As a lifelong charitable contributor to the wealthy high class in America, I'm always glad to pitch in and help whenever I can. I love being asked to pose in celebrity like photo shoots with them over their continued success in whatever ventures they take on in life. Whether it's being the CEO of a successful design firm with clients like DreamForce or Pillsbury Winthrop LLP my former employer, or becoming a new attorney in California, I'm always happy to be at their disposal with a pittance thrown my way.
It's Sunday morning in San Francisco and just got back from notarizing and taking an attorney's oath (that officially makes them attorneys by law) at the very busy festive crowded lobby of the Fairmont Hotel. It was a one document signing full of celebrative photos of Sarah F. Hicks, the CEO of Comma Design. and her entire excited family with assumptions I would approve of being in photos of the signing as well as in special poses in front of the Christmas trees with her for others to take shots of.
On Friday I had quoted Sarah over the phone just $10 giving her a break thinking it would be a very quick notarization just a couple blocks from my home. When people don't want my mobile services I figure it's because they can't afford the $40 minimum fee so on the weekends I give them the second option to meet me near where I live. What I had really offered Sarah was based on my charitable spirit of helping out someone to avoid extra mobile based fees.
After the ceremonial signing and photo shoot Sarah asked me how much it would be. Knowing contract law, I had to tell her exactly what I quoted her on the phone due to the oral agreement that was $10. By law notaries can only charge $10 per signature but mobile notaries charge for additional fees that's perfectly legal. In this case, I could have charged a special fees related to special requests and it being a Sunday. (My photo at left - a charitable contributor of Sarah F. Hinks, CEO)
After this lady handed me a $10 I was still under the impression she was perhaps a new law student who didn't yet have a job but after I got home looked up her name to see who it was who put me through all that pomp and circumstance on a Sunday morning.
Let me guess, on top of that little insult of being handed $10 for special requests, I bet I won't get any good Yelp review either. Only one person in five long years of riding an electric bicycle in cold windy weather in San Francisco gave me a nice lengthy review after I made extraordinary efforts for them. The other three reviews were all repeat clients who I had to ask. Even then words like "punctual" were used which I've always thought of as a key word for mediocrity. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think I'm great or anything and am very grateful to have my own business but when I arrive within 15 minutes in cold 45 degree weather one morning on a bicycle so your executive can catch a flight out of San Francisco and you don't give a Yelp review, I get the message.
When Sarah handed me a $10 bill today what it represented was class oppression that made me feel very small. In other words, in spite of the pleasantries, it was just another spiritual attack from Satan, one of many that have been accelerating lately. I didn't take any pride in a photo shoot with Sarah of course, I don't like my photograph taken. I didn't even take an opportunity I was offered back in 2004 to be in a photograph with Yanni the musician for his new book signing at a local book store. I don't like my photo taken period and have no regrets.
In retrospect that little event today meant nothing at all to God and wasn't even worth $10. Anyone who would hand a $10 bill to someone after all that is pitiful. What an ego! The money I received will be provided to Dr. Charles Stanley's In Touch Ministries as part of my tithe to Jesus Christ this month.
Oh and it's quite a shame another woman called me this morning who wanted me to notarize two documents at The Fairmont too that she made an appointment and just called as I wrote this to say "we found a notary on the Peninsula and need to cancel". What nice considerate people these people are for the holidays. I set aside my time and they cancel within one hour