Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: AuRavelling79 on June 20, 2015, 12:27:55 pm
-
Mrs H (about 90 I guess) is in the front garden and sees me.
Hello's are exchanged.
Mrs H. "I've got a window cleaner just like you, he's ever so nice (blush)."
Gold " I am your window cleaner Mrs H."
Mrs H. "Really, what's your name?"
Gold. "Gold"
Mrs H. "Oh, my window cleaner back home has the same name."
Gold. "Where's home Mrs H?"
Mrs H. "Here in Bristol of course! (looks at me like I'm nuts) I don't live in Scotland anymore."
Gold. "I see. I'll just do your neighbour's then I'll be along Mrs H."
Mrs H. "I've already got a window cleaner, he could be your twin."
Mr. H dodders out - very frail but got his marbles. Pays me and says "She's a bit confused I'm afraid."
Poor old girl.
-
Yes, it's sad when they're/we're like that. One of mine, a few years back, would sometimes know me, but at other times she didn't and she would get very frightened. So her sister (who lived a few houses down) would sit with her while I cleaned her windows.
Eventually this lady died, then her sister (the one with the marbles), her husband died when his conservatory door fell in on him. It didn't immediately kill him, but it led to a chain of events which did. He was an ex Japanese PoW and we had a few laughs together (him shouting Japanese words of command at me mostly).
Now his wife is a recluse and losing her marbles. I clean, post a note through her door and her nephew pays me by bank transfer.
All life ends in tragedy they say.
-
Mrs H (about 90 I guess) is in the front garden and sees me.
Hello's are exchanged.
Mrs H. "I've got a window cleaner just like you, he's ever so nice (blush).
Gold " I am your window cleaner Mrs H."
Mrs H. "Really, what's your name?"
Gold. "Gold"
Mrs H. "Oh, my window cleaner back home has the same name."
Gold. "Where's home Mrs H?"
Mrs H. "Here in Bristol of course! (looks at me like I'm nuts) I don't live in Scotland anymore."
Gold. "I see. I'll just do your neighbour's then I'll be along Mrs H."
Mrs H. "I've already got a window cleaner, he could be your twin."
Mr. H dodders out - very frail but got his marbles. Pays me and says "She's a bit confused I'm afraid."
Poor old girl.
Sorry to hear that. Inventing two versions of the same person is a pretty classic symptom of dementia/alzheimers.
When my friend's M-I-L was on her last knockings and had this problem, she used to confide in my friend about about my friend's "other version." Apparently the other version of my friend was after her money (not that she had much by then). It was very sad but it was difficult not to laugh about it too as it broke the tension.
-
I had an old couple who both had dementia and I had to stop cleaning for them. Each time I went round they didn't know who I was and I felt embarrassed and uncomfortable having to explain each time. I even left them a leaflet with my photo on...but they didn't know where they had put it.
-
Very sad.
Don't have it in my genes to live old enough. Loosing it at 49. God knows what I would be like at 80/90
-
Any other cheery posts? ::)roll
-
Mrs H (about 90 I guess) is in the front garden and sees me.
Hello's are exchanged.
Mrs H. "I've got a window cleaner just like you, he's ever so nice (blush).
Gold " I am your window cleaner Mrs H"
Mrs H. "Really, what's your name?"
Gold. "Gold"
Mrs H. "Oh, my window cleaner back home has the same name."
Gold. "Where's home Mrs H."
Mrs H. "Here in Bristol of course! (looks at me like I'm nuts) I don't live in Scotland anymore."
Gold. "I'll just do your neighbour's then I'll be along Mrs H."
Mrs H. "I've already got a window cleaner, he could be your twin."
Mr. H dodders out - very frail but got his marbles. Pays me and says "She's a bit confused I'm afraid."
Poor old girl.
And the point of this post is? Can't say I can see anything strange about it
Ian (about 70)
-
I had an old couple who both had dementia and I had to stop cleaning for them. Each time I went round they didn't know who I was and I felt embarrassed and uncomfortable having to explain each time. I even left them a leaflet with my photo on...but they didn't know where they had put it.
Me too an old lady owed me £45 but I let it go as she was very confused & I didn't want anyone to think I was trying it on.
I felt it was best to just take the loss and stop cleaning.
-
I had an old couple who both had dementia and I had to stop cleaning for them. Each time I went round they didn't know who I was and I felt embarrassed and uncomfortable having to explain each time. I even left them a leaflet with my photo on...but they didn't know where they had put it.
Me too an old lady owed me £45 but I let it go as she was very confused & I didn't want anyone to think I was trying it on.
I felt it was best to just take the loss and stop cleaning.
