I need your help. I did a good deed recently, but I was gripped by second thoughts. I want to know if you think I should have done this. Here is what happened:
In preparing our condo for sale, we had already moved most of the furniture out and I called Sears to clean the carpets in the living room, bedroom and den. Sears Lady took my name and address, we set a date (not THAT kind of date!) and she said that Mr. carpet Cleaner would call me to set up a time. Which he did. And then he confirmed. And then he came.
Mr. Carpet Cleaner (not his real name) was pleasant, but quiet, and went about his business. When he was done, I had planned to give him a ten dollar tip. Don't salivate too much - these are just Canadian dollars. But on a $69.95 job, ten dollars is a nice tip, especially since I was sure that Mr. Carpet Cleaner did not make all of that $69.95.
After completing the paperwork, Mr. Carpet Cleaner handed me the invoice to sign. I glanced at it and noticed a ten dollar "unscheduled cleaning" fee. I asked him about this, and he told me it was because the price I had been quoted was based on three rooms, but that he cleaned four, including the dining room.
Dining room? What dining room? We don't have a dining room. Well, actually we do, he pointed out. The living room wall is four inches indented (that's right, a whole four inches) at the pass-through window from the kitchen, making it a dining room. Now I have never before seen a four-inch wide dining room, especially since the whole condo living room (including our newly discovered dining room) was no bigger than a typical living room in a modest house. And it was less work to clean than most because we had already moved all the furniture to our new house (with a much bigger living room, but still no dining room - maybe I should invite Mr. Carpet Cleaner over to find me one).
I hesitated, with all my alarms wailing like sirens. I am just winding down a decade-and-a-half career as a consumer advocate. My job has been to battle greedy corporations and sanity-starved governments in the name of consumer protection. Grrrr.
I signed the invoice handed it back to Mr. Carpet Cleaner, paid the fee, and gave him that ten dollar tip ? just as I had planned. I figured he was loyally following corporate policy, and if I had a tangle it was with Sears, not with Mr. Carpet Cleaner. He still was probably not making that much.
When I handed him the tip his eyes lit up. I told him I figured he wasn't getting rich on me. He quickly told me he would be making $14 from the visit, so I had almost doubled his income. Plus he had to provide his own vehicle and pay the gas, and he had to invest in his own cleaning equipment and soap. Which means I paid Sears the remaining $55.95 - oops, I mean $65.95 - just so that Sears Lady and I could set a date. If the economics sound a bit like the escort business, we can leave that for another column.
So did I do the right thing? Did I do a good deed or was I just a floor mat for a greedy corporation? Of course, I want to believe it was a good deed, foot prints on my back would clash with my limited fashion sense. But do I need a reality check? Please let me know at David@TheHappyGuy.com
About The Author
David Leonhardt is The Happy Guy, and author of climb your stairway to heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness.
Visit him at climb your stairway to heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness.
climb your stairway to heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness.
Lincoln Stretch rentals Alsip ..One of the most powerful influences on your attitude and... Read More
The other day one of my "challenging clients" and I... Read More
The other day I bought an unusual piece of software:... Read More
You already have all the resources you need to accomplish... Read More
Gail's StoryGail is a friend of mine and she was... Read More
Cheri decided that she wanted to grow an apple tree... Read More
There are times that we encounter fearful thoughts that can... Read More
Every day that I eat EnergyRich? Food, I get almost... Read More
"A person is limited only by the thoughts that he... Read More
People with negative attitudes may wonder why they never achieve... Read More
In my years as a psychologist, I have come to... Read More
While trying to ignore my teen daughters rap music a... Read More
Did you ever run into that person that just nags... Read More
If we are the products of our attitudes then it... Read More
No, not that kind.Power and potential are synonymous. Your ultimate... Read More
What is a paradigm? In my own words, a paradigm... Read More
Q: I seem to beat myself before I ever get... Read More
"The knowledge of actions or events before they occur; foresight."You... Read More
Imagine what your life would be like if you could... Read More
I just heard the story of a man who hired... Read More
If you are a parent, it is up to you... Read More
I am an educator as well as a coach and... Read More
The surge of emotions.During the middle ages, the court jester... Read More
Unhappy moods can be like comfortable sweaters, those old ones:... Read More
Have you ever known someone like this? "A person who... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..The Alchemists of old worked over many years, centuries, in... Read More
We are all involved in this game called life and... Read More
The most happy and successful people on earth have a... Read More
The surge of emotions.During the middle ages, the court jester... Read More
At some point in our careers, we may find ourselves... Read More
In the international bestseller, Blink, Malcolm Gladwell explains how researchers... Read More
Thousands of dollars will be yours, just by using your... Read More
Hospital patient undergoing surgery recounts how Hero Soul provided strength,... Read More
Thinkers know better than to be racist. It's generally understood... Read More
A day in your life is a brief and precious... Read More
In the self-help and wellness industry, a mission has been... Read More
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.... Read More
In order to learn how to relieve ourselves of self-defeating... Read More
Have you heard of the FABS? The FABS are quadruplets;... Read More
From Making the Big Move: how to transform relocation into... Read More
I was always somebody who felt quite sorry for myself,... Read More
There are times that we encounter fearful thoughts that can... Read More
Before we are able to use the Universal Thought System... Read More
It's time to put a bad rumor to rest right... Read More
Words, Ignorance, and Casper The Friendly Ghost!Do your best to... Read More
With Thanksgiving approaching, I thought it would be especially appropriate... Read More
Conflict is unavoidable. How we respond to it makes a... Read More
I have had many confidence issues in my life, all... Read More
Does the thought of failure send a cold shiver down... Read More
Cheri decided that she wanted to grow an apple tree... Read More
Positive Attitude Tips |