Arkla-Texhoma Aquaculture Center, Rex Curtis Rude, hateful, agressive, verbally abusive Hot Springs Arkansas

I called the Arkla-Texhoma Aquaculture Center at 501-538-0065 after reading an ad in The Paper of Pryor, Oklahoma advertising "Free Fish". There had been an earlier ad of Fish for Sale but I was working and unable to go for the hours advertised. When I called I reached an answering machine with a lady's voice telling me to leave a name and number and someone would contact me. I did and was called an hour or so later by Rex Curtis.

I tried to tell him I was calling about the ad and ask him if the offer was still open and he interupted me and asked what my address what. I gave him my address and he wanted to know the circumfrence of my pond and if I owned it and how long I'd owned it and did I build it. I answer his questions but did not know the circumfrence and he informed me that I needed to go home and walk around the pond and count the steps to measure it. I asked if I could give him the information tomorrow since I worked about 50 miles from my home and did not get off work until 6:00 p.m. He said he lived a good distance (I can't remember the exact number but it was considerably higher than my commute) and that he went home twice a day. He woudl not let me finish sentences or answer my questions. He was just rude. He said when I told him the area of my pond then I could talk to him about fish and hung up on me. He was quite rude and seemed very angry. I called my ex-husband to see if he knew the circumference and he went to my place (10 miles from his) and called me back. He left me a message that it was 314 feet and he obtained that by measuring the dam (100') and multiplying by 3.14. He did not walk around the pond.

I called Mr. Curtis back and when I told him the area he asked if I walked around the pond. I told him that my ex-husband had figured it for me and explained how and said that he was a math genuis so I figured it was right. Mr. Curtis began yelling at me about that's not what he told me to do and various other things about my intelligence or lack thereof. I told him I was sorry that I had offended him and it appeared we weren't going to do any business and that I would just have to wait until next year to buy fish. He screamed something at me and hung up.

I called back and asked why he was so angry with me and he said I told him he was offended because I told him he was stupid. I repeated exactly what the conversation was about how the measurement was obtained and again he ranted about walking around the pond and that I didn't know what I was doing and if I really wanted any fish I'd go home and do what he said. I explained again about my distance to work and my hours and again he said if I wanted fish I'd go home and walk around the pond and then hung up on me.

This man did not cheat me out of any money but after the third hang up I "googled" him and found that he has other reports on Ripoff and has pled guilty in Illinois to misdemeanor charges to avoid felony charges for "free fish" one of which is not allowed in Illinois waters. He had to surrender all licenses he held in that state and was banned from every doing business again in the State of Illinois. This was gathered from a May 17, 2007 Press Release from the State of Illinois Fish and Game Commission. He is the rudest person I've ever dealt with and I work for a non-profit agency and deal with the public daily.

C c
Pryor, Oklahoma
U.S.A.