Dave Shepard
Square peg, round world.
That was a friend of mines theory as well. When asked in one of his arboriculture classes what to do with an unhealthy tree he said "Cut it down and pave over it!" The instructor didn't think it was so funny.
Customers say the darnest things!
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That was a friend of mines theory as well. When asked in one of his arboriculture classes what to do with an unhealthy tree he said "Cut it down and pave over it!" The instructor didn't think it was so funny.
G
Gord
Guest
Is it bad that I sometimes pretend I don't see old dudes hanging out near the chipper, looking like they got something to say, unless they're really patient? I love shutting the chipper down just to have this old guy ask "Big job eh?"
Yup it is, now back to work.
I was removing a leaning fir over this beach cottage last week and the clients where watching from the deck. I was sitting for a minute to let the ground crew catch up and the husband shouts up "I always thought your job must be tough but I guess it's actually really easy!"
I suppose I need to make it look more difficult...?
I had a guy move some cones I set on the sidewalk to push his baby carriage through, with baby in it. I noticed him just before he got to the chipper, 250xp flat out, and kind of lost it, branches were being dropped on the walk, told him "Get out, didja think the cones were for cars you moron."
Yup it is, now back to work.
I was removing a leaning fir over this beach cottage last week and the clients where watching from the deck. I was sitting for a minute to let the ground crew catch up and the husband shouts up "I always thought your job must be tough but I guess it's actually really easy!"
I suppose I need to make it look more difficult...?
I had a guy move some cones I set on the sidewalk to push his baby carriage through, with baby in it. I noticed him just before he got to the chipper, 250xp flat out, and kind of lost it, branches were being dropped on the walk, told him "Get out, didja think the cones were for cars you moron."
Paul B
I dig hammocks.
Gord, I hear you, safety stuff shouldnt be compromised, if it was me and my baby buggy, I wouldnt be offended to have gotten an earful about impeding on the safe work zone. some folks just seem oblivious to real life.
Szajer
alive with pleasure
*BUMP*
One that sticks in my head to this day, wasn't from a customer -but some punk kids "who race shall go unmentioned" when working in the ghetto of Youngstown Ohio.
The one came up to me as I was touching earth as his friends stood back waiting for the show- and he said just five simple words, but I wanted to reach out and yank his lips off his face.
"I WANNA BE LIKE YOU!"
But he kept saying it in this whiny obnoxious contemptuous way -that I can still hear in my head.
If I ever came close to beating a minor, it was that moment.
One that sticks in my head to this day, wasn't from a customer -but some punk kids "who race shall go unmentioned" when working in the ghetto of Youngstown Ohio.
The one came up to me as I was touching earth as his friends stood back waiting for the show- and he said just five simple words, but I wanted to reach out and yank his lips off his face.
"I WANNA BE LIKE YOU!"
But he kept saying it in this whiny obnoxious contemptuous way -that I can still hear in my head.
If I ever came close to beating a minor, it was that moment.
Szajer
alive with pleasure
Just remembered a great one, stupidity at its finest. $Rich$ does not = Smart.
I even drew a diagram to illustrate my story.
This guy had more cash than he knew what to do with. My climbing friend and I called his home, Satans Palace. Because he had multiple demonic statues in his front lawn area. The one in the back yard was made of brass- of a life sized demon perched on a globe, in a pose like it was screaming in pain toward the heavens. The front had 3 totems 10' tall and devilish in nature as well. Not to mention the other two 10' statues -of long skinny legged creatures with animal heads with 2' horns, each holding either a spear or other implement of death. The double front doors of his home were made of stainless steel and riveted all around. He was a fat slob of a man with- get this, blackened out eyes. And also lived with- get this, his sister, who was as kooky as she was hawt.
So were busting hump doing removals and pruning on an extremely uncomfortably hot and humid day. Ohio had a heat wave of triple digit temps that year. We were nearly stroked from the heat. He had a giant U shaped driveway that we had claimed half of with brush and 4' sections of 14" diameter logs of Quaking Aspens and Red Maple to be chipped.
Fat, rich and ugly comes home, pulling in the section of drive we left open for that reason, his bumper right up to the end of our brush in front of his home. He goes in for an hour or so -comes back out to leave, gets in his car and sits there. I'm up a tree thinking he's doing something in his vehicle, paper work, masturbating, who knows what. Then he starts laying on his horn. We're looking at each other like WTF. Then he steps from his car and yells; "YOU WANNA MOVE THIS BRUSH SO I CAN GET OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY!"
Mind you, he just pulled in, common sense would tell you to simply back out your drive. Nope!
My boss tells me to come down my tree, fire up the chipper so Mr. so & so can leave. I look at my boss and say, John, can't you just tell him to back up? My boss then tells me again -but this time while grinding his teeth.
