Never A Dull Moment

Well, this isn't exactly accidental business related, but kind of fun to share anyway. Yesterday, I got a call from a client of mine. He is--and I swear I am not making this up--85 years old. He is also spry and a good conversationalist.

He has one teeny tiny Achilles heel. Mr. Client is married, yet estranged, to his current wife whom is about 30 years old. Actually, I met his current wife first, many years ago, helped her out on something and (I guess) did a reasonable enough job she sent me to Mr. Client. Anyway, in the time I have know this man, he has been smitten and angry and smitten with Mrs. Current Wife. The last time this was going on, which was a couple of years ago, I figured they would last a week longer and one of them would have the good sense to file for divorce. Apparently that didn't happen because either they like the drama of fighting every day or... never mind. They like the drama.

Anyway, he called me yesterday. I hadn't heard from him in more than a year. He is ready to buy a home again. But in order to do this, he needs his taxes done. So, he needed me to call the current estranged wife and tell her to be at the accountant's office on Saturday morning at 9 sharp.

There is absolutely no way I was going to do this. But he wasn't hearing anything I was saying anyway. So, I just made a few non-committal noises and told him we would talk later in the week. If he asks if I called her, I will just make joke and say, "Oh? You were serious when you asked to do that? I thought you were kidding."

But... that's not the only time real estate and true love haven't mixed.

One time when I was in the office of my old company a couple came in. They couldn't keep their hands off of each other and were ready to buy a home. They met on the internet and both had come to Phoenix that weekend to meet. She lived in Yuma, he lived in New York. He told me, in front of her, that she is "the one" and it is time to take the next step of moving to the area and living out their lives together. Anyway, we looked at a few properties, and then he went back to New York and she to Yuma, both promising to do this again in two weeks.

Precisely 10 days later, the man sends me an e-mail telling me to please call his girlfriend in Yuma and tell her there will be no house hunting. He's done. Yes, he wanted me to break up with her for him. And no, this isn't a bad tween show plot on the Disney Channel.

Ah... but there is more. The same man called me the next day. It turns out he will indeed be in town when he said he would. But this time when he went house hunting he would be bringing along his new friend, Cathy, whom he met on the internet and already lives in Phoenix.

I don't know what happened to the guy. He did put two offers in on homes, went back to New York, where he got lots of wonderful real estate advice from all of his friends. His New York friends convinced him he could do better than with me and Cathy and sent us both on our merry way.