Eyes Wide Open

A deer in headlights....this is what I must look like to oncoming 'CONTRACTORS!' I must not generalize, however, having intereacted w/only two who turned out to be less than intelligent....it's hard not too. The first one was a whippersnapper young enough to be my son. He told me some tall tale about how he paid 1/2 the price w/another Budget Blinds franchise owner, when I replied with astonishment and asked him who they were because I'd love to know how they were able to give him that kind of deal he said "I have to go," and hung up the phone, only to send an email two weeks later saying he REALLY needed to move forward w/the project but would only pay 25% down and would not pay the balance until we provided pictures and had the o.k. from the owner where we were installing the window treatments. If that wasn't insult enough, he was trying to save money and have us place something different in the window then was already there. As I use to say to my kids when they tried to pull one over on me "Do I have "STUPID" written on my forehead." This always brought a smile to my brew's face. They never seemed to tire of this remark. I wrote him back and said, "We would be glad to take care of your order (under my breath NOT!) with these conditions, 50% down and the same blinds that already exist in the rest of the store (Jared Jewelers) to remain consistent. Obviously this guy didn't fall under the commercial's jingle 'He went to Jared." Haven't heard back from the weazel. Today, a call from yet another contractor. I have called him twice trying to get him the information he wanted. When he FINALLY returned the call @ 7:30 p.m. he seemed a bit frustrated with me that I wasn't able to put my finger on his quote. I told him I would call him once the 'hub' returned home and I was able to retrieve it from our van. His reply, and I kid you not...." AYKM! Who talks to peeps like this in the business world? Last time I looked in the mirror I said to myself "Self, you are a professional." Silly me for thinking everyone in the 'self' owned business world would think identically. This is a 'travel' blog. Lest it turn into a "Bash Blog," I must go now but not without saying, Bambi I'm not.....the 'deer' in the disney story that puts his horns/rack (whatever) down to face the approaching fire....that's me.