Some people....

[Guest]

A suppossed good friend brings me her RV saying the generator doesn't work and there is a clunk in the side window area. (She brushed the side of it into a tree a week before and ripped the rear corner moulding off b/w the top and the side. I went and spent ~4 hrs fixing it FOR FREE.)

She said the clunk came in after the tree.

I got the gen running and found the clunk, which was a juice can that feel over in the cabnet. She asked that I look it ove and see if it needed anything. I checked it, all maintenence had already just been done.

She had trouble comming out to pick it up (33 miles) so I volenteer to drive it back to her. She thanked and paid me and I went on my way.



She calls on the home phone while I'm taking dinner out the oven. Kelly just said she needs me to help her pull out a a Raku firing and walked back out the door. I can't find the phone and the broad is panicing on the home machine. She's saying something about the back up camera doesn't work, it did when she brought it out and the check engine light is on and something about squeaks. I find a phone, explain I need 5 minutes to help my wife while she takes 2000 degree things out of the kiln, and I'll call her right back.


She "doesn't have time", says she's in the middle of no where and wants me to tell her why these things aren't working. I finally get her to tell me where she is; I10 and Gause Rd, In the MIDDLE of Slidell right off of the busiest road in town !!!!!

I tell hert not to panic, it's just a trouble code and the motor isn't going to blow up. I tell her I'll call her right back. She is demanding I tell her immeadiatly why these things don't work.

"~WHY~ doesn't my back up camrera work ?!?!?!?"


I don't know, I never knew it had one, I didn't use it. Maybe you have a blow fuse.

"~I'M~ going to take it to someone!!!!"

I tell her Advance and Autozone will scan it for free, then call me and tell me what they said.

"I don't ~know~ where they are!!!"

I tell her they are just down the road, " OH, that's ~MILES~ away from here." ( in reality, about one mile)

I'm still trying to talk to here while balancing 400 degree chicken wings on a cookie sheet in the other hand.


"I have to go !!!! I"M IN TRAFFIC !!!!"

(Really ?!?!?!? I thought she said she was in the middle of nowhere?)

So I go help Kelly and call her right back, now she won't answer the phone.

It's at this time I check my cell phone voice mail:


"~BILLY~, I ~THOUGHT~ I was all ready to go but my back up camera doesn't work, it ~worked~ when I ~brought~ it to you. I'm ~REALLY~ concerend about your hearing, there are ~SO~ many squeaks, I can't believe you didn't hear them before. We were supposed to leave a half hour ago. There is a big red check engine light on and I'm ~REALLY~ concerened about driving it out of town and I can't reach you. ~YOU~ said I was all ready to go and it's NOT !!!!"

So now I'm HOT !!!!! :madder: I tried sevral times to call her with no answer. Finally, she picks up the phone only to hang it up immeadiatly.

~NOW~ I'm ~REALLY~ HOT !!!!!! :madder: :madder:

I bent over backwards trying to help this woman out, only charged her for 3 hours when I worked on it two days, did $400 worth of repair work on the tree damage FOR FREE, and now this broad accuses me of what....breaking her back up camera...sending back a "squeaky" RV ?!?!?!?!?!?!

It's an eight year old RV that was run into a tree...and you're worried about squeaks ?!?!?!?!

OH, the check engine light, I'm ~SURE~ that's my fault !!!! We all know generators are OBD II compliant !!!

I finally leave a message that, I'm floored she would talk to me in such a manner after all I've done, that my wife and I are finished with her, don't call us and by ~ALL~ means, take your squeaky RV to some one else.

 

[Healeysince59]

Thats what friends are for.

 

[JPSmit]

This from the bible has consoled me more than once.

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

(Romans 12:17-21)

(I'm a particularly big fan of the God's wrath and burning coals part but don't tell anyone - )

 

[JodyFKerr]

That's why I don't fix other people's cars anymore. Or computers for that matter.

 

[drooartz]

JP takes the high road, appropriately enough.

Sorry to hear of the nastiness. Strange how some people, like this lady, are so quick to plant the blame on someone who was just trying to help out a friend.

Me, this is the #1 reason why I don't do any side work related to my day job (computers). I don't fix computers, don't do websites for folks, nothing at all unless you are my parents or my wife's parents. I don't want to own someone else's problems for ever.

 

[Guest]

Thats what friends are for.

:lol:

Thanks, I needed a laugh.

JP, I've been thinking about that. I just can't believe she turned on us that way. She in her 60's, a retired school teacher that married a NASA engineer. She has his money and thinks that it entitles her to speak down to people. I hate people like that. It is especially prevelent in the area she lives in. In the grand scheme of things, she's a small fish in a puddle

It never ceases to blow my mind how people in Slidell think they're all that.
You help a friend, do a job for them and they think you are their servant.

I once dated a girl with a 30 million dollar trust fund; and this old broad thinks she's got money....


Gee, you're ~husband~ made 125K a year; I'm ~SO~ impressed...



It's funny how people that have real money, spend all their time playing it down, and folks that make a decent living, act as if they have big money.

