Taking a Gamble

Now that I can understand him, Mr. Richards is someone I have grown to respect in the past year. As I may have mentioned, he didn't rub me right to begin with. I am the first to admit it is because I already had turned over that particular house twice and he was vying for a chance to rent it. I was half-way convinced nobody of quality would ever want to live there. But in Mr. Richard's case, I rolled the dice and took a chance.

Another reason was because he complained about a bunch of little things--some of which he caused--when he moved in. For instance, if one wants the stove to work properly, it is a good idea not to soak the elements in glass cleaner and then complain when they don't work. I'm just saying...

All and all, Mr. Richards has been a decent tenant. Paying late doesn't make someone a bad tenant--especially if they are telling you they are paying late. Mr. Richards has been going through some tough times. However, he has a very marketable skill set--one in high demand. And, even though he got hurt, he has been able to come through. Money is still tight, but he is back to work.

Today Mr. Richards called me asking for a break. It wasn't a good day to do that, as I started the eviction process on someone else and I am not feeling terribly generous. But, if I take Mr. Richard's situation by itself, it really is plausible.

When he called, he wasn't asking for pity. He called armed with an action plan of how he wanted to fix his situation. He gave me concrete dates and amounts. When I told him these deadlines are firm and I will put him on the street if he misses one, he said, "I need a place to live, so I have to pay you like I say I will." That is very different than those who just couch their bets. The ones who are bluffing just say, "yes ma'am." And I know the end is near.

I have written about the handshake culture in Alabama, Mr. Richards is one of those types. If he says he will do something, he does it. He has always come through. I refuse to worry about him pulling my leg in this case because of his past history. Odds are his word is good with me.