And get off my lawn!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011
This year, the Smart Man decided to hire a youngster from our neighborhood (hereafter known as "neighbor kid") to mow the lawn here at the Big Yellow House. They agreed upon a price, and determined that the lawn would be mown once a week.

At first everything was hunky-dory. Neighbor kid did as was agreed, under his father's supervision.

But as the summer has progressed, neighbor kid has been coming by to mow less and less frequently. I don't know if that's because he's lost interest, or now has enough money for what he wants to buy, is just a busy little bee with all his sports activities, or has been repeatedly thwarted by the rain.

Well, last week he showed up to mow once again. I was working, and the Smart Man was at his office. I got the money and gave it to my Hot Daughter to fork over when he was done. I heard the mower going out front, and then it started to rain. Neighbor kid then came to the door, told my Hot Daughter he was done, and took the entire amount.

Now, in the past, when he needed to, neighbor kid would mow the front one day, and finish up in back the next. In those cases, the Smart Man would give him some of the money on the first day, and the balance on the second day. So such an eventuality was not outside our experience. However, my Hot Daughter didn't ask if he'd done the back, and unintentionally gave him the entire amount. Which he took.

It's been almost a week, and here's the current state of the back yard:

Does this look "done" to you?

Neighbor kid has not stopped by to tell us when he'll come finish the job. He nor any member of his family is answering the doorbell. And yet, he still has the Smart Man's money.

Now I'm not implying that neighbor kid has a future as a huckster or con man. One unmowed lawn does not a criminal make, and he has plenty of time to become a productive member of society. But unless that kid snaps to and gets this mowed before the weekend, I think it's safe to assume that he'll be unemployed for the rest of the mowing season.

This really shouldn't be that surprising. I know (and work with) plenty of grown men and women who can't be counted on to do the work for which they're paid. But I was hoping we were employing a young entrepreneur in the making, not another potential dirt bag.

Sigh.

9 comments:

Stacey said...

Speaks to the values he is being taught.

Nathan said...

Look at the good side. With the grass that high, you can hide land mines without having to dig holes.

That'll learn the kid!

::Heh, heh, heh::

Anne C. said...

Good lesson for the Hot Daughter too, on what to watch out for when it's her own money on the line.

Carol Elaine said...

I'm guessing that punching the kid in the throat might be a little overkill, huh? Maybe the parents? No?

Oh, okay.

mom in northern said...

Ask the little gal who walks Boogie if you would like the job...

mom in northern said...

That should read "SHE" still can't type...

KlcEger said...

Poor kid... obviously his parents arnt helping...

Janiece said...

Welcome, Gypsy Soul.

For the record, the Smart Man was able to get a commitment from neighbor kid to finish up on Feiday. Which is better than a slap in the belly with a dead fish.

Janiece said...

Guess who didn't show up on Friday to do the lawn?

Shocked. I'm shocked, I tell you.

The Smart Man mowed Saturday morning, and then a couple hours later Neighbor kid's dad came over to ask when they could start. Smart Man told him he already took car of it, since Neighbor kid committed to Friday and never showed up. Neighbor kid's dad was all, "Yeah, we didn't get to it." Maybe so, but Smart Man could (and did) "get to it."

So guess who's out of a job for the rest of the season?