How could I believe such a person?
Never see him before. Of course never heard of him or his company too.
Don't want to mention his race, to avoid any racial discrimination accuse, but I had never seen such a person in this race. Really out of my expectation!
He called and asked me to do up some illustrations for him last Monday, saying that he will need it the next day. I asked for a 50% deposit, as confirmation of order. Asked him to transfer over to my account before I start work. That's the usual process. He said he won't have time to do it, unless I popped by his office to get the cheque from him. He said it was not a big amount. He can pay me when he collects on Tuesday. Don't know why I trusted his words. I started work. Sent him some previews and he did reply for the first email with some modifications needed. Then he disappeared, without replying my email. The handphone number he gave me was not in service. Gave me another handphone number which was not his. Called his office and can't get hold of him. Finally got hold of him, and he said proceed to render the final illustrations. When they were done, I notified him and he said he will pick them up from my gallery last Friday. Gave me the time some more. Then didn't turned up. Called him on Saturday. He told me he will pick up on Sunday, if not, will be Monday. Called him this Monday. He said he will pick up in the afternoon. Gave me the time that he will be picking up. Then he didn't turn up. No call from him. Then Tuesday and Wednesday - same case.
This morning, I called him at his office line before going to work. I proposed to him it's better I send to his office. He told me not. He will be going out, but will be coming at 2pm since he will be coming to Chinatown area.
I gave him the last chance. And how stupid of me.
I told him if he can't make it. He promised, and expected- he went back on his words. No call at all. This guy really sucks. I can't imagine working with such a person who never keep his promise. How can he work with others? How could I believe such person again and again? I emailed him twice with invoice attached. No reply from him. That busy? I don't know. But at least a short reply will really be appreciated, right? How can such a person exist in this world? Maybe my world is just too small......
I called up his office a few times. A girl picked up the phone, told me he was not in. I asked for his handphone number. She told me she had just lost all her contact number list. Huh??!!! Really funny. This kind of excuses. You mean they don't have the boss handphone number?!!!
This afternoon, after work, after sending in the final artworks to BCA, I decided to go up to his office to take a look. I was prepared to leave the illustrations there, together with the invoice, even if he was not in. Then I will write him formal letter, asking for payment. If he doesn't pay up, I will have to go to Small Claims Tribunal Court to file a claim. No U-turn!!!
I reached there, and only to find out that the address given by him was a registered address for his business. But that guy who talked to me was really polite, and said that xxxxx (sorry, my version) told him someone will be coming up to pick up a cheque. Huh??!! Did I wrong him? Anyway, I don't care. At least now I got a cheque, without his company name on it. I will bank in tomorrow. Hopefully, no problem with it. Anyway, got the cheque at least a proof of the job agreed.
I would say, I won't want to work with such person again. Even if he wanted me to do it for him again, I will need full payment before I start work. No 50% initial deposit for such person anymore. No more chance for him. He was blacklisted. Of course, he didn't know that I am that angry with him, till he read this post. Hahaha.....
The job I have done for him was saved as draft in this blog since it was done. I don't want to let him download the large version without paying for it. (Of course now you can see it, given that I had got the cheque. Scroll through this blog and you can easily guessed which job it was.)
However, as the days went by, I was getting more worried that he will not want them, as he did mention before that these were for pitching jobs. What if he used my previews I have sent him to pitch for jobs, and he didn't get it. He may end up not wanting to pay for them.
Maybe I was thinking too much.
In conclusion, the main reason I was so fed up with him was he kept giving me empty promises, and I was that stupid to trust him again and again. Of course the money he owed me for the job was important too, but not the main reason.
Phew!!! Felt better at this point. Bothering me these 2 weeks.