We had at least an hour of brush to chip before his drive would've been cleared. And he's just sitting in his Jaguar waiting. About twenty minuets of chipping later, he opens his door and steps out the car all smiles and declares —never mind, I'll just back out.
I even drew a diagram to illustrate my story.
This guy had more cash than he knew what to do with. My climbing friend and I called his home, Satans Palace. Because he had multiple demonic statues in his front lawn area. The one in the back yard was made of brass- of a life sized demon perched on a globe, in a pose like it was screaming in pain toward the heavens. The front had 3 totems 10' tall and devilish in nature as well. Not to mention the other two 10' statues -of long skinny legged creatures with animal heads with 2' horns, each holding either a spear or other implement of death. The double front doors of his home were made of stainless steel and riveted all around. He was a fat slob of a man with- get this, blackened out eyes. And also lived with- get this, his sister, who was as kooky as she was hawt.
So were busting hump doing removals and pruning on an extremely uncomfortably hot and humid day. Ohio had a heat wave of triple digit temps that year. We were nearly stroked from the heat. He had a giant U shaped driveway that we had claimed half of with brush and 4' sections of 14" diameter logs of Quaking Aspens and Red Maple to be chipped.
Fat, rich and ugly comes home, pulling in the section of drive we left open for that reason, his bumper right up to the end of our brush in front of his home. He goes in for an hour or so -comes back out to leave, gets in his car and sits there. I'm up a tree thinking he's doing something in his vehicle, paper work, masturbating, who knows what. Then he starts laying on his horn. We're looking at each other like WTF. Then he steps from his car and yells; "YOU WANNA MOVE THIS BRUSH SO I CAN GET OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY!"
Mind you, he just pulled in, common sense would tell you to simply back out your drive. Nope!
My boss tells me to come down my tree, fire up the chipper so Mr. so & so can leave. I look at my boss and say, John, can't you just tell him to back up? My boss then tells me again -but this time while grinding his teeth.
We had at least an hour of brush to chip before his drive would've been cleared. And he's just sitting in his Jaguar waiting. About twenty minuets of chipping later, he opens his door and steps out the car all smiles and declares —never mind, I'll just back out.
Mick!
TreeHouser
*BUMP*
One that sticks in my head to this day, wasn't from a customer -but some punk kids "who race shall go unmentioned" when working in the ghetto of Youngstown Ohio.
The one came up to me as I was touching earth as his friends stood back waiting for the show- and he said just five simple words, but I wanted to reach out and yank his lips off his face.
"I WANNA BE LIKE YOU!"
But he kept saying it in this whiny obnoxious contemptuous way -that I can still hear in my head.
If I ever came close to beating a minor, it was that moment.
This ones a bit of a mystery, what exactly was the problem?
Mick!
TreeHouser
"Can you cut it so it doesn't grow so fast" I kid you not.
And what were they racing?
Szajer
alive with pleasure
He was trying his best to be a little dick. Imagine some kid with the balls to get two feet away from you- taunting by minimizing what you do, as obnoxious as a ghetto kid could do.
What's there not to get
Mick!
TreeHouser
Maybe he genuinely wanted to be like you! And you crushed his hopes with your cynicism, you heartless bastard!
Anyway, I don't really get why what he was saying was minimizing your work.
Anyway, I don't really get why what he was saying was minimizing your work.
Szajer
alive with pleasure
Because you live in France and don't understand how inner city ghetto life works in the US. Sarcasm doesn't translate to other countries I guess.
Adam_P
TreeHouse WebMaster
Trolls start trolling young. I'd get frustrated with some kid taunting like that in the drop zone.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
I get what you're saying. I'd have been tempted to swing for the moon myself.
The owner of a nearby tree company told us that one day they were making enough noise and devastation to get the owner pretty riled up. After chewing on them for a couple of minutes, she ended her rant by saying she was going into town for some groceries and coffee, "and you guys better be finished when I get back". As she was walking away, one of his guys quietly said "I take extra cream in mine". She spun around and glared at him but didn't say anything. Just got in her car and drove away. He (the tree co. owner) said he told his worker that "when you have a raging brush fire, you don't go pour gas on it"
I laughed so hard when he told us this story. Told him it would be a good one for the back page of TCI Magazine.
I don't think she brought them back any coffee either.
I laughed so hard when he told us this story. Told him it would be a good one for the back page of TCI Magazine.
I don't think she brought them back any coffee either.
Joezilla11
TreeHouser
Haha! That's a good one it'd be hard to hold back a chuckle at that!
