“But it is your problem because we can’t get the material,” the project manager snapped.
Simon nodded. “What’s the new ETA?”
“We’re fourteen days behind.”
Inwardly Simon winced. Because fourteen days was fourteen days of expenses, extra labor, material costs, leases, and interest. The list went on and on, never seemed to quit. “Well, that’s your one freebie,” he said. “Let’s make sure there aren’t any others.” And, with that, he turned and left, headed to the next place.
As he walked, the irritating Realtor got back to him finally, after complete silence for days.
“Simon, you drive a hard deal,” she snapped into the phone.
He stopped and looked up at the gray sky above him, feeling a raindrop hitting his eyebrow he swore.
“What’s the matter?” she said in alarm.
“It’s a shit day, and I’m not interested in listening to your shit story.”
“Not my shit story,” she snapped, “the owners.”
“Look. Either he takes the deal or he doesn’t. I don’t care,” he said. “It’s not a day to push my buttons.”
“Wow,” she said, “you are having a shit day.” An almost conciliatory tone was in her voice, as if to say,Hey, sorry. Didn’t mean to come across so aggressive.
But Simon wasn’t up for it. “All I’m saying is,” he said, “that was my offer, and we have nothing to discuss otherwise.” With that, he hung up. He really didn’t need to listen to her or to them.
He carried on, walking to the next job that he needed to review, only to find that his project manager wasn’t there and that his overseer was standing outside the third floor on scaffolding, yelling at somebody. Simon called up at the supervisor on this rehab, who noticed him and came down. It took twenty minutes for him to get on the ground floor, and he looked like he was in a hell of a temper.
“If it isn’t good news, I really don’t want to hear it,” Simon snapped.
“Well, good luck with that,” he said. “Half the crew didn’t show up today.”
“Why is that?” Simon closed his eyes, praying for patience.
“They all belong to the same family, and they’re at some bloody festival.”
Simon just stared, and William raised both hands in frustration. “What the hell, I don’t know,” he said. “Nobody told me anything. I came to work—fat, dumb, and happy, expecting to see a full crew on the job—and nobody’s here.”
“Well, hell,” Simon said. “Who were you yelling at up there then?”
“Somebody else on the crew,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t have yelled at him. He’s likely to walk on me too, but right now I couldn’t care less.”
“I get it,” Simon said. “Some days are just like that, aren’t they?”
“You’re not kidding,” he said. “So our progress is nil today. We haven’t got much done, but I’m trying to focus those we have here on making some progress on something.”
Simon replied, “I know a whole reset on the plumbing was needed here, right?”
“Yeah, and the plumbers are missing today.”
“Of course they are. Wiring?”
“They aren’t supposed to come in until after the plumbing. They’ve done 80 percent of it and need to come back in after the plumbers are done and gone.”
“And normally that’s not an issue.”
“It doesn’t have to be,” he said, “but, in this case, they were in on top of each other.”
“And where is my project manager who is supposed to be coordinating all that? Did he go to the festival too?”