Huff and Puff for Tips

Today I am having a pool table moved. Now this is not cheap to do, $245 plus tax. If you have never had a slate pool table moved, let me explain the process.

The pool table consists of 3 pieces of slate, so the bumpers and the felt must be removed to get to the slate. The legs are removed from the frame. Then the whole thing must be reassembled and leveled. Knowing how much work is involved, I always tip for projects like this.

HOWEVER, today these people are annoying me. First thing, one of the movers says is, "We have to go down stairs? I don't wanna do it." ( I have had this pool table moved 3 times never heard such a thing) The next thing said, by the same one of the two is "You may want to consider replacing the rubber." hmmm...never heard that one before either. So I ask, "What is the rubber?" He nicely explains it is inside the leather bumpers and can affect your game. So I ask how much is it to replace the bumpers, "another $300" is the response. I politely tell him, no thank you. He kinda huffs at this. I begin to wonder if he was trying to do an "add on" because of the flight of stairs.

Well, 30 minutes later, the two men (one of which is politely silent) begin to move the pieces of slate. At the bottom of the stairs, where I am sitting nearby, the talkative one, begins the huffing and puffing in a very dramatic fashion. He continues this display for about 2 minutes. I ignore him.

Second piece of slate, same dramatic huffs and puffs. Third piece of slate, he is frustrated I have not commented on how difficult a job this must be, so decides to make sure he lets me know. The mouthy mover says the following "Our tip is usually $25 a piece, but this is a nice table." Hmmm...is he threatening me with injury to the table if I don't respond with an increased tip amount?

I say to mouthy mover "For such a young man and someone that does this for a living, you sure are out of shape." The polite, quiet mover now laughs.

Well, when we get to the table's new home base. There is a problem, doorway is small and there is an immediate turn when entering that room that does require some pretty fancy maneuvering, they have to dissemble more of the table, this is gonna cost extra.

Mouthy mover no longer has any comments or any huffs and puffs. Wanna know why? Because now he is actually working and doesn't have the time to perform his dramatic huffs and puffs.

Is it wrong to tip each mover a different amount? Yeah, probably. So I write the check, include a tip, and say ever so sweetly " I could have done without all the huffing and puffing".

As the two movers leave, huffer puffer mouthy mover, turns to me and gives one last huff and puff. We both smile.