Cheating on My Handyman

For the past four or five years, I've had a great handyman. He does little extra things to help and usually comes over quickly if I have an emergency. At least that's what he used to do. He's been slacking off lately, starting last summer when he really jammed me up with my home repairs after the water damage. I think he was disappointed that I hadn't waited for him to come and do the work, but my bank was breathing down my neck -- and I had bare concrete floors and no cabinets in my kitchen. I couldn't wait, nor did I want to. I was lucky to have a friend who knew how to do a lot of what needed to be done. As a result, I learned how to do a lot.

So the few jobs I've had him do for me lately have not been completed in his usual meticulous way. That's not why I called someone else; I needed someone to clean up my lawn fast, and I didn't think he would have time to do it. Still, as the "other man" was here today weeding and chopping, I felt somewhat guilty. I kept hoping my handyman wouldn't come to do the yard (he usually does just the front and I do the back) and wonder why someone else was there. I do feel a sense of loyalty, but I haven't been able to count on him. He was supposed to hang the latern I bought in Morocco; he came over a week and a half after he said he would and left without doing it because there was a piece we needed. He said he thought he had one at home, and if he didn't he'd get one. That was over a month ago and I haven't seen him since.

The "other man" was a real oddball. He brought his dogs with him, which I thought was strange. And it drove my dog crazy. Also, the work was kind of half-assed but still better than I could have done with my tender back. I was paying well for the rush job, and it should have been better than it was. And he kept asking about other work, as in, "Hey, if you need your house painted, I do that in my free time," and, "Oh, are you replacing your fence? I do that in my free time." He mentioned at least four things in a similar way. I finally said, "You must have a lot of free time." At some point he said something that sounded like, "I should have brought my Mexican with me!" I don't know. I stayed inside most of the time unless I was showing him what I needed done.

Anyway, the lawn looks pretty good, and I had the chance to do some deep cleaning inside. I'll do a bit of touch-up all around, in and out, tomorrow and maybe Saturday morning. I'm glad that we'll be able to enjoy the yard, but the "other man" left his mowing, weeding mess all over the porch so I'll have to get that cleaned up. We're having a bit of a crowd for Easter, so the option to eat outside is good. I guess I don't feel too guilty after all.