I was lettering a firetruck inside a hall today, and some guy walks up to me and asks, "Is it alright to start the truck up? It'll stink up pretty bad. Need to run it for abit."
(yes of course! I want to smother in fumes while I work, how considerate you'd ask me first...)
"Will I die?"
"No." (said totally seriously btw)
"Well, how long will you have it running? All day?"
"No, just gotta lower the (whatever it was) on it."
"As long as I won't die, I can live with it. Thanks for asking."
Then two customers paged me. I retrieved the pages immediately and each one informed me I was hard to get ahold of. Hmmm.. The first pager came through in the early AM but they didn't complete their phone number. Their 2nd attempt they didn't even put in the phone number and left no message. Yes, that will be hard to return. The 2nd customer left one page. They probably meant hard to reach because I wasn't in my office and they 'had' to make 2 calls that day.
Then the 2 fire chiefs came to spec out my work. They were thrilled and started talking about other work. One chief didn't have a knack for listening. I told him I'd return another day to complete something on a truck. He said why would I do that. I tried not to scrunch up my face with question. He then proceeded to argue with the other chief that he felt I should come another day to do the work. Then he proceeds to look at me after all the rah rah, takes a big deep sigh and mutters, "Wow, glad that was all delt with now that we've finally figured it all out!"
Later I was to drop my biz card off to the chief. Knowing there were two, I went to one of them. He asked what the card was for. (ho boy) Long story short, I gave him my card as the other chief walked in. There was then some discussion about the boss requested the card. The non listening chief turns to me and points to his shoulders. He had one more yellow band on his shoulder than the other chief so I guess that he was the boss. I guess he wasn't use to being treated like a non boss and leave it to me to try it on him first.
Well, the day did improve. In the lunchroom, the listening cheif told me to help myself to coffee (someone up there likes me!) and heavenly chocolates on their lunch table. Truffles and chocolate covered cherries, only my 2 favs in the whole wide world!
The day ended great. I guess that's the price you have to pay for some good endings. Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
Hey Donna
I can relate having just got back from a job where the five owners of the Mall were four brothers and the eldest son of the oldest brother. Then there was the CEO, the CFO, the accounting department, the comptroller, the Director of Operations, the Operations Manager, the Maintenance Manager, the maintenance crew chief, the Park Manager, the Aquarium Manager, and 68 mainenance workers, as well as the head of security, promotions, and the advertising department to deal with on a regular basis.
And all of these fine folks had opinions of how our work should proceed, when it should proceed and how it should look when finished.
At times it was like a month of full moons.
Luckily I am a longsuffering type of guy ... just ask anyone there
Glad to hear your day ended well!
-dan
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
Hi Donna- You sound like you were here in Butler County at one of my job sites! I have the same problem with a fire company in the next county. Always too many chiefs there and not enough Indians (not to be politically incorrect, it's just a saying and I am 12.5% Creek) It is hard to know whom to give what to when one does not know or care about firehall hierarchy! BUT at least you got chocolate and coffee at the end of the day! love- JILL ps...luv the new pic
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