8 weeks ago I had a little "situation" with a long standing grumpy customer. Nothing major but always a bit miserable. (eg - "make sure you do the cills" "I always do Mr F." or "have you done the one above the porch?" "I always do Mr. F"
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So I go to tap the front door and Mrs F. (cheery sort) pays me before I start. (£15).
As I'm doing the fronts, Mr. F. appears around the side and says "don't bother with the backs, I'm working there". To which I reply "I've already been paid in full." (I should have shut up and kept the lolly!
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He says "well pay me back some of it and don't do the back then."
I look at him - poised in the moment between doing a flounce and sucking it up. As my daughter is working with me that day I decide to just say levelly to him without emotion "how much do you want back?"
"Give me a fiver" he says. So I do, saying nothing else before finishing the front and leaving, making it obvious I'm in a pre-flounce mood.
Back in the van my daughter tells me I'm being "so rude" and so of course I justify myself by explaining what a grumpy bloke he is blah blah.
Next visit I don't bother to do it and then today I decide not to bother again especially as the drive is full of cars and it's on a single track lane.
More later ...