Good News (non-stripper)

jablake
Months ago a lady friend was telling me how she was ripped off for $2,000. She felt ashamed that she could have been so stupid in paying a handyman upfront.

Of course, she believed the money was gone and asked my opinion. I said I just couldn't imagine she would see the money again. The chances just seemed too remote. He might have hit bad times and wasn't a real crook, but even so it just seemed impossible to me that she would ever get her money back. She was one unhappy lady. :(

After months surprise surprise the man shows up to apologize. She wanted to just let him have it, but she had to maintain a high level of decorum at work. As nicely as possible she asks him to leave and that if he was actually sorry then where was her money? She asked what I thought and I thought he should have at least showed up with some money if he was sincere.

Like two days later he shows up with $500! :) He again apologizes and says that he really wants to repay every dollar and will try, but it will be some time before he can make another payment. He adds that the next time she sees him, he should have another $500 or hopefully more for her. She was in an excellent mood. She isn't counting on seeing anymore of her money, but at least it was an effort. She had completely given up.

She is also on the look out for any other angles he might be trying, but she feels it was just a very pleasant surprise. It gave me another reminder that there is hope sometimes where you least expect it. :)




4 comments

  • MisterGuy
    •
    17 years ago
    Dude, that's illegal...people have been easily prosecuted for that kind of stuff. She should have called the police straight away IMO.
  • jablake
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    17 years ago
    She knows that and she is unfortunately, imo, all law and order. The reason the man didn't get burnt was because of her pride. Like she told me, if I tell the story to anyone else please don't use her name. The handyman, well she told me his name and I was free to use that. Even if I recalled it I wouldn't use it--I could easily see being sued and have a bunch of money--relatively speaking--stolen from me.
  • jablake
    •
    17 years ago
    Years ago --around the time or Hurricane Andrew-- actually it was years later if I recall correctly, but the damage suffered was caused Hurricane Andrew. Anyway, the published court decision of the Third DCA made very interesting reading. Essentially, a home owner was screwed by a handyman and the home owner wanted his money returned. The court basically said NO you attempted to get the job done without the proper permits so you can't now come and seek help from the courts and this will serve as a lesson to those home owners who would try and get repairs done without the proper permits. Bottom line attorneys ain't cheap especially appellate attorneys. So the home owner got screwed by the handyman and then for good measure by the courts. It wouldn't surprise me if you agreed or disagreed with the court's opinion. If the home owner had asked my opinion (I'm not an attorney), then I would have pointed him to the car owner's trial court file as well as the appellate decision. IOWs, I would have said don't trust the courts even if they *may* ultimately rule correctly.

  • jablake
    •
    17 years ago
    To enervatedly attempt to get something about strippers into this thread, this woman met the stripper who had briefly stayed with me. She was just shaking her head later like what is wrong with you. Just flat out without even getting to know the woman at all says you have very bad taste in women. That woman is just plain bad news no matter which way you look at it. My reply was that she was just looking at her beauty and youth and letting that dictate. Of course, she says yes the woman is too young for you, but she is just a bad woman and you're a nice man who is going to get burned bad time by her. (She also added that woman wasn't that pretty!) The dancer didn't like her at all either. Instant dislike. I don't even think they said hello to each other. :(


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