Exactly. I was patient, but a guy has to eat. And then he acts like he owns me or something after flaking out and disappearing for weeks and leaving a half dozen guys hanging in the lurch. I had to remind him that he couldn't fire me because I wasn't working for him. It was the other way around.I had fired him and moved on.
I was working for a painter that was a real son of a bitch. Another guy and I made up one of his crews and he was just a total asshole to work for.
We busted our asses for this guy and he was never happy. He wanted me to work 6 days a week and i refused because I had a part time job at night. I called it job insurance. You could always quit one if they got on your nerves.
So I finally had enough of this guys bullshit and quit on him. Back in the '90's painters were a dime a dozen and you could find work easily.
I called another painter at random. I think that I had seen his vans around and they were in good shape. Something Brothers. Cant remember the name. I talk to this guy on the phone and he tells me to meet him at a 7-11 on the far south side of town at 7AM.
About a half hour drive for me. So I'm there at 6:45 AM and I wait. And wait. And wait. This was before cell phones were common so I tried his # a few times at a payphone. After about 2 hours I figure the guy isnt coming and drive home.
Of course the minute I get home the guy calls and is like " Oh, yeah, I couldnt make it today. Meet me there tomorrow at 9AM".
I should have known then to pull the plug. So I meet the guy the next day and he works with me for about 2 hours. He says " It looks like you know what youre doing and I have to check on another job so I'll see you tomorrow".
Of course tomorrow comes and theres no sign of the guy. I work all day. Its a fairly expensive 3000 sq ft home on the water with a pool. I work the next 3 days by myself and finish the job. Exterior residential repaint . Soffit, fascia, and walls.
I havent heard from this guy in like 4 days but the homeowner is very pleased and I figure I'll hear from the guy on monday when he goes there to get paid.
TWO WEEKS GO BY!!!!! Remember this is before the internet and cell phones were common. I knew a guy that had a cell phone the size of a brick that cost $1 a minute!
Finally digging through old phone books and calling 6 different numbers I get the guys wife on the phone. I told her that I painted that house by myself and hadnt heard from her husband in 2 weeks!
She agrees to meet me at a fucking Burger king and give me a check. When shes there she apologizes and says her husbands mother died. I look at her and say " look lady, we all love our mothers, but he couldnt find 1 minute in 2 weeks to pick up a phone?. I quit a job to work for you people! ". I was pissed.
Heres where the story gets absurd. About a week later this guy calls like nothing happened and leaves a message on my machine telling me to show up at an address the next day to work!
I shake my head in disbelief and erase the message. The guy proceeds to call me 3 more times in the following days getting ANGRIER AND ANGRIER that I wont answer or return his calls! Can you imagine? what a fucking nut job.
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