annoying neighbor

[Ko-Ko]

I posted this here because this neighbor was also my boss for a short time. I earn some extra money by babysitting, raking leaves, and shoveling snow for some neighbors. Unfortunately, one of my neighbors, "Ms. Gawd-Offel," has done her best to give me trouble. Last winter, she hired me to shovel snow for her. I bought a snow thrower to make the work go faster. She told me I was taking the easy way out, and that she always did it by hand. She told me that if I used the snow thrower she would not pay me. So, I did the job with a shovel and obviously ended up charging her more for the work. She promptly blew up at me, because the job couldn't possibly have taken that long. Nevermind the fact that it was her own fault.

I must be crazy, because this past fall I went to rake her leaves. I accidentally called her Mrs. rather than Ms. Instead of reminding me politely, she decided to rip my head off again. She threatened not to pay me, because in her words, "All teenagers like you are lazy and do not deserve any of my hard earned money. besides I don't know what kinds of innapropriate things you will spend it on." (Implying that I would buy drugs or something. How rude! I wouldn't even talk this way to my own mother, yet she thinks she can talk to me this way? She did pay me, but she was definitely reluctant to do so. Oh well, when it eventually snows, she is on her own. I shouldn't feel too bad, after all she can go buy a snow thrower and get rid of the snow herself since it is so easy. Thanks for reading.

Ko-Ko

[sammycat]

What an unpleasant woman, I'm glad she's not my neighbour.  I wouldn't ever do anything  for her again.  As for spending your money - once she's paid you, it's absolutely no business of hers what you do with it after that.

[hobish]

Whoa! That's really uncalled for. Why would she hire you & then accuse you of being lazy & possible a druggie or some other sort of deviant? How rude!
Hey, if you do shovel snow for her i bet you will at least have stories to bring back here 

[Ko-Ko]

And the weirdest thing is doesn't she sound like one of those nasty old women who is always whining about "those stupid kids and their rock n' roll?" However, I'd be surprised if she was older than 35. She is just a very creepy person altogether.

Ko-Ko

[Clara Bow]

Put her on the list! How can you hire someone to do a job, then criticize the method that they use? Or imply that you refuse to pay them? I can't tell you where I recommend you tell her to put her snow, but believe me, it will definitely take a shovel.

[Chocolate Cake]

Consider yourself fortunate.  Although annoying and painful, this neighbor has taught you a very valuable life experience.  While you are still under the protection of your parent's roof, you have stepped up one notch in the life skill of learning to "Recognize an Abusive Personality".   This woman has shown you who and what she is.  In the future, when you see this behavior for the very first time from someone new in your life, you will recognize who and what they are before you waste a lot of your time and energy first.   

[Yarnspinner]

See, this is why I love this list.  The things I learn...

Ko-Ko--you're a TEEN AGER?  I hope this isn't rude, but you always sound so mature and reasonable--not at all like the self centered whining group of kids I deal with at the library all day.  I wish I had two dozen like YOU!!!!

To accuse someone  of being lazy and corrupt, especially WHILE THEY ARE WORKING FOR YOU AND TRYING TO MAKE THE JOB FASTER is beyond unforgiveable.  I hope that when she asks you for help--and she will--that you walk right past whistling "Ding-Dong, The Witch is Dead."  (Okay, that's kind of immature and PA, but this lady deserves it.)

Lots of hugs, positive energy and props being sent your way.

Lily (known as the curmudgeon at her library) such

[ShadesOfGrey]

I agree with the other posters, and I hope you follow through on your decision not to work for her this winter.  As I see it, you are self-employed and you choose who you contract with.  She doesnt sound like someone one would want to contract with, especially if she is threatening to withhold pay! She definitely sounds like a miserable person, and while I have sympathy for that, I dont have any for the way that she has treated you. 

[DottyG]

I agree with the other posters, and I hope you follow through on your decision not to work for her this winter.  As I see it, you are self-employed and you choose who you contract with.  She doesnt sound like someone one would want to contract with, especially if she is threatening to withhold pay! She definitely sounds like a miserable person, and while I have sympathy for that, I dont have any for the way that she has treated you. 

Agreed.  KoKo, when she asks you for help, you can very politely say, "I'm sorry, but I'm not available to help you with that anymore.  I know that my skills don't seem to meet with your expectations, so you'll want to find someone that's more to your liking."

There's nothing rude with turning down a job where the skills don't match with the requirements (even if that's only in the mind of one of the parties involved).  You're not required to work for her.  You're self-employed and can choose her own clients.

[HogwartsAlum]

Consider yourself fortunate.  Although annoying and painful, this neighbor has taught you a very valuable life experience.  While you are still under the protection of your parent's roof, you have stepped up one notch in the life skill of learning to "Recognize an Abusive Personality".   This woman has shown you who and what she is.  In the future, when you see this behavior for the very first time from someone new in your life, you will recognize who and what they are before you waste a lot of your time and energy first.   

Well said, Chocolate Cake!

Ko Ko, I wouldn't do any more work for this person.  You don't need to be treated this way. 

[Ko-Ko]

See, this is why I love this list.  The things I learn...

Ko-Ko--you're a TEEN AGER?  I hope this isn't rude, but you always sound so mature and reasonable--not at all like the self centered whining group of kids I deal with at the library all day.  I wish I had two dozen like YOU!!!!

You know, you might have just made my day. 

Ko-Ko

[Twik]

Funny, I thought that if you hired someone to clear away snow, you shouldn't care whether it was shovelled by hand, mechanically thrown, or melted with the body heat from 1 million bunnies. You contract for X amount of snow to be removed, you pay after it's done. Who cares if someone finds an easier way to do it?

Ko-Ko, you've run into someone who's clearly cuckoo.

[minnaloushe]

I must be crazy, because this past fall I went to rake her leaves.
Ko-Ko

I'll give you a pass on crazy unless you fall for it again.

Either that or tell her $XX.xx UP FRONT and you'll do it as you see fit. If she doesn't like it, well, you're free to walk away. I'm sure lots of people are just lining up to work for her.

[nonesuch4]

Ko-ko, I'm sure some years ago I met her sister! 

I had parked my car on the street, as close to my apartment as I can, but still a block or so from it.  I immediately realized with the falling temperatures, it would be sitting on ice and impossible to move in the morning. 

I walked back to my tiny apartment, got my shovel, and walked back to my car.  It is 1 am.  I start to shovel snow away from my car, piling it carefully on top of the snow bulldozed from the sidewalk and street.

I'm going to move my car away, to a more level place, or park it in one of the schoolyards overnight.  A woman comes out of the apartment close by and starts to complain: some of the snow is falling into the sidewalk.  Now, she's elderly.  It's a big complex, and while there is a city ordinance requiring sidewalks to be cleared within 24 hours of the end of a storm, this woman is clearly not responsible for the sidewalk in front of her entire building.  I'm being as careful as I can to keep the snow away form the sidewalk, and I tell her this.  I tell her I'm moving my car. She wanted me to call my friends to help me, (at 1 am?  And what made her think they'd be more careful than I would?) She just kept harping at me. 

I wasn't very polite, I'm afraid.  I finally told her that if I was doing something illegal, she should call the police.

[Secret]

I'd never do anything for her again.  It sounds like she's looking for a reason to stiff you for finishing that job.
Who needs the hassle?  think of it his way, will her money make that big of a difference to you 10 years from now?  Will it keep you from being broke and living in the gutter, vs. living in the nicest house in the neicest neighbourhood?