[TonyD]

Just thought I'd share something that had me smiling today...........

I've been doing a road for a couple of monthly visits now, and when I first canvassed, after getting a customer, he said "don't bother knocking next door - polish  "   ohh, right, I say.

On looking, the windows where filthy, but so where a lot of others on the road as the old cleaner was rubbish, never did frames or even sills, and loads had sacked him off months ago.  Anyway, I didn't knock the "polish".  Other side of them said the same too. 

Cleaning the house next door to "the polish" today, a polish head pops over the fence "how much for windows ? "   £7 say I.  (the going rate for the others, and much more than the last cleaner before anyone says that's too low, it is St.Helens, and only small houses) 
" That's fine, can you please do ours" 

He comes back a few minutes later with a £10 note.  I try and give him change from my pocket, and he says "no, take the £10, they are filthy"
Then, while doing the work, he offers me tea or coffee, THEN "would you like a beer then" THEN " do you need water, or toilet ? " 


I'm not racist myself, so wasn't suprised, especially as I've worked with people from all corners of the world and know they aren't much different from anyone else.   BUT, just goes to show how ignorant and wrong some people are.  I'd love to have knocked on the neighbours either side (ohh, and across the road too) and told them that "the polish" are much better customers than them, and my best customers in the road.

[Craig 72]

There have been loads of times in my life where I have have been warned off people by others but when I've met them couldn't have been nicer.Always best to meet somebody first before making an opinion of them.

[pingu]

What a nice 'human' story...

[Rogue Trader]

1st cleans ... all smiles and generosity but see what happens on the 2nd or 3rd clean ...... oh and by the way i am polish!

[martinsadie]

1st cleans ... all smiles and generosity but see what happens on the 2nd or 3rd clean ...... oh and by the way i am polish!

Asians are the same nice as pie first tyime then a right pain, ive just kicked 4 on the same street into touch after the 2nd clean, dont get me wrong i have others i have cleaned for years no problem

[TonyD]

People are just people most of the time, and you get good, bad, whatever. It just made me smile thinking how some people have this narrow view when they've never spoke to, or even seen them some of the time, and can be so wrong.

Having worked in London on and off, and all over the UK for all of my 20 years of working life so far (think I know London better than my home town) , I just take people as people.

[Window Washers]

People are just people most of the time, and you get good, bad, whatever. It just made me smile thinking how some people have this narrow view when they've never spoke to, or even seen them some of the time, and can be so wrong.

Having worked in London on and off, and all over the UK for all of my 20 years of working life so far (think I know London better than my home town) , I just take people as people.

You dont have much choice working in London!

[d.ward]

Hi Tony
Im in cronton mate - Where in St helens do you clean?

[Niall McAllister]

Just thought I'd share something that had me smiling today...........

I've been doing a road for a couple of monthly visits now, and when I first canvassed, after getting a customer, he said "don't bother knocking next door - polish  "   ohh, right, I say.

On looking, the windows where filthy, but so where a lot of others on the road as the old cleaner was rubbish, never did frames or even sills, and loads had sacked him off months ago.  Anyway, I didn't knock the "polish".  Other side of them said the same too. 

Cleaning the house next door to "the polish" today, a polish head pops over the fence "how much for windows ? "   £7 say I.  (the going rate for the others, and much more than the last cleaner before anyone says that's too low, it is St.Helens, and only small houses) 
" That's fine, can you please do ours" 

He comes back a few minutes later with a £10 note.  I try and give him change from my pocket, and he says "no, take the £10, they are filthy"
Then, while doing the work, he offers me tea or coffee, THEN "would you like a beer then" THEN " do you need water, or toilet ? " 


I'm not racist myself, so wasn't suprised, especially as I've worked with people from all corners of the world and know they aren't much different from anyone else.   BUT, just goes to show how ignorant and wrong some people are.  I'd love to have knocked on the neighbours either side (ohh, and across the road too) and told them that "the polish" are much better customers than them, and my best customers in the road.

the question then arises, why did you not chap that door when you first went round

[mark dew]

I think the moral of this story is that if someone tells you no to bother doing something, wonder why? And do it anyway.  

[peter holley]

I live in s wales where there are very little asians etc...I have one west indian woman that is a pain , but pays £22 a month.... I have an asian doctor (indian I think) excellent payer ... I am ashamed to say that i was a little bit worried about taking him on ...

I also have an egyption custie ,,,, who is excellent, freindly, and pays on time...
I clean our family doctors windows
(sri lancan)....she is tight, but once the price is agreed  , pays on time !!

I clean a care home, my best job, I wont say how much ,but they pay on the day, they are from sri lanca ....I also clean their house windows...£40 and they pay on time.... wots more they treat me like a hman unlike some of the other middle class on my rounds....

[d.ward]

i worked with a guy for a few weeks in rainford - They where mostly doctors and chemists up there and they where great until winter come and they didnt want there window done until summer lol

[Niall McAllister]

funny that no one ever needs to start with " I had this moaning white middle class cust"
It's just " I had this cust"
white, black, and shades between. a problem cust will be a problem where ever they are from

[peter holley]

funny that no one ever needs to start with " I had this moaning white middle class cust"
It's just " I had this cust"
white, black, and shades between. a problem cust will be a problem where ever they are from

so true...I have some right white middle class whingers... they annoy me so much I get my employee to deal with them

[rosskesava]

funny that no one ever needs to start with " I had this moaning white middle class cust"
It's just " I had this cust"
white, black, and shades between. a problem cust will be a problem where ever they are from

I work sometimes in Whitechapel in London's East End. The whole area is a heartland of immigrants and 1st and 2nd generation non indiginous peoples. I also have a flat here. I was bought up in this area also.

Like you, I think that there is absolutely 100% no difference between races and every one pays up and everything is hunky doory.

I won't for one minute dissagree with you.

[leapstallbuildings]

I would have knocked on the polish guy's door in the first place.  I've had good and problem customer's from all over.  Although I've found that people from Asian based cultures are more prone to haggling the price, I don't have to join in with that.  In fact I've had more problem with (a few) posh sounding white customers who think they own my time while I'm there.

[Sean Dyer]

im becoming more racist agenst the upper middle class elderly (white) . these retirees  are often sour .  theyv got the block-paved drive and the silver merc  and the big koi pond ,but you never see em smile . i dropped one last week, for the third month running they said "who are you?" when i arrived .

ive got a few custys who call me by a different name every time i turn up, why would they remember me, im only cleaning windows for them, they prob forget there kids names, so long as they pay up they can call me shirley if it makes em happy



some of the excuses for dropping custys on here, im surprised anyone has any work left

[Gleaming windows]

I had to laugh at Bobby's post about the old git forgetting who he is, but Im sure Shirley is right about the excuses some of us use when we dump some of our mouldy custards.

[Niall McAllister]

as long as they don't suss out how much more an hr I get than them, I don't care if they call me Mary

[Sean Dyer]

I had to laugh at Bobby's post about the old git forgetting who he is, but Im sure Shirley is right about the excuses some of us use when we dump some of our mouldy custards.

it makes you happy then matt