Counting

Last year, when my folks were planning a visit, I'd asked Daddy to pick something up for me and I'd pay him when they came down . . .  He wanted a cash transaction, so . . . I went to the bank to have the cash on me.  I was a bit shocked when he stood in my kitchen and counted the money I gave him.  I don't remember ever short changing him.  If I did, it was certainly an accident and he never said anything.  Maybe he just counts every transaction, as flesh and blood seemed to be no exception.  It did give me pause to ever consider doing business with him again though.  He's my Daddy, so it is what it is.  My parents do keep track of every dime, so it probably isn't really a personal thing, but in light of the lifestyle I have and the business I do, it does seem odd.

I've sent many orders on the promise of a check and I've never been stiffed or received a bad check.  Often times, someone includes a bit extra for my trouble or appreciation for working with them.  I'm an honest business woman and I just don't believe in being terribly distrustful.  I believe that is also an aspect of reaping and sowing.  I sow honestly, I reap honesty . . .

In the past month, I've had three financial transactions that were not small, as far as I was concerned, yet the gentlemen all said the same thing.  As I handed them the cash I repeated the amount we'd agreed upon and included the statement, "count it to make sure."  One said, "You counted it didn't you?" to which I responded, "Yes."  He responded with, "Then there's no need for me to count it."  The other two simply took the money, never looked at it, and put it in their pocket, saying, "Thank you."

These were not small ticket items either.  All of these cash transactions required a trip to the bank.

First there was the new deck.  The price of lumber for a 10' X 28' deck was not cheap ten years ago, when I designed one that we built ourselves.  This time the project was done professionally.  What can I say?  You do get what you pay for and I was delighted to pay for professional.  As stated previously, when it came time to pay, this was the gentleman who, when I told him to be sure and count it, asked me if I'd counted it.  When I nodded and said yes, he responded that there was no need for him to do it then, and handed the bank envelope to his son.

The next project was hiring a man fell some dead trees.  He's a young business man and did an amazingly efficient job.  He had to reschedule once due to a conflict of completion, but he called well ahead to reschedule, so I wasn't waiting on him, and the morning of the reschedule, he called to say he'd be on the place in within the hour.  He was here within the hour, done, paid, and gone within the next hour!  He just stuck the money in his pocket and away he went.

The third example really isn't as unique as the other two, in that I've known and done business with my hay man for several years now.  He's always been consistent with quality and delivers quite timely whether scheduled or an unexpected need.  He likes my soap and his wife likes several of my products, so we do business back and forth regularly.  He's lived here his entire life and is well known and respected throughout the area.  In country measure, we're practically neighbors, so for him to just take my money without counting doesn't seem so unusual.  The fact that we are practically neighbors and have done business for a number of years, I'm sure has enhanced our trust level, but I've known Daddy longer than I've known my hayman.  I'm truly thinking it's a matter of locale and simply "the way things are done" in this region.  I like it!