Another $10 story

After the incident in the grocery store, I was reminded of the last time I encountered someone quibbling over $10.

I used to live in Chicago, and I owned a tiny loft condo in a reviving neighborhood. I lived there for 4 years and then moved to my current locale. I sold the condo to this absolutely vile girl. She came in to make an offer with all kinds of demands, which I politely declined. By the end of negotiations, I was completely p.o.'d, but fortunately, so was she.

Fast forward to closing...I had paid for the termite inspection, based on the estimate that she had given. The inspection was $10 less than her estimate, but the information had come to the closing agent too late to put it in to my check. So the closing agent told her that she owed me $10 and asked whether she had brought her checkbook. She started protesting that she hadn't brought her checkbook and she didn't have the cash, and it was only $10 anyway, so I should just let it go. I replied, "If it's only $10 to me, then it's only $10 to you, and I'm not letting it go."

I don't know why this girl caused such instant enmity in me, but boy, did I hate her. Oh yes, I remember, she was in commercial real estate, and had spoken to her residential real estate coworkers to get advice. So she spent our negotiating time name-dropping (all the so-influential real estate agents - woo hoo) and telling me what was customary for the seller to provide. I don't mind a know-it-all (heck, I am one frequently), but all her self-serving pronouncements were incorrect. All I know is, I got my $10.