It's not very often I agree with my boss, or ANYTHING he's got to say, but I was recently privy to a quote of his that even I, at my rebellious, bloody minded worst, had to agree with. It goes something like this: "Property is easy, it's the people that are difficult". No bloody shit Sherlock. This quote took on particular significance today when I was dealing with two of life's more difficult characters - an aging landlord who, aside from taking himself off to the other side of the world for a few weeks, has forgotten what he agreed to last week and a tenant with a cheeky offer, the attention span of a gnat and an allergy to anything remotely resembling compromise or negotiation. On their own they are a force to be reckoned with, but going head to head and trying to reach an agreement, they are practically petrol and matches. Christ chaps it was always going to be a challenge. We have another night to sleep on things and one more transatlantic telephone call to sort it out or all bets are off.
So. As we speak I'm guzzling ginger petrol (straight Stones Green Ginger Wine - 18% alcohol so guaranteed to rub the harder edges off any nasty day providing you drink enough of it...) and have decided if they haven't moved an inch either side by tomorrow that I'll be suggesting pistols at dawn and the winner can damn well do as he pleases and the loser, should he live, will do as he's damn well told. The more I think about it, the more I like it, and I can't for the life of me understand why they made this form of disputes resolution illegal, bring it back I say - a much more sensible referendum than the anti smacking thingamee...by the way, if you want to view the stunning image of "pistols at dawn" by Eugenio Recuenco on a larger scale, click on it to enlarge it - it's one of nicer things to come out of today :-)
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