I'm in a similar position right now. It's a smaller amount. I decided yesterday that I won't be going back I can never get the money out of them these days because it takes a few minutes for them to understand who I am. Then they have a 10 minute hunt around for money before telling me that they can't find any. I do feel sorry for them but it leaves me in a vulnerable position. I'm concerned that someone may think that I'm trying to rip them off. For the £16.50 owing, I would rather just call it quits. (£16.50 is for one and a bit cleans owing). I was even given 10p by one of them a while back thinking it was £10.
I think it's very sad that this can happen.
-
I had the opposite an old lady who I charged £15 per clean, she would give me £60 or more tell me to keep the
change and no matter what I tried she wouldn't take it back.
I finally went round to a family member told them what she was paying and did they want the extra money, they where
more annoyed at me for suggesting they're mother didn't know what she was doing.
I honestly don't know to this day if the woman was just being very generous, but I stopped cleaning her property
because I just didn't feel comfortable with the situation.
-
I had the opposite an old lady who I charged £15 per clean, she would give me £60 or more tell me to keep the
change and no matter what I tried she wouldn't take it back.
I finally went round to a family member told them what she was paying and did they want the extra money, they where
more annoyed at me for suggesting they're mother didn't know what she was doing.
I honestly don't know to this day if the woman was just being very generous, but I stopped cleaning her property
because I just didn't feel comfortable with the situation.
Stupid idiots. Would they rather you ripped the mother off?? >:(
-
I've also had a number of odd conversations with older customers over the years who sadly have been afflicted with various ailments common to old age.
A day trip that couldn't possibly have happened, only in the old lady's mind. But I got all the details.
A crazy conversation with a dear 94yr old lady who was bright as a button until she hit 94. Then in between two visits her mind went. She tried to pay me with cutlery that she happened to be drying up when I called. When I tried to explain that it was £3.50 I needed she told me that the bank would change it for me.
Another elderly lady would come out and pay me as soon as I started her windows. Then go in and immediately forget she had seen me and come straight back out and try to pay again. After I had cleaned her front windows I would move on to her neighbour, a lady who used to look out for her, and whilst cleaning her windows the old lady would telephone her and say, "Have you seen the window cleaner. I haven't seen him in a while. He must be due." Then when I got round the back, the whole paying me more than once thing would start all over again.
Then there was the really silly conversation I had with another elderly customer who I think I woke from a deep sleep and for about five minutes I just couldn't convince that the £1 coin she was expecting change from was in fact not the £10 she thought it was. What really tickles me when I think back on it was when, after about 5 minutes of trying to convince her it was only £1, she said to me with a twinkle in her eye, "I think you're just trying to confuse me young man." When I finally left I'm not sure who was more confused, me or her, it was such a daft conversation.
I have many good memories, and some strange ones of many of my older customers
-
My lady wrote me a cheque in shillings!
-
I've also had a number of odd conversations with older customers over the years who sadly have been afflicted with various ailments common to old age.
A day trip that couldn't possibly have happened, only in the old lady's mind. But I got all the details.
A crazy conversation with a dear 94yr old lady who was bright as a button until she hit 94. Then in between two visits her mind went. She tried to pay me with cutlery that she happened to be drying up when I called. When I tried to explain that it was £3.50 I needed she told me that the bank would change it for me.
Another elderly lady would come out and pay me as soon as I started her windows. Then go in and immediately forget she had seen me and come straight back out and try to pay again. After I had cleaned her front windows I would move on to her neighbour, a lady who used to look out for her, and whilst cleaning her windows the old lady would telephone her and say, "Have you seen the window cleaner. I haven't seen him in a while. He must be due." Then when I got round the back, the whole paying me more than once thing would start all over again.
Then there was the really silly conversation I had with another elderly customer who I think I woke from a deep sleep and for about five minutes I just couldn't convince that the £1 coin she was expecting change from was in fact not the £10 she thought it was. What really tickles me when I think back on it was when, after about 5 minutes of trying to convince her it was only £1, she said to me with a twinkle in her eye, "I think you're just trying to confuse me young man." When I finally left I'm not sure who was more confused, me or her, it was such a daft conversation.
I have many good memories, and some strange ones of many of my older customers
She didn't mind forking out then.
-
She didn't mind forking out then.
Hehe ;D
In her case a kindly neighbour started playing for her till the old lady became a danger to herself and others by trying to cook on gas without lighting it and nearly blew up the block of flats she lived in. She had to be looked after in sheltered accommodation after that. She was a sweet old lady but didn't take any nonsense from anyone. I remember her shooing out her home help with a broom once, like Nora Batty because she didn't like something she did.