Yesterday, I was on time, from 11am to 4:45pm. I did my job, with patience. However, as expected, after spending his time interfering my work, trying to learn here and there himself, the client insinuated that my 5-hour work was too long and refused to pay full fee.
Now I have gained much experience to stay calm, so that conversation remained unheated.
It would appear I must not let this continue since it is not the first time that he had complained about time while he was the one who always loved to waste my time nonchalantly. So I made it clear that this time I'm not giving any offer or charity.
His partner in business, Oded, was also present. Oded would be the honest, righteous type, a complete opposite of Avi. Oded was silent. I supposed it is wise. So unlike Avi, I didn't try to get Oded involve.
Since he kept insisting on him being right, I was a bit enraged, so I tested him, that instead of his 20% "discount", I'd give him 50% cut, overruling any of his accusation that I was ripping him off, and that I would never show up at his place again. Immediately, he consented to my full fee.
Despite his tantrum, it is interesting to witness someone struggling against his own wickedness. As I left, he wanted me to bring his empty cups upstairs, could be nothing, could be his way of dealing with his weird sense of justice, I immediately concurred because I see no need to argue over a thing like that.
I had considered cutting this client off my list. If it hadn't been Oded as his partner, I mightn't need a second thought, thus missing the bigger picture. True, even Avi was not as bad as some of my old clients, viz. Hezi & Ronny...all of them Israelis. It is only through the grace of God, that I shall learn perseverance. I thank God for showing me Oded's character and also Nadia's testimony in her restaurant work.
