Monday, October 3, 2011

Lawn Care

I woke up Friday morning to my neighbor across the street mowing my lawn.

Now, this summer he asked me if he and his sons (4 of his 10 kids live with him at times) could cut my grass. He made it seem as if the young men would be making money for the summer.

So I said, sure. (I mean, why not give young people an opportunity to earn some honest cash while they're out of school?)

But this idea turned out to be a disaster.

First of all, I don't carry cash. So, as usual when someone cuts my grass, I wrote a check. When I asked him for the correct spelling of his name, he said "What am I going to do with a check?"

I told him that I always pay my lawn people with a check, but I could stop by the bank to get some cash. Well of course, I never remembered to stop by the bank. He would send his son over to bang on my door every night - until I had the money.

One evening I had come home from teaching a Jazzercise class and was in the shower when I heard loud banging on my door. It was 9 pm. It startled me.

After that, they would wait for me to either leave out in the morning or come home in the evening and ask me when they could cut my grass again. They live directly in front of me, so they always saw when I left out and when I came in. It became sort of annoying.

My neighbor assured me that he got his bank account "fixed" so I eventually gave them a day and time to cut my grass again.

Well, the second time they did my grass, I wrote a check again. But this time he told me he couldn't do anything with a check on the weekend because he wouldn't be able to cash it until Tuesday.

Again, I kept forgetting to stop by the bank to get cash. And that meant more banging on my door every night and more watching me come and go every day.

This was becoming more than it was worth.

My previous lawn guys would do my front and back yards and I would leave a check in my mailbox for them. Simple.

So, I had decided that I would go back to my old lawn guys. It would be less of a headache.

But Friday morning I woke up to my neighbor mowing my lawn. I was like WHAT? I did not ask him to mow my lawn and he did not ask me if it was okay to cut my grass that morning.

Granted, my grass was a little high and needed to be cut. But I believe as the homeowner, I should decide when I want to get my grass cut and who should cut it.

Anyway, as I locked my front door and walked to my car, he came running over (because you know they watch when I leave out and when I come in) asking when I wanted him to do the backyard.

I asked him why he cut my grass. He said it was high. I told him that he should have asked me. I explained that I would pay him for the front, but I did not want him to do the back.

Well, he was PISSED.

He said he didn't want my money and that he had enough customers anyway.
I insisted on paying him for the front, but he walked away.

What do you guys think?
Do you think I was wrong to ask him to ask me to cut my grass?
Do you think it was okay for him to just come over without an appointment and do my lawn?
And what about the whole "checks" thing?

3 comments:

BPC said...

That man is CRAZY!!! Even though he walked away and kinda indicated that he did not want payment for the front, you should take out whatever amount you would pay him and just leave at your house for if or when he asks for payment for the front yard. DO NOT allow him to cut your grass or do anything else for you. Cutting your grass without your permission was completely disrespectful and him trying to take advantage of you. If he asks you for the money for the front, give it to him and make it clear that he should NEVER cut your yard again without your permission. If he cuts it again, you need to call the police and file a report. You really have to nip these things in the bud before things get out of control.

BPC

TNDRHRT said...

Pay him for what he has done in cash and then kindly tell him to not care for your lawn unless you have requested his services. Finally, WATCH YOUR BACK! Dude is delusional.

Anonymous said...

LOL, I had tears in my eyes reading this. I can so relate to the late night banging on my door for payment of services render (grass cutting...even when they had not completed the job). My answer was to call the police, inform the rogue lawn guy that I do not transact business at night and relieved him of any desire or need to cut my grass ever again.