I admit it, I am a sap. I get taken advantage of frequently, people use me since I am so predictable in my responses, and in general, I am often played the fool. Especially when it comes to horses, because I am really a sap for those!
What usually happens is that I eventually get annoyed. Then it moves to frustrated, and from there, to downright ticked off. I have no one to blame but myself when I get into these sticky predicaments, but I would sure like to think I can.
Like most humans, once I am ticked off, civility takes a back seat and I can surely be rude in getting my point across. Mostly that's because being blunt and forceful is what it takes to get it there in the first place.
I am sure you might be thinking: What does this have to do with horses? Welp, let me recap for you, the current predicament-
At the beginning of summer, I allowed my coworker to bring to my place her mare for training. She's been there since the last week of May. The deal was, $100 a month and she'd provide the hay and grain. A very sweet deal for up here. So time passes and the trainer works with the horse sporadically, with little forward progress. The "plan" was that once the trainer got three rides on the mare, that would be it. Month after month passes and eventually it's September. Trainer becomes hard to reach and I don't see evidence of the horse being worked. October rolls around and the coworker contacts trainer, and it's agreed that it will wrap up very soon. Trainer does not show. November rolls around and I tell coworker that the trainer has not been there at all (easy to verify due to snow on the ground-no tracks) Coworker is too intimidated by confrontations to have it out with trainer, and lets it slide. Finally, I tell coworker the horse has to go home. This is the first week of December. Over the course of the fall, I have lost the chance at three boarders for full rate, and I can't afford to do this any longer.
Now we have reached a point where she is leaving messages when she knows I won't be home or at work to talk to her. The last conversation was her asking that she leave the horse there until yesterday when she had a doctor's appointment in town anyway. I said I needed full board or the horse gone, period. The horse trailer is there, alright, but so is the horse.
Now I am infuriated at myself, for allowing this to happen. It's all well and good to help out friends but honestly, this is going too far. So today I am going to keep calling until she can't stand it any longer, and answers the phone. Screw this. I have removed the Welcome mat for this person and it's time to be my blunt and rude self.
8 comments:
People suck. What else can be said.
Never do business with family, friends, and coworkers, in that order.
I, too, am finding myself sucker-punched all the time. I'm the first to offer my help and the last to receive any back.
Again, people suck.
Boy can I relate to this post. I've often wondered if it's me attracting the wrong type of people, or is it the simple fact that their numbers have increased to the point that you can't avoid them? Inconsiderate, selfish, users. Isn't it funny how when you put your foot down and say "no more" you become the bitch?
Keep us posted on how this turns out.
I'm really sorry that your kind gesture has turned into a bit of a nightmare for you. It sounds like it is definitely time for her to move on.
Well here is the epilogue:
Apparantly the coworker went there yesterday, intending to load the mare. Things were going really good and she had the mare's front feet actually *in* the trailer, when the other two lost their pea brains.....and that was all she wrote for that day.
Today, coworker had help, and it only took some coaxing to get her completely in the trailer calmly. And so they left...the mare screaming for four solid miles, haha
Whew. That's over!
The mare in the adjoining run was not a happy camper last night. She was still talking occasionally and looking down the driveway for her buddy.
This morning, she seems resigned to the fact she's gone for good. Tomorrow I will open up the two runs together so that she can have more space for a while. She'll enjoy that I am sure.
Glad to hear that it worked out for you. She should count herself lucky that you put up with it for as long as you did.
Good to have this behind you.
As I lay in bed last nite pondering this ill-fated situation (ya right, I sleep like a rock), I was reminded of a saying that my boss is fond of:
"No good deed goes unpunished."
Just remember those words the next time you're about to say, "Sure, I can do that for you...."
As well as "No good deed goes unpunished" one should also remember that "Friends are the people you know who can find you when they have a problem!"
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