Spending A Dime To Save A Nickel

It all started with a hair-brained idea to hire a new repairman because the old repairman (who was very good) was very expensive. Four hours and $200 later, the gas fireplace was no closer to being fixed. And, then he knocked over my tenant's beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Perhaps it's the gravitational pull. Because, when days start spiraling downward, bad stuff accelerates rather quickly. Right then, my tenant walked in with her two little kids. They took one look at that mess and started to cry. Me, too.