Merry Christmas : Is anyone listening?
Why doesn’t anyone listen anymore ?
Imagine a large stone floor in a kitchen. I ask the fitter to run a datum round the 40m2-plus room as the floor will need to be level for the units going on top.
The next time I visit there’s no datum and half the floor is already laid. OK, so it’s within tolerence. But that’s not the point.
On a different project I want a grout sample on a small piece of stone for the client to approve. The fitter grouts the whole floor. “I thought it looked good, so I just kept going.”
Yes we needed it grouted but we wanted a sample.
The daily conversations on site between the stone contractor (SC) and the builder (B) go like this:
B: When are you templating the vanity?
SC: Later today.
B: Great.
24 hours later. Same room, same people.
B: When are you fitting the vanity?
SC: We have to template it first.
B: But you said you were doing that yesterday.
SC: I know, but we ran out of time.
B: So when are you templating it?
SC: Today.
B: Are you sure?
SC: Yes. After tea.
Another 24 hours pass. Same room, same protagonists.
B: Did you complete the templating?
SC: No, the plumber was working on the bath.
B: But the plumber was only in the room because you didn’t template when you said you would.
SC: Well, we couldn’t get near the bath yesterday.
B: This is ridiculous. I want this bath templated today. There are no plumbers in here today – only you and the stone fitters. I need you to template the bath please.
SC: OK. We’ll template the bath… providing we have the resources.
B: What?
SC: Well, we couldn’t get on the job yesterday because of the plumbers, so the templator has gone on to another job.
B: !*!*!*??!!????!!!!******!
It’s like Christmas presents. I’m asked: “What would you like?”
“CD, please.” I enthusiastically give the name of the album and the artist.
I know CDs are old fashioned, but ever since my iTunes account was barred by apple because someone used the account illegally I sort of fell off the on-line wagon, so to speak. I mean: Shouldn’t they be pursuing the thief rather than punishing the victim?
They didn’t listen, either.
Anyway, Christmas comes along and I receive a shirt. I’m not ungrateful, I need shirts. But I wanted a CD.
Does anyone do what they say they’re going to do any more? Does anyone actually listen? Or is it me?
A joke – in case you don’t get one you like in your cracker:
A rabbit goes into a butchers.
Rabbit: Got any carrots?
Butcher: We don’t sell carrots.
Next day the rabbit is back in the butchers shop.
Rabbit: Got any carrots?
Butcher: I told you yesterday, we don’t sell carrots. We’re a butchers. If you come in here again asking for carrots I’m going to nail you to the wall by your ears. Now get out.
Next day in the butchers, the rabbit hops in.
Rabbit: Hi. Have you got any nails?
Butcher: We don’t sell nails.
Rabbit: Got any carrots, then?
The rabbit listened good.
Merry Christmas.