Can we talk about the homeowner who insisted we top their 80 year old oak?

Had a guy in Springfield last spring argue with me for 20 minutes that topping his tree was fine because his dad did it in the 70s, and I still wonder if I should have just walked off the job or stayed to convince him otherwise - anyone else deal with a customer who was dead set on a bad practice?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice_hart26d ago

Did he actually watch them cut it or did he leave after he yelled at you?

rosebarnes25d ago

I get what you're asking @alice_hart, and honestly that's the whole key to it. People who pull these restaurant tantrums almost never stick around to see it through because it's not about the food. It's about control and making a scene. I've seen this pattern at grocery stores too, people yelling at cashiers over a price check and then storming off before the manager can even fix it. They don't want the problem solved, they want to feel superior for a few minutes. So no, I bet he didn't watch them cut it. He just wanted to hurt someone's feelings and then leave.

uma_martinez25d ago

My friend Gina had this happen with her partner at a restaurant. He yelled at the waiter about the steak being overcooked, then stormed out before they could even offer a replacement. The waiter actually brought out a new steak anyway, and Gina ate it alone while he sat in the car texting her to hurry up. @alice_hart, that kind of tantrum says way more about him than the meat ever could. She ended up finishing her meal with the bus driver, who was nice enough to keep her company.