Customer Takes a Tumble

30 November 1999

Had a pretty busy week as per usual! Been flat out with the house for Chris which is actually going really well. It looks so far that I haven't made too many cock-ups when it comes to pricing. Nothing has taken longer than expected and I haven't yet experienced any major hiccups. But time will tell. I still have at least three weeks on this job then I will be moving on to some of his other properties.

I have contacted the local college regarding getting an apprentice and they have put me in touch with some local schemes. So I will be meeting a couple of youngsters next week for a chat. Interestingly, they are sending me an 18 year old girl...I really don't know about that. But I am all for change and we shall see. Who knows she might just win me over. Stranger things have happened.

In the meantime I am still doing the odd quote here and there for people who have been referred to me. Typical of me, I can't turn down work even if I know I don't have the time to do it. Still at least this weeks quote has provided me with a story I will be telling for weeks to come.

I got a call to go round to this lady's house to check the loft to see if I could make some storage units for under the eaves. Pretty simple job. So I went along and climbed up into the loft and she followed me to point out where she wanted the shelving. I climbed down first, but as she was coming down she lost her footing and crashed down the ladder!

At first I thought she was OK, but then I noticed loads of blood coming from her head where she had whacked it on the banister rail. What am I supposed to do? I am alone in the house with an injured woman I don't know and she is looking a bit dazed and confused.

So I rush her into the bathroom and grab a towel for her to hold to her head. Meanwhile she is apologising for being so silly and asking me to just carry on as normal!? I manage to convince her that she had better see a doctor and I call an ambulance – to be on the safe side.

All I could think of is what if she dies of shock or something and I am blamed for pushing her down the stairs. Yes I was over-reacting, but it really did make it hit home how vulnerable I can be when I enter the house of someone I don't know. People have been known to do some very strange things!

So the ambulance came and I made sure she called her daughter and I high footed it out of there with a promise to call and check on her later. The funny thing is that I sent the quote as normal, but haven't heard back yet. I expect that after all that she would rather not be storing stuff in the loft at all. Probably a sensible decision. I could always offer to install some safer stairs...

So it has certainly been a strange week. But I guess no stranger than most for me. Looking forward to having my very own Apprentice show next week. Who will win? Let just hope they have a brain cell between them – that would be a start.