 

[DrEntropy]

mehheh. No good deed goes unpunished. Read character in 60 seconds or less, have an unbreakable appointment or conflicting schedule when the "tell" appears.

After some number of years, the ones with the 'tick' are identified and avoided. It comes with experience.

Oh, and I do work on cars and computers for the ones who pass the interview. :smirk:


Currently watching "Rick's Restorations"... now <span style="font-style: italic">there's</span> a business model. :wink: :thumbsup:

 

[Guest]

mehheh. No good deed goes unpunished. Read character in 60 seconds or less, have an unbreakable appointment or conflicting schedule when the "tell" appears.

After some number of years, the ones with the 'tick' are identified and avoided. It comes with experience.

:

Doc, that's just it, she passed. She was really nice to us, was super involved in our wedding and was just a good loving friend. Looking back, she is bit of a suck up, and it may have had to do with Kelly's career. This broad is always sucking up to the Mayor, news paper editor and that like, but has always been kind towards others. ( at least what I saw.)


I'm ~REAL~ picky about who I deal with and will fire a client for any reason at any moment. Gonna be sendin' her check back tommorrow. Nobody talks to me that way. I've returned way more than that for less abuse. Nobody is gonna be able to say ANYTHING negative about me business wise. I'll take a hit before I'll give someone something to embelish on.

The best way I know how to explain it to you Doc is, if Tony, Mickey or Basil flaked on you. I thought I knew her that well.

This was clear otta the blue. I know the tell, and I CAN'T STAND IT !!!!

She's never showed any signs before. A story she told me when bringing back should have raised a flag, but it was too late then.

 

[Guest]

I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but I'm still mad!!!

 

[JPSmit]

and, while it may not excuse, I can also imagine where driving an RV in whatever approximates rush hour down there in dee swamp and feeling unable to reverse and not having someone there and then feeling you were going to hang up may have been a tad stressful. Not excusing but, it might be worth waiting 12 hours and a quiet conversation in person.

 

[Guest]

Thought about that, but she lied about where she was and what was happening from the get go. NO tellin' exactly where she was, and I gave her ample time to get to a place where she could talk. Bottom line, she was comfortable enough to call both my numbers and as soon as she didn't get the answer she demanded, she suddenly didn't have time. I tried to call her for two hours. That was enough time to get where she was going or to a repair shop. I don't even know what she wanted me to do, ~AND, it would seem if she was somewhere and needed somoen to help, she would answer the phone when the helpful friend called.


No 12 hour call for you.....<span style="font-size: 20pt"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">NEXT !!!</span></span></span>





I don't play JP, I can love you, or I can hate you; you make the desision. Once it's made....that's it.

Gotta remember, forgivness doesn't mean fellowship...

 

[DrEntropy]

More inclin'd to run with Billy's ire than the lady's panic in this instance, tho.

 

[AngliaGT]

I think that it goes back to what I read years ago-
"What's bothering people,isn't what really's bothering
people".
You are the recipiant of her anger.Something happened,
& you're the easiest one to blame.Give it time,& maybe she'll
be a lot more calm,& you two can work this out.
Just remember this next time,& maybe pass on trying to do
work for someone else.Maybe it's time to lay out the "ground-
rules" before doing work for "outsiders".

- Doug

 

[drooartz]

"What's bothering people isn't what really's bothering people".

We use this notion all the time where I work. My boss, who's the sweetest lady, gets these calls sometimes from folks who are just steaming mad. Keep in mind we just do data for a school district, there are no lives on the line here. Many times she and I have wondered just what these folk's lives must be like if they are that mad with us.

That said, it doesn't make the phone calls any more pleasant. Really too bad that some folks feel that need to look down. That doesn't make anyone happy in the end.

 

[Guest]

Just remember this next time,& maybe pass on trying to do
work for someone else.Maybe it's time to lay out the "ground-
rules" before doing work for "outsiders". - Doug

Doug, that's just it, she wasn't an outsider. She was heavily involved with our wedding even.

Honestly, I'm done with the tech gig. I've always hated it anyway. It's bad enough getting grief from an outsider client, but not someone you considered a friend. Pickins have been slim lately anyway, no work really to speak of. I've been planning a big push to get the shop going again. Maybe someone is trying to tell me something.

A friend once said, " no business is better than bad business."

I'm inclined to believe he was right.

 

[JPSmit]

Just remember this next time,& maybe pass on trying to do
work for someone else.Maybe it's time to lay out the "ground-
rules" before doing work for "outsiders". - Doug

Doug, that's just it, she wasn't an outsider. She was heavily involved with our wedding even.

which is why, without even getting into right or wrong, it might be worth one more try. (without any more repairs except to the relationship)

 

[JPSmit]

But, nuff said too - your call, your decision, no one will blame you either way

 

[Guest]

JP, I do appreciate your support more than you'll ever know. Sometimes it's best to just cut your loses. After all, if she was such a good friend, we wouldn't be havin' this conversation....


~YOU~...are a friend.....~SHE~....is not !!!!

( and for that I thank you.)