The Art of Dealing with People Effectively

I was taught that if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all.
HA!

We hired two guys here in La Cruz - gringos. They were supposed to do our boat repairs. They were paid installments to do the repairs. You pay installments and not the whole kit and kaboodle so they don't run off without doing the work, right?
HA!

Nitwit #1 attempted to do the work and showed up every day - good communication. Problem - he is desperate for money and taking on work he doesn't know how to do. And because his debts are chasing him he asked for 100% payment up front. Not being totally trusting, we gave him a percentage... which we will never see again. He was fired and we took our repairs to a local Mexican man, Pedro, who did excellent work. Nitwit #1 told us that the reason his quality of work was so hideous was that he hadn't been paid 100% up front.
HA!

Nitwit #2 is capable. He has experience and needs the work. He began repairs on Hotspur and it looked promising. But,after paying him an installment he ran up to the bar and disappeared... for days. And, a portion of his work began to fail. Nitwit #2 left word with a friend of his yesterday that he is sick. (Who wouldn't be sick if you begin drinking at 8:30 in the morning and don't stop for a few days?) Day 4 and Nitwit #2 showed up after 1pm - looking for his tools which he left aboard. I kept my mouth shut - a difficult job... I even considered putting duct tape over my mouth to insure that demons didn't fly out when I opened it. But that wasn't necessary. Jim got half our money back (because that's all that was left) and Nitwit #2 had his tools returned to him... after he repaired what was failing.
HA!

My camera is broken or I would post photos of these two Dingdongs. Jim won't let me use his camera for a number of reasons - one has something to do with diplomacy. The other has something to do with me having butter fingers and dropping things.

So, if you think this post is in bad taste, you should compare it to the bad taste I have in my mouth. And Nitwits who might be reading this? You won't see one penny in the future - not one red cent - until the work is completed. Done. And to my personal satisfaction. The type of satisfaction that I clap my hands together delightedly... and possible jump up and down a bit. And you need money for parts or materials? Okay - make me a list... a complete list... and I'll go buy the parts and materials.

And maybe I'll compile a list and post it online of all the jippers, rip-offs and cons out there.
I'll call it JIP... Jerks, Imbeciles and Pirates.
Or I could call it RIP... Rascals Inadequately Performing
Or I could call it just plain CONS... Cut Off Non-performing Scumbags

Well, I feel a bit better!
So, I will sign off now.
Time to provision, wait out Hurricane Fabio and head to La Paz.
JIPS, RIPS & CONS - Beware!! Blonde Enraged Woman Avoiding Rascally vErmin