Once again, you can't judge a book by its cover ..
Sep 02, 2016The builders had just started doing some work in the garden but they had enough to keep them busy for an hour or so without my input, so I thought I’d have a quick bath.
I put in some relaxing muscle soak bath salts and relaxed in the slightly too hot water. I had just finished boxing and it was a great way to relax before having a bit of a stretch.
I was just getting into my relaxation zone when the doorbell rang. I could hear Susan answering it and then I could hear her footsteps on the stairs.
‘They need you to empty the septic tank.’ She said. ‘They can’t pump it out as it’s all clogged up.’
‘Now?’ I said.
‘I don’t know!’ she snapped ‘go and talk to them!’
So I opened the window and leant out ‘John?’
‘It’s ok’ he shouted up after a brief pause, ‘finish your bath first.’
‘Ok, I’ll pop down afterwards.’ I said.
I tried to relax again but it wasn’t the same, so I got out and went down to see John the builder. When that was all sorted out, Susan and I got all the kids in the car and decided we’d pop to Starbucks for lunch.
‘Oh, hang on, I need to get my wallet.’ I said.
I ran back into the house, put my hand in my briefcase pocket that was by the front door, but it was empty. That’s strange I thought to myself, I know I put it there. I checked upstairs. I checked my office. I checked the kitchen. No wallet.
I went back to my briefcase and noticed that all the pockets were open. I always close them after I take anything out. Then one of the other pockets I noticed was opened. I put my hand in and my wallet had been stuffed in there. I never put my wallet in there.
I opened it up and looked inside, there was £30 in cash – one £20 note and one £10 note.
I went out to the car and got in.
‘Everything ok?’ Susan asked me, noticing my pensive frown.
‘Yeah, fine.’ I said.
As we drove I thought about how my wallet could have got there. Who could have put it there. Then my mind went back to Susan coming upstairs and leaving John the builder by the open front door, right in front of my briefcase. Could he have opened all the pockets, found my wallet, taken out some cash and then stuffed it back in the wrong pocket?
I was beginning to chastise myself for going with the cheapest quote. Now I thought about it, they fitted the bill exactly of travelling rogue tradesmen, always on the move, a trail of destruction in their past.
But he didn’t take the £30, maybe because he didn’t have time, or more likely, he just took a bit so it was less likely to be noticed. I knew I took out £150 two days before, and I gave £60 to the cleaners. So there should have been £90 in there, not £30! He’d taken out three £20 notes, slipped them in his pocket and pushed the wallet back in a hurry.
All the way to Starbucks I was thinking of the best way to approach John about the theft, I had to say something, but did I wanted them to finish the work first. Or shall I call the owner and tell him I want them off site? I should I call the police? Or should I set up a sting and try and catch him on CCTV?
Eventually I thought the best thing was to be honest and say some money's gone missing, have you taken it? If so, I want it back, finish the job, don’t nick anything else and I won’t call the police. Yes, that felt like the right thing to do.
As we were on the way back, I suddenly remembered that I’d given Susan £20 the day before for photos. Ok, so he only took two £20 notes. Still, stealing is stealing. I’ve got to confront him, stop looking for ways to get out of this Roddy, I told myself.
About a mile from home, I remembered I’d bought some things from the petrol station for cash the day before. So he only took one £20 note I thought, always certainly not gonna be noticed if you’re that self-controlled.
When I got out the car at home, I looked again in my wallet just to make sure, and I noticed that there were actually two £20 notes stuck together! Actually, there was no money missing!
I felt really bad.
I thought they looked shifty when they turned up and so immediately presumed they were thieves. In fact, I KNEW that John had taken it! Only trouble was, he hadn’t!
I must try and be a nicer person!
Wait a minute, who rummaged though my briefcase then?
‘Just so you know’ Susan said, ‘Louis took your wallet and my wallet out and was playing with on the floor this morning while you were training’
Thank goodness I didn’t confront the builders! They finished today and they did a great job. Lovely people who I wouldn’t hesitate to have back.
