Tia Juana will cheerfully provide advice for anyone that asks. Just mail your questions to “Ask Tia Juana” at PO Box 8, Van Horn, Texas 79855. All questions will remain anonymous unless there is a chance for extortion. Disclaimer: Tia Juana is not a licensed counselor or therapist and none of the advice should be considered professional.
Dear Tia,
I am a single mother who depends on handymen/contractors when anything goes wrong at my house, which is pretty often, since it is an old house. If they do answer their phone, which many times they don’t, they always set a time to meet that they don’t keep. I have to take off work to meet them or make arrangements with a family member or friend to meet them and in many cases, the worker does not show up. It happens over and over. I would love to chew them out when they finally show up, but I don’t want to anger them because I need them desperately. So what’s the answer to these men who don’t ever show up when they say they are, and sometimes don’t show up at all. It’s not like I am asking them to work for free.
Waiting and waiting
Dear Waiting,
There is a type of person who doesn’t put a value on anyone’s time except their own. They are always late, even after agreeing on a time. Most of the time when they finally show up, late, they offer no explanation nor do they apologize for their tardiness. Since they figure you need them more than they need you, they assume they have the upper hand. Unfortunately, living in a small town does not help matters. You could give them a piece of your mind after they have fixed your problem, but the next time you need them, they may not show up at all. In this case, reverse psychology is in order. Men respond better when their egos are stroked and they are told how smart and wonderful they are. So, as much as you would like to take a pipe wrench to their knees, suppress the desire and play the helpless female even if you’re secretly choking.
