[Stephen.C]

I have a long standing customer whose son has had a mental breakdown and is living back at home with his mum.
I turned up to clean yesterday, and the son comes out and starts to stare at me as i'm cleaning. He tell me i'm not his mate and tells me to F off. He then disappears up the road. I finish he then appears as im putting the hose away and says F off your not my mate im going to f ing do you, luckily his mum appeared to pay me and her son went in side.  Now normally I wouldn't bat a eyelid but this guy is massive and having had my one of my Dads mates murdered a few years ago by a nutter in a car park I basically pooped myself. This guy is properly out to lunch.

[Walter Mitty]

I have a long standing customer whose son has had a mental breakdown and is living back at home with his mum.
I turned up to clean yesterday, and the son comes out and starts to stare at me as i'm cleaning. He tell me i'm not his mate and tells me to F off. He then disappears up the road. I finish he then appears as im putting the hose away and says F off your not my mate im going to f ing do you, luckily his mum appeared to pay me and her son went in side.  Now normally I wouldn't bat a eyelid but this guy is massive and having had my one of my Dads mates murdered a few years ago by a nutter in a car park I basically pooped myself. This guy is properly out to lunch.

I would probably write the customer a letter saying that further cleaning is cancelled as I fear for my safety.  I would add something that indicated that I sympathise with their current plight.  For me, one of the best things about window cleaning is the relatively low stress levels.  Customers sometimes seem to do their best to increase them.  However, with this situation there is little that can be done I think.  It's clean the windows and experience stress for days before the job is due - or move on.

[HampshireWindowCleaning]

Andover's full of wrong uns 

[Window Lickers]

I would go back on schedule.  No doubt with a view to assessing the situation as I was there. Perhaps he'll have moved on and there's no further threat. Perhaps they'll have improved his medication by then or started him on some. Perhaps his 'mate' will be there next time and he'll not feel threatened.

Don't bin it Steve, cos if u replace it with two one of them might be his mate and he's a right nutter. And don't go down Walter Mitty's suggested route cos the guy isn't a dog thats shat on the lawn.

You'll be alright steve, let's face it QPRs ground is full of 'loose cannons' and you go there.

[Walter Mitty]

I would go back on schedule.  No doubt with a view to assessing the situation as I was there. Perhaps he'll have moved on and there's no further threat. Perhaps they'll have improved his medication by then or started him on some. Perhaps his 'mate' will be there next time and he'll not feel threatened.

Don't bin it Steve, cos if u replace it with two one of them might be his mate and he's a right nutter. And don't go down Walter Mitty's suggested route cos the guy isn't a dog thats shat on the lawn.

You'll be alright steve, let's face QPRs ground is full of 'loose cannons' and you go there.

I suppose it can depend on the life experiences that you've had.  I once had a very good friend who killed his mother when he had a mental illness - sliced her open "to let the devil out".  Although it was clear he had some sort of problem, paranoid schizophrenia wasn't diagnosed till after the act.  Although I didn't witness the act, I suppose it's left an indelible scar on my memory.  Now I do realise that a person with psychiatric illness is more likely to harm themself than a third party but, after that, I would be unwilling to take the risk.  If you have not encountered something like this in your own life, I do understand why it wouldn't raise a red flag with you.
The last I knew of him he was in Broadmoor.  The act took place about 35 years ago.  I know he was still in there 10 years later.  I stopped visiting around that time because I felt a need to move on.
The odds are that you are right and that there will be no problem.  The odds were also that my once friend wouldn't kill his mother.

[LWC]

Add him on facebook then maybe he'll be your friend?

[Deangsi]

Add him on facebook then maybe he'll be your friend?

lmao agreed

or look back at him and say i dont wanna be your mate lol

[rosskesava]

While window cleaning a few years ago the son of the customer, an autistic kid of about 17 or 18, grabbed my arm to get my attention and then wouldn't let go. The pain was excruciating because they tend to use all their strength.

It took the lady about 5 minutes to get him to let go. I tried prizing his fingers off but he had a grip like steel.

She was horrified and wouldn't stop apologising.

My arm above the elbow where he grabbed me turned black and blue. I couldn't work for about a week and my arm wasn't right for about a month.

Needless to say I never went back.

[duncan h]

You should have confronted the customer at the time. Just go back for next clean and see how it goes. If son isn't there, talk to woman about what happened. If it happens again. Phone the police. If he does it to you, he will do it to others.He needs help...in a nice way

[Plankton]

Do yourself a favour and stay clear, if you don't walk into his territory then it'll make your day easier. It's not your problem to deal with.

[Stephen.C]

I can see the funny side of it all, the mother knows something was said, given his state by the time I go back if I do? I think he will be sectioned. I forgot to mention he was dribbling uncontrollably and had no shoes and socks on when he went for a walk...funny sad and scary.

[duncan h]

Social Services then, not the Police

[Steven Biggs]

You should have asked him if he wanted to pay , also told him it was for the last3 cleans as well . That would have been a laugh . 

[windowswashed]

Ask yourself, do you need to put yourself in that situation just for a job.
I use to go one place where the dog was kept indoors, one day he got out and almost had his teeth in my face growling like mad. Last chap who burgled the house left a few pints of blood all over the walls where the dog had seriously attacked him. Told the owner I wouldn't be back as I appreciate my health and don't need to live in fear that the dog may actually sink it's teeth into me if no one was around to call the dog back.