My Third Call Monday Morning

So, I have a tenant with an electrical issue. The tenant has been calling around, looking for an electrician who can fix the electric box. On Monday, it was 20 degrees, and her hope was someone would take care of it right away.

Her dilemma was thus: my normal electrician was taking a world tour, courtesy of Ms. Angie's and Ms. Kathy's homes, and wasn't available until Wednesday. As far as my tenant was concerned, Wednesday was 48 hours away and she could freeze to death by then.

So, being innovative, Mrs. Roebuck opted to call around for another electrician. One perhaps that hadn't already bled me dry and might have time to work sooner than later.

She found Marvin the Electrician.

As she explained to Marvin the Electrician when she called him, I am out of town. I pay my bills. However, I don't just hop over on the first hot air balloon heading to Birmingham to whip out the check book. Marvin has to fax me a bill. Then I pay it.

Marvin clearly understood Mrs. Roebuck, but asked for my phone number as a way to counter this. And then Marvin called me.

I really wasn't expecting Marvin's call. I was still pondering Cassie the Appraiser and what that was about. I wasn't really focusing on smoke in the walls of Mrs. Roebuck's house (which probably was much more urgent but a lot more scary. I wasn't ready for scary Monday morning).

Anyway, Marvin starts our call by telling me Mrs. Roebuck needs electrical work done and he's happy to do it. But to pay him first. Instead of telling me the scope of the project, exactly how much said work would cost or when he would get it done, Marvin tells me about how other "landlords have shafted him in the past" so therefore please hop on the first Birmingham-bound hot air balloon and bring my checkbook.

I am sure Marvin didn't really mean to suggest I was a thief.

Probably.

What I did tell Marvin was there was no need to concern himself with this any further. My normal electrician would be back from spending all of his hard-earned money on my behalf soon enough. I am sure Mrs. Roebuck has plenty of blankets to keep her warm between now and when he returns. So, thanks for calling. Bye-bye now.

For the record, my fourth call Monday was to Mrs. Roebuck. I let her know Marvin and I just couldn't see eye to eye. That was ok by her. Marvin wasn't even free to do the work until Thursday. And as it turns out my normal electrician would be available on Tuesday to deal with her electrical issue.

Fortunately he trusts me enough to fax me over the bill.