SAN ANTONIO – When it comes to holiday gifts, surprises are usually a good thing. However, one man got more than he bargained for when he ordered a gift online.
When the postman delivered a holiday package to William Trautman’s doorstep, something was definitely fishy.
“I smelled it, and I go, ‘It doesn’t smell right,’” he said.
The grandfather had ordered a small Hatchimal toy from Toys R Us, but when he ripped open the package to look inside the box, he was startled.
"I screamed. My daughter came running and said, ‘What’s wrong?’ I said, ‘There’s a dead animal in the box,’” Trautman said.
Along with the Hatchimal toy were 10 dry, dead fish. Once the family got over the stink and shock, they found humor in the situation.
“We just all started laughing,” Trautman said.
While the box was big for the toy, it had a shipping label and papers from the Toys R Us warehouse in Ohio.
Trautman said there was no bubble wrap or shipping filler, and the box was covered with plastic wrap.
Trautman called the company and will be getting a refund for a new toy and now has a whopper of a fish tale to tell.
“Christmas is not ruined,” he said.
A Toys R Us spokesman said the company is investigating. Trautman said he ordered other items from the retailer, which arrived with no surprises and no stink.