Just goes to show, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
I put in some relaxing muscle soak bath salts and relaxed in the slightly too hot water. I had just finished boxing and it was a great way to relax before having a bit of a stretch.
I was just getting into my relaxation zone when the doorbell rang. I could hear Susan answering it and then I could hear her footsteps on the stairs.
‘They need you to empty the septic tank.’ She said. ‘They can’t pump it out as it’s all clogged up.’
‘Now?’ I said.
‘I don’t know!’ she snapped ‘go and talk to them!’
So I opened the window and leant out ‘John?’
‘It’s ok’ he shouted up after a brief pause, ‘finish your bath first.’
‘Ok, I’ll pop down afterwards.’ I said.
I tried to relax again but it wasn’t the same, so I got out and went down to see John the builder. When that was all sorted out, Susan and I got all the kids in the car and decided we’d pop to Starbucks for lunch.
‘Oh, hang on, I need to get my wallet.’ I said.
I ran back into the house, put my hand in my briefcase pocket that was by the front door, but it was empty. That’s strange I thought to myself, I know I put it there. I checked upstairs. I checked my office. I checked the kitchen. No wallet.
I went back to my briefcase and noticed that all the pockets were open. I always close them after I take anything out. Then one of the other pockets I noticed was opened. I put my hand in and my wallet had been stuffed in there. I never put my wallet in there.
I opened it up and looked inside, there was £30 in cash – one £20 note and one £10 note.
I went out to the car and got in.
‘Everything ok?’ Susan asked me, noticing my pensive frown.
‘Yeah, fine.’ I said.
As we drove I thought about how my wallet could have got there. Who could have put it there. Then my mind went back to Susan coming upstairs and leaving John the builder by the open front door, right in front of my briefcase. Could he have opened all the pockets, found my wallet, taken out some cash and then stuffed it back in the wrong pocket?
I was beginning to chastise myself for going with the cheapest quote. Now I thought about it, they fitted the bill exactly of travelling rogue tradesmen, always on the move, a trail of destruction in their past.
But he didn’t take the £30, maybe because he didn’t have time, or more likely, he just took a bit so it was less likely to be noticed. I knew I took out £150 two days before, and I gave £60 to the cleaners. So there should have been £90 in there, not £30! He’d taken out three £20 notes, slipped them in his pocket and pushed the wallet back in a hurry.
All the way to Starbucks I was thinking of the best way to approach John about the theft, I had to say something, but did I wanted them to finish the work first. Or shall I call the owner and tell him I want them off site? I should I call the police? Or should I set up a sting and try and catch him on CCTV?
Eventually I thought the best thing was to be honest and say some money's gone missing, have you taken it? If so, I want it back, finish the job, don’t nick anything else and I won’t call the police. Yes, that felt like the right thing to do.
As we were on the way back, I suddenly remembered that I’d given Susan £20 the day before for photos. Ok, so he only took two £20 notes. Still, stealing is stealing. I’ve got to confront him, stop looking for ways to get out of this Roddy, I told myself.
About a mile from home, I remembered I’d bought some things from the petrol station for cash the day before. So he only took one £20 note I thought, always certainly not gonna be noticed if you’re that self-controlled.
When I got out the car at home, I looked again in my wallet just to make sure, and I noticed that there were actually two £20 notes stuck together! Actually, there was no money missing!
I felt really bad.
I thought they looked shifty when they turned up and so immediately presumed they were thieves. In fact, I KNEW that John had taken it! Only trouble was, he hadn’t!
I must try and be a nicer person!
Wait a minute, who rummaged though my briefcase then?
‘Just so you know’ Susan said, ‘Louis took your wallet and my wallet out and was playing with on the floor this morning while you were training’
Thank goodness I didn’t confront the builders! They finished today and they did a great job. Lovely people who I wouldn’t hesitate to have back.
Just goes to show, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Until next time ..
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