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Good story! If she had brought him back some coffee, black, that would have really showed her mettle.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
I wouldn't have much patience for a customer griping at me over noise.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
I recall a yakuza member getting quite pissed about the noise and no proper greeting being given before starting the job next door to where he lived. In other words, he didn't get his towel. The boss on that job should have done his duty and asked for patience, before we started working, the pissed off neighbor had a good point there. He might have knocked, and the guy was asleep or not home at the time, that happens sometimes, and not much you can do about that. Sometimes the greetings are first attempted a day or two in advance, which gives more opportunity to make contact. The gang member was pacing back and forth on his balcony, quite hot about it and letting everyone know in not uncertain terms. Fortunately, with the proper salutations given, he perhaps decided not to call his mates. I found the whole thing interesting.
"I wouldn't have much patience for a customer griping at me over noise."
Me either.
I think I got the story wrong, and the griper was a neighbour, not the custy.
Both those guys (the co. owner and his coffee loving contract climber) are quick on the uptake, and have a deadpan sense of humour. Kinda like Bob Newhart, where he says something in a serious, worried tone, but it is completely ridiculous.
Me either.
I think I got the story wrong, and the griper was a neighbour, not the custy.
Both those guys (the co. owner and his coffee loving contract climber) are quick on the uptake, and have a deadpan sense of humour. Kinda like Bob Newhart, where he says something in a serious, worried tone, but it is completely ridiculous.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
It would've been funny to see for sure.
I've had neighbors get right irate before. I always let the customer know what time were starting at(early) and ask them to warn their neighbors. If they don't? That's between them and their neighbor. 7am noise bylaw. And at 7am I'm making noise. Little later in the winter. As it's dark still.
I've had neighbors get right irate before. I always let the customer know what time were starting at(early) and ask them to warn their neighbors. If they don't? That's between them and their neighbor. 7am noise bylaw. And at 7am I'm making noise. Little later in the winter. As it's dark still.
Szajer
alive with pleasure
We're at the entrance of a subdivision shaping white pines and removing some. There were two long rows, each lined opposite sides of the entrance. Before we could move further, we had to chip what we had. Mind that it's just afternoon. Within 20 minutes I see a middle aged man walking toward me. As he got closer, I'm thinking to myself, I know him. Once standing in front of me I say- hey! I'm szajer, I'm your nieces husband, how are you! All he said was, SHUT IT DOWN. Then without skipping a beat he starts in on me about how he works mid nights -and doesn't appreciate us being inconsiderate.
Now I just wanted him to leave cause I knew things would get worse, we weren't 'shutting down' cause he, as a neighbor, needed sleep. He wanted to talk to the boss and I pointed the way. In a polite way, my boss said to get bent. I was embarrassed to be his in law -and he didn't give a flying f*** at a rolling donut either.
Now I just wanted him to leave cause I knew things would get worse, we weren't 'shutting down' cause he, as a neighbor, needed sleep. He wanted to talk to the boss and I pointed the way. In a polite way, my boss said to get bent. I was embarrassed to be his in law -and he didn't give a flying f*** at a rolling donut either.
I volunteer at a friends bluegrass festival every year. Part of my "job" is to start or join in on jam sessions out in the campground.
I'm picking with a couple guys one night and this lady walks up & says; "Do you realize it is 4;30 in the morning?"
Having had a few beers I nicely replied; "Hope you guys can think of a bunch more songs or we'll never make it to daylight."
I was told she stomped off to her trailer with the smoke just rollin' out of her ears.
Next morning her husband was beating on the sides of the campers at the site we were picking at (not ours)
and yelling "It's 7 am, time to wake up!"
My friend, the promoter, heard of this and promptly went to their trailer and offered their money all back for the weekend and invited them to leave, as the music is the entire reason for the festival and it is expected to go on at all hours. They ended up staying, but didn't say much to anyone the rest of the weekend.
I'm picking with a couple guys one night and this lady walks up & says; "Do you realize it is 4;30 in the morning?"
Having had a few beers I nicely replied; "Hope you guys can think of a bunch more songs or we'll never make it to daylight."
I was told she stomped off to her trailer with the smoke just rollin' out of her ears.
Next morning her husband was beating on the sides of the campers at the site we were picking at (not ours)
and yelling "It's 7 am, time to wake up!"My friend, the promoter, heard of this and promptly went to their trailer and offered their money all back for the weekend and invited them to leave, as the music is the entire reason for the festival and it is expected to go on at all hours. They ended up staying, but didn't say much to anyone the rest of the weekend.
brendonv
Tree Hugger
I was in a birch tree, about 730 am one morning. They called for wicked hot temps so i was busting nut to get it done. Guy next door starts violently pounding on his window. Screaming, " i work nights, i work nights". Turns out the asshole doesnt even work.
I get snippy when people decide to be assholes. Not a good trait as an owner but i wont be walked on.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
I just ignore people like that.
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