Dear Diary, Woke up an hour early this morning. I get up at 4:40 am and at 3:30 knew I would not go back to sleep, so I started to review my most colorful customers. So many come to mind, but I have chosen to introduce you, Dear Diary, to Washington. Washington is a young man who, fancies himself a male model, somewhat famous, an irristable ladies man and wealthy. It is obvious to everyone who meets/knows Washington, that none of the above is reality. We have treated him with the respect he feels he deserves and chuckle at his behavior after he leaves. None the less, he is entertaining and likeable. Washington drives a black BMW 7 series covered in rhinestone bling and chrome. He sais the "ladies" love it. Washington has had two repairs on his Beemer so we came to know him well. He stopped in each and everyday his car was in our shop and spent so much time hanging around my young daughter in law, who runs the office and trying to butter me up, that on several occassions, we had ask him to leave and let us work. He loved to share his stories about fending off the ladies.

Now, the other side of Washington, the side I worked at keeping in check, was the side that he tried to find every reason to not pay his bill and nit pick everything he could to get money back. I was told by one of his friends that he did not actually have a job. In the course of his latest repair, he took it upon himself to purchase two parts for his bmw from the dealer. He claimed he had "connections" and could get them cheaper. (I never had the heart to tell him, if I had ordered them, a regular customer, the list was lower) He brought those parts in and my body man installed them. I added nothing to his bill for the labor.

Getting to the point, Washington felt since "he" purchased the parts, I owed him the cost of the parts. I was floored, I did not charge him for the parts, ask him to get them for me nor charge him labor to put them on. He got loud the day before he was picking up his car demanding I owed him for the parts. So, dear diary, what would you have done?

The day Washington came into pick up/pay for his car he came walking into the front office of my shop with a friend standing next to him. Before me stood Washington and an unknown friend, two young black men looking very serious. I said Hi, and Washington, very serious said, "Miss Lynn, I want you to meet Dauntel, he is in the Asian Mob". Beyond my ability to control myself, I burst out laughing, and with tears of laughter, I told Washington, I could see it around the eyes. Dauntel gave Washington the "I told you this was stupid" look and left. I mentioned to Washington how funny his joke was, giving him his dignity by letting him believe I knew he did that to be funny. I did mention to him everyone I have everknown in the "mob" would never tell.

So, here we stood, Washington wanting his car and not wanting to pay anything he could wiggle out of. He zeroed upon the parts he purchased. His receipt was $79.00. Remember, I did not charge him for those parts. He wanted reimbursed. He had paid for his car already. I ended up doing more work than he paid for as the high end cars require more labor. Washington tried the cuss and swear loudly tactic. After a few minutes of letting him go, I reached for the phone and asked him.....911? "Miss Lynn, Miss Lynn, why would you do that???? Washington, please lower your voice and drop the language. I walked into my office and wrote a check. He was drooling and gloating with glee. BUT...as I walked back to the front desk, I said, "Now, I am still thinking this through and why should I pay for your parts. They are on your car and I did not charge you labor to put them there...as a matter of fact.....I do not owe you any money back sir." I then tore up the check in front of him and tossed it. Smiled and said Washington, your car is finished..perfect to your standards and here are your keys. Off in rage he went.....it was not fun to watch, when I had enough....I reached for the phone, he stopped. At that point, he thanked me for how beautiful his baby looked and gave us each his business card and autographed the back for us! His business card has his picture on it sitting like Sherlock Holmes, and it states "male Model". I especially loved the autographed part. I still have that card, one never knows when one will need a male model.