On Sun, 30 Dec 2012 17:26:54 -0600, wrote:

On Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:22:08 -0500, "Kern" wrote:



wrote:
The termite inspector reports a pipe leak under a house.
The owner of the house calls me to check it out.
I crawl under the house for the better part of an hour getting dusty,
dirty and tired.
About 80% of the time I don’t find a leak.
I’m guessing that termite inspectors lie about 80% of the time
but what do you think?
I tell the owner of the house that I couldn’t find a leak.
If my policy is that I don’t charge for estimates,
should I charge the owner for the termite inspectors wild goose chase?
What would you do?

I would've told the HO, you didn't find anything but termites. I'm sure the
inspector inspects for free, and wouldn't mind coming back out to check
again.

In reality, the term used when you request a service, be it check for leaks
or whatever, is called a _service call.


Joe took a sick pet to the veternarian, who did tests and gave the pet
some medications. Later that day the animal died. Why should the vet
bill him?

Just did that. $600.

There was a rattling sound in Joe's car, He took it to a mechanic, who
spent 2 hours checking over the whole car and could not find anything
wrong. Why should he bill Joe?

No, he didn't fix the problem. OTOH, I've paid it. We went two
months chasing a problem were the engine just quit. It *finally*
happened to the mechanic (he drove it for a week) so he could track it
down (and he had to walk home).

Joe went to the doctor and told him that he has not been feeling well.
The doctor did all kinds of exams and tests, and said he is perfectly
healthy, but suggested he eat better. Why should the doctor bill him
when he found nothing wrong?

[You'll love this one]
Joe went to a prostitute, but he could not get an erection. Why should
he have to pay her?

If she was that ugly he shouldn't have offered her the contract.

Joe bought a loaf of bread at the grocer, he forgot to take it in the
house, and it got all moldy sitting in his car trunk for a month. Why
should he have to pay for that bread?