Unfiltered Story #272045

Before the story you’ll need some backstory about me. At this point in time, I was around 20-21. I had already been working as an arborist full time for 4 years at this point, so most people assumed I was in my mid to late twenties, because of the work I’m fairly lean from the amount of exercise everyday and always reek of two stroke gas. I wasn’t an employee of this company, I just sub-contracted to them when they got into trees that their guys couldn’t do.

I showed up on this particular work site, I had been informed by the companies boss that it was going to be an American Elm in the backyard, nothing major just climb up and remove the deadwood, and structurally prune this tree. Then the ground person (basically the workhorse of the group) would use an auger to drill some holes in the ground for some fertilizer. I’m just packing up my ropes and harness as I’m approached by the customer (late 50’s-early 60’s), whom I’ve never talked to.

*Customer* “Wow you sure are good at your job!”
*Me* “Thank you ma’am, that’s why I’m here today”
*C*”What’s the fella over there doing with the drill?”
*M* “He’s drilling a few holes around the drip line of your tree, I will go grab some slow release fertilizer from my truck and put some in each hole to ensure the health of this particular tree for the future”

I run back to my truck carrying all my gear and grab the fertilizer, it’s the dead of winter it’s around -18°c but because of the 2 hours in this tree I’m sweating and need to get some layers off. I’m just heading back to the tree when I see the customers left coffee out for us (if you are hiring an arborist please do this). I go and pour a cup while I wait for the ground person to finish his augering job. Sitting at the front door I can hear the customer inside on the phone..

*C* “…They are going to fertilize this tree Josephine, but what I really want is that lead man to fertilize me. I’m going to try to get him inside the house, so he can ravage me…”

Realizing what I’ve heard and being disgusted, I go to the backyard and drop the fertilizer off for the lad back there. I tell him what I heard, and say “I’m leaving now, I’ll send you guys an invoice. Don’t ever call me back to this site ever again.”

Years later I still get calls from this lady every year to come back. I still haven’t returned any of them. It still shakes me up everytime