At what point do you stop playing nice?
I know individuals who always expect the worst out of people. They never trust a stranger and plan for the worst case scenario. I, on the other hand, like to think the best of people. I want to believe that all people will do the right thing when it's asked of them. Yes, I am disappointed and have been told "I told you so" on occasion, but I just can't be (that) negative.
So today is hard for me. A few weeks ago a kid rear-ended us. He was very apologetic and his mother has verbally promised to pay for all repairs. Like most, I'm sure, she would rather not use her insurance in case the rates go up. Which is fine with us- as long as everything gets paid. In a conversation yesterday the mother just wanted to drop the cash money off to us since we told her the price of the estimate.
Yeah-no... not going to happen. (I had the impression that she thought her responsibility would be done after that.)
I'm having her pay the auto body shop. Then I was trying to figure out how to make life work with only 1 car that can't hold our family of 5. It comes down to us needing a rental car. The nice person in me wanted to make it work, but life will not allow it. So, now I had to tell the mother about the rental car fee. On the one hand I don't want to seem greedy- which I'm not. I am just a mother of 3 small kids who has to have a car. On the other hand- this woman's son is the reason I have to be inconvenienced in the first place.
I don't want this to turn into a big negative situation. And maybe it won't, but you never know.
So my stomach is in knots and I'm half expecting a nasty phone call later about me not tell her- I don't know- whatever. {sigh}.