Elly Patterson is a woman who demands respect and who is a force of nature to be reckoned with. This is the same woman who single-handedly organized a theater fundraiser to save the theater, who defended herself in court for a traffic accident, and whose family runs from her in terror when she loses her temper. The real Elly Patterson doesn’t take a 2 week missed deadline from a person who installs cupboards.
Ignore this woman, Elizabeth. Wait until your real mother gets back home and she will settle the hash of that cupboard person. I guarantee the next time we see Elly’s kitchen the cupboards will be there and there won’t be any of this “too nice” talk.
Hmmm…Going back to the spoiler alert regarding Farley’s death…I was surprised many didn’t realize Farley would die…just now I noticed the Patternsons around the strip title on GoComics’s FBOFW page….Mike, Liz and April are all older…here in the strips, April hasn’t been born, but she is up there…and there’s a sheepdog. I wonder if people who were upset with the spoiler alert thought the sheepdog is Farley?
They must have used the same store we did. It took them 6 weeks to do our small kitchen. And WE took out the old cabinets . It does look good though but won’t use them again for the bathroom.
This was a serious comment. Those of us who are polite, understanding, and non-threatening, often find ourselves left to the last, in favour of customers who are demanding and miserable to deal with. Go figure.
So when our well wasn’t working and we had no water, and at 8 am one well service said – be right out, and at 10 am they said – after lunch, and at 1:45 they said – sometime today or this evening, I hired a competitor who came over and had the job done less than 90 minutes after I first called them. Being a nice guy only goes so far when you’re dealing with water.
I think that it is very difficult for many folks to strike the right balance between being a tough customer and a pushover. None of us want to be taken advantage of. But, on the other hand, we don’t want to push so hard that nothing gets accomplished.
The contractor, wittingly or unwittingly, will, almost always, take advantage of the customer. Some are just more honest about it than others…
My friend, Chicago Mike, was a general contractor whose business card said: " We’ll always do the job to your satisfaction – at our convenience "
In my younger years I shared a place with a roommate who was pushy. When we had a problem with our a/c, the roommate said he was going to give the landlord an earful when I said that was not tactful. He told me I was too introverted to “take a stand” and that a/c is a “right” and all landlords are “ripoff artists”. Sure enough, he got ugly with the landlord about it, and from then on, I was last in line of the tenants to get any service. I had a hard time moving out as I lived in a college town where housing was hard to come by. In other words, I was stuck. Obviously, there could come a time where you may have to be forceful with the property owner. However, it is a good idea to know when to reserve such forcefulness. It is not “being too nice” to use your head first and your brass last.
Templo S.U.D. about 7 years ago
ain’t it grand to be nice?
howtheduck about 7 years ago
Elly Patterson is a woman who demands respect and who is a force of nature to be reckoned with. This is the same woman who single-handedly organized a theater fundraiser to save the theater, who defended herself in court for a traffic accident, and whose family runs from her in terror when she loses her temper. The real Elly Patterson doesn’t take a 2 week missed deadline from a person who installs cupboards.
Ignore this woman, Elizabeth. Wait until your real mother gets back home and she will settle the hash of that cupboard person. I guarantee the next time we see Elly’s kitchen the cupboards will be there and there won’t be any of this “too nice” talk.
capricorn9th about 7 years ago
We all know nice guys finish last. It pays to be crankypants so others don’t mess around with you.
capricorn9th about 7 years ago
Hmmm…Going back to the spoiler alert regarding Farley’s death…I was surprised many didn’t realize Farley would die…just now I noticed the Patternsons around the strip title on GoComics’s FBOFW page….Mike, Liz and April are all older…here in the strips, April hasn’t been born, but she is up there…and there’s a sheepdog. I wonder if people who were upset with the spoiler alert thought the sheepdog is Farley?
Loves life about 7 years ago
They must have used the same store we did. It took them 6 weeks to do our small kitchen. And WE took out the old cabinets . It does look good though but won’t use them again for the bathroom.
GirlGeek Premium Member about 7 years ago
Sometimes you can’t be nice
indysteve9 about 7 years ago
I hope you didn’t give them any money up front.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] about 7 years ago
Lynn’s Notes:
This was a serious comment. Those of us who are polite, understanding, and non-threatening, often find ourselves left to the last, in favour of customers who are demanding and miserable to deal with. Go figure.
Sakamichi about 7 years ago
“Nice guys finish last” – Leo Durocher
Charlie Fogwhistle about 7 years ago
So when our well wasn’t working and we had no water, and at 8 am one well service said – be right out, and at 10 am they said – after lunch, and at 1:45 they said – sometime today or this evening, I hired a competitor who came over and had the job done less than 90 minutes after I first called them. Being a nice guy only goes so far when you’re dealing with water.
Linguist about 7 years ago
I think that it is very difficult for many folks to strike the right balance between being a tough customer and a pushover. None of us want to be taken advantage of. But, on the other hand, we don’t want to push so hard that nothing gets accomplished.
The contractor, wittingly or unwittingly, will, almost always, take advantage of the customer. Some are just more honest about it than others…
My friend, Chicago Mike, was a general contractor whose business card said: " We’ll always do the job to your satisfaction – at our convenience "
(At least he was upfront about it.)
Asharah about 7 years ago
My solution in a situation like this would be to ask if they would like to discuss the matter with my sister, the lawyer.
USN1977 about 7 years ago
In my younger years I shared a place with a roommate who was pushy. When we had a problem with our a/c, the roommate said he was going to give the landlord an earful when I said that was not tactful. He told me I was too introverted to “take a stand” and that a/c is a “right” and all landlords are “ripoff artists”. Sure enough, he got ugly with the landlord about it, and from then on, I was last in line of the tenants to get any service. I had a hard time moving out as I lived in a college town where housing was hard to come by. In other words, I was stuck. Obviously, there could come a time where you may have to be forceful with the property owner. However, it is a good idea to know when to reserve such forcefulness. It is not “being too nice” to use your head first and your brass last.