entries on Rupa’s blog were written on company time and bragging about it, saying it’s too bad for (My Company).
Tuesday 4/21/08
Thursday 3/27/08
Friday 3/14/08
Wednesday 3/12/08
Friday 3/7/08 “Must read…why the fuck have a kid”
Thursday 2/28/08
Wednesday 2/13/08
Friday 2/01/08
Thursday 1/24/08 “Must read”…calls…the police officer a bastard and frankly he (police officer – fucked up”. Also Mount Pleasant Town Court (Judge Nicholas C. Maselli) is running a complete scam.
Monday 1/21/08
We can go on and on, we’ll leave that to you. It’s truly a shame when a person like Rupa doesn’t care or give a hoot about anyone but her self, brags about it and does it on company time.
Again, if and when the photographer finds all this out and most of it done on company time, this could get nasty for (My Company)
Obviously she loves the f—k word, doesn’t care for children, dislikes the police, judges and anyone that disagrees with her. In short this matter can get very ugly, and we feel you should take immediate action, before the (My Company) name becomes more famous for it’s employees than it’s products. Since Rupa does all this on company time.
At this time, we are also writing to Yahoo the domain registrant/host to make them aware Rupa is abusing her privileges.
Basically, everyone reads blogs, adults and children alike. We might be old fashion, but to use that type of terminology when you know children might be reading it. It’s just not right.
We leave this in your hands. We are sure this matter will be property handled. To everyone’s satisfaction.
Sincerely,
Friends of (My Company)
Cc: Office of the President
Human Resources at my job with the involvement of the Legal department conducted their own investigation during which they not only caught some of the false accusations but bothered to look at time stamps as well.
Essentially I was contacted given the documents told about what was happening and given full legal support to investigate this.
Isn't it a felony to threaten someone via US Mail? Nevermind leaving behind traces leading back to you like your IP address and the town the letters were mailed form (yeah Anonymous isn't the sharpest tool in the shed)
Without telling you my conclusion or my company's conclusion what is yours?