Some of you may have read about the “cyclone storms” we are having in Northern California. Rain that we haven’t experience in at least a decade. That accompanied by powerful wind gusts. We’ve been hit by flooding and downed trees.
I’ve been fortunate, my property is too high and positioned so flooding is not a worry. But the property is filled with the most beautiful blue oak trees. Watching their branches being whipped around in the high winds was nerve wracking. And I lost one. A 60 foot tree in the side yard went down. It went down on a neighbor’s gardening shed. Fortunately the damage was minimal, the neighbor told me not to worry. But I still had to get the top half of the oak tree off the roof of his shed.
He gave me the name of his tree guy (his yard is filled with blue oaks, as well). The guy came right out, gave me a quote for removing the downed tree. At the same time, I asked him to quote on trimming the other oaks on the property and he gave me a great quote.
“Done, you’ve got a deal!” I said. “When can you be here?”
If it isn’t raining tomorrow, he’ll start then.
He had barely gotten the order, then he went for the upsell. “You should have your shrubs trimmed and the property cleaned up for the spring……. Do you have a weekly yard care service….. It’s important to stay ahead of things, we can do it for you……”
I replied, “Let’s look at all that later, I just need to get this work done now!”
“But it’s important to think about the future. In the Spring the weeds can really get away from you, it will cost you twice as much then….We can be here every week and keep things maintained, it will only cost……”
“Let’s talk about that later, Spring is a few months away, I’m not even thinking about that…” I replied.
“But you don’t want to let it get away from you…..” he insisted.
Finally, I said, “Look are you willing to do the work we have agreed upon? Can you come tomorrow? I don’t want to talk about the future, I just need this work done quickly!”
We were looking at each other, I could see the expression on his face, I knew he wanted to try to close me on the weekly contract. But I suspect he also read the pissed off expression on my face…..
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