Somedays you just have to laugh at the things people pull!!!

There is a fellow that lives about 2 miles from me that owns a small acreage and the buildings out of a larger farm. I used to rent the farm ground around him. I stored equipment in this fellow's sheds/barn and he got hay in trade for the storage.

About a year ago he came over and demanded that I PAY him storage for the use of his sheds/barns. This is after he feed up over twenty rolls of hay to his horses and goats, each year. Plus I always mowed his pasture/rock patch several times each year.

He wanted $200 a month rent plus the hay. I told him to go take a hike. I handed him $200 and moved all the equipment the next day. So we did not part friends. LOL

Last fall I heard he had terminal cancer. That is really too bad for him. He is in his early forties with some younger kids.

Never said anything to him but did make sure his drive was kept clean of snow all winter. He would just turn away and look elsewhere when I cleared the snow. His wife would wave.

Now the latest turn. He has a cheap White brand lawn mower. It had quit cranking on him several years ago. It has a B&S engine and the plastic starter gear was bad. $10 repair part. He parked the White and bought a new compact utility tractor. With him being sick he could not make his payments on the new tractor.

His wife calls me and asked me if I would come and pick the White up an fix it for her. So she could mow their yard. I went and picked it up. All it needed was the starter gear and a good battery. I serviced the mower and it actually ran/mowed pretty good. The right rear tire was flat. It just was leaking around the bead, tubeless tire. So I cleaned the bead up and used bead sealer on the tire and it held air fine.

I made sure that the wife would be home and took the mower back an had her mow some to make sure all was working right. She got along fine. She wanted to know what the bill was. I told her zero. I only had some time and a few dollar part in the deal. No big deal.

A few weeks later the fellow called me and started cussing me about doing such a poor repair job on HIS mower. I finally got him settled down enough to find out one of the rear tires was flat. So I went over an he did indeed have a flat rear tire. The LEFT rear tire. LOL I pointed that fact out to him. He starts cussing me again. I finally tell him that I was done with him and the mower an came home. End of story to me.

Fast forward to this month end. I get a bill from a local tire shop for a service call and tire repair. I asked all the boys/relatives if they had a tire repaired. None of them had.

I called the tire shop and find out the fellow with the White LAWN mower called them for a service call. He told them he had a White TRACTOR with a flat rear tire. He told them I had just worked on the tractor and did not have the time to repair the tire. He told them I would pay them for the repair.

So the tire shop sends out a full service truck expecting a FARM tractor tire repair. They get out there and find a LAWN mower tire repair. They fix it. Just a patch over a nail hole.

They sent me the bill. I went in this morning and settled the issue with the tire shop.

I can't believe that fellow wanted me to fix/pay for his lawn mower tire repair. On a mower repair that I charged ZERO on. LOL

I hope the fellow is just not of sound mind with all of his heath issues. His wife is a pretty nice lady. I really feel sorry for her and the three boys.

How did I settle the issue with the tire shop?? The owner and I go way back. I explained what was going on to him. So we figured out what his out of pocket costs where: labor, truck wear an tear and fuel. We kind of passed the hat around to the fellows loafing around and we all chipped in a little. Deal done. The wife has enough problems without this little thing.

I still would like to know what the tire shop guy REALLY thought when he pulled up with a full service truck for a lawn mower tire. LOL

You have done well all around for that family on all counts JD. If that is how the guy treats you, I shudder to think how he may be treating his Wife and kids.

If He has Terminal Cancer They may have him so full of pain pills that he doesn't have any idea what He's doing or saying. Don't make it right, But maybe why. Just saying.

Wouldn't be the first time somebody had terminal cancer and it spread to the brain causing senility.
There have been some famous political and military blunders made by terminally ill persons. They were high ranking, lost their ability to reason but were not relieved of duty.

I FEEL FOR YOU! Have 2 cousins battling it out right now. One rents a house from the other. The renter doesn't pay a dime, was told not one dog allowed in the house, & complains about everything. The AC went out earlier this month, & she called Him to fix that. All repairs are supposed to be on her. OH, & she has "8" dogs staying in that house!!! He told Her if He had to come up there to fix the AC; then He would bring Animal Control with Him!

GOOD for you, JD, to help her out.

As another poster said the illness may be affecting his mind, but, on the other hand, some folks are just that big of PLICKS WITHOUT the excuse of illness.

Wow JD you're a great assett for them to have around hopefully the wife realizes it and remembers after he is gone you have taken the high road again way to go good caring people seem to be far and few between. Terminal ill people can do and say some odd stuff but it's still not an excusable event it's still said or done and others live with it some people are just not nice Good Job taking the high road

Sounds like no good deed goes unpunished.

Durgs do strange things to people.

When will your good deeds stop?

You are a good man.

Sometimes you just have to put what people do down to their illness. Sounds like he's had a complete personality change. If it's the meds or cancer there's nothing you can do about it. Just grin and bear it.

OTOH, there are a lot of people out there that are 100% cognizant of just what they are doing and they do things like this all the time. Those are the real problems.

Who knows? Could be the cancer, the drugs, or that's just him.

My wife's uncle announced about a year ago that he had terminal liver cancer. He was supposed to have about 3 to 6 months to live. He immediately quit his job and started accepting any and all "help" he could get from friends, relatives, or strangers. When the "help" started to dry up he started calling anyone and everyone to come do stuff for him and won't pay for anything. It got to the point that now everyone avoids him like the plague.

