My problem today is one I rarely run into, but one I was anticipating with this customer.
He is a local contractor, that inherited his father's father's business, and has slowly run it earthward. He isn't a bad guy, just not the best businessman in a very competitive field, with a few bad habits associated with riverboats and the trappings of riverboats.
Anyway, he is sending one piece of heavy machinery each week off to auction, and I've been sprucing them up. Not usually work I do, but his shop is near mine, and it is easy to fill tanks and stop by after a days job and take 1 or 2 hours to clean a machine when he calls.
The last time I did one was yesterday afternoon, suddenly his phone isn't getting answered. I'm not gonna freak over the mini I charge him for this work, I really don't need the hassles of that, and I know where he lives. I'll eventually get paid.
My problem is that I just knew he was going to do this this time. Just a strong feeling I had when we talked on the phone and then later in person.
I haven't really found a way to tell a guy that my alarms are going off, and I want to be paid in advance. Especially since I've always asked to be paid upon completion in the past.
Just goes to show that you find often find people circling the drain because, like water seeking its own level, they belong there.
Anyway, can't be helped, and this one mini going unpaid won't send me to the poorhouse, it just irks me.
A lesson learned I guess.