Is a, well, several adjectives come to mind. For months Kevin has been sending emails that say things like "hey, your beloved garden that you're forcing us to pay a gardener to take care of is looking pretty dead" and "I think there's something wrong with the drip irrigation system because the plants are looking kind of dead" and "dude, your plants are dying." Yes, yes, Jose says. I'll take care of it. Uh-hunh.
Then today I get a call "Is it okay if we come by to pick some lemons?" Sure. I won't even mention the fact that the end of September is HARDLY lemon season. So in he comes, picks lemons and, and comes back into the house. "The plants look kind of dead," he says. Really? You don't say. "How much are you paying Tomas [the gardener]?" I say "$40, twice a month" which we pay out of our OWN pocket in ADDITION to the rent simply because Jose wants HIS plants taken care of. "Oh," he says. "I think I'll talk to someone else about coming in for the same amount. Someone who knows more about plants." Darn right he's coming in for the same amount. Grrrrrrr. I say "So you'll tell Tomas not to come back?" Tomas speaks only Spanish, and I do not, and I'm imagining a nightmare situation trying to explain to him that we're going with someone else. "No, no," Jose says, "I'll talk to a new guy first and then talk to you." Well with Jose's remarkable track record of follow-through, we'll see if this ever happens.
Posted by Shelby at September 24, 2003 12:20 AM