There's all kinds out there.

slim

First and foremost, hats off to you for the way you're handling this matter. Secondly, it appears to me that this person is suffering from a case of being terribly whizzed off at the world for the hand he's been dealt. I have seen cases before where a dire Medical condition led to a total personality change. It seems that some people just become so angerey against the world when it appears or when they feel they've been dealt a s***** hand. As far as things going on there as bad as he has been treating you, try to imagine what it's like in that house for the wife and children. What they must be going through with his personality change and health issues must be just a total nightmare.

He sounds like a real trip (cancer will do that to you) but could you imagine what his wife's life is like right now? I hope you keep helping HER out inspite of his actions.

Does he really have cancer.

My x father in law pulled that on the family.Just after he bought a junk RV. Feeling sorry for him. I rebuilt the generator no charge to him. My wife was cutting his hair no charge. Others were helping out.He would not allow anyone to know what was going on Mother in Law called his doctor. To check on what his condition was.Doc said healthy as a horse. Just needs to lose a few pounds.

That stunt cost him everything. Died a lonely old man. County took care of burying him.

You just have to shake your head and laugh at some people, can't make any sense out of it.

Would love to hear his side of things in his words, how he gets to where he is thinking.

As to dealer costs, my bil had a Kubota tractor that wouldn't start, called the dealer to get it and fix it, the repairs weren't that bad, but cost $400 to transport it.

Now, this was a 16 hp 'tractor' 7100 I think the model was, it fits in a full size pickup box. The dealer was 7 miles away, and this was back a few years before diesel was so high priced. The tractor rolled good on good tires, 2 fellas could push it up a ramp or one could winch it real easy, was out in the open. Maybe took an hour if they stopped for a full breakfast to get it, and maybe a gallon of diesel if they left the truck idle through breakfast....

$150 repair and $400 pickup fee for a garden tractor.

Wow.

Paul

My hat is off to J D Seller. You have to be a really good man to continue to help people like that. I too like to help anyone I can, and sometimes it is very trying. Thanks for all your postings.

JD, it was mentioned before no good deed goes unpunished.
I think your about my age. What I have found is that quite a few people that have been mean and ungrateful have died before me. So, I my attitude is to keep doing the good work for neighbors most of them greatly appreciate it. I will not let the pain in the a..'s occupy any space in my head for more than a short period of time.

I commend you sir, for taking the high road and setting very good example of how we all should be.

JD, I tip my Hat to you Sir... Just for being able to look past him and put yourself in her shoes. The World would be a much better place if there were more people like you in it!

I think that all people need to have some control over what is happening in their lives. This poor guy just does not have that right now. Unfortunately for you, you have become the "dog" he is kicking.

Please and thank you for taking it easy on someone less fortunate than what we are
SDE.

That reminds me of the old saying; 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me'.

I'm not a very religous person, but have my beliefs that I try not to push onto others. If there is a God, and there might be, at least I believe there is, he or she might be proud of you.

This fella might have chemo brain. My brother kind of sort of does. Having gone from Stage 4 cholorectal to remission and pumped full of some serious chemo and some other stuff, he's been doing and saying some odd stuff that can get a little annoying to me, hurtful to my sisters and mother who have been taking care of him since he is also blind. I'm not sure how this "chemo brain" thing came up, but aparently there are some side affects, really and truly. My family has chosen to do our best and swallow and overlook what we can, when there are spells. Truth be told, for being in remission, my brother isn't looking and coming across as so healthy.

Anyway, as some have said and suggested, you have taken the high road, and may just be a far better person than I will ever be.

Good luck, and steer YOUR course.

Mark

nice story,,,your a good man,sure is nice to hear from you,,,hows the wife doing?

There are two kinds of people in this world; "Givers" and "Takers". And JD your a better "giver" than I ever was. I feel sorry for the young boys too. But I have a feeling there is another chapter coming; be ready and God Bless

Billy: He is not fooling around. Hospice is out there four times each week. The wife told me the other day the cancer has spread into his limp nodes. He is counting the days down.

His personality has changed some but not much. He always has been a PIA to deal with. LOL

I still want to talk to the actual tire repair guy. He showed up with a full two ton truck with boom lift and finds a little lawn tractor. I bet he has some interesting thoughts going through his head.

They also pump you full of steroids at different stages, too. That"s most likely the cause.
You have to wonder sometimes though, a high school friend is a pharmacist and kept telling the doctor that he was already on this medication, and it can"t be mixed with that medication that you just told the nurse to give me. Met with a blank stare every time. They had him about as dead as you can get and still drawing breath.

Good on you JD. I think you realize that after "PITA" is gone, and it sounds like it will be soon, that the wife and kids will still be your neighbor so it's worth it to help her out as you can. I'm sure the kids will remember your kindness too.

I have read all of the other replies, I would like to have you for a neighbor. I hope you continue to help his family when he is gone. You are a good man.

My Farher-in law was a pharmacist and said he had to quite a few times call up the Dr. and say you do not want to kill this patiant with this prescriptiop as with what you have already give him it will. Miss the F-I-L terribly, was never a better man.

Good for you for helping out. I might of been done after the shed rent deal, but I know that isn't a good way to be. I just ussually quit petting a dog if they ever bite me. I know it is not uncommon for people that are terminally ill to get a real negative attitude and take it out on people close to them such as friends, family and neighbors. Kind of like making everyone mad at them before they die so its not as hard on them when they do. I think its just something they do without even realizing the aspects of it. I'm just not really getting that feeling here because it doesn't sound like you were all that close to this guy other than just being kind and neighborly. He might of just been a bad person to do business with all along and maybe you just didn't notice it untill he got sick and you loaned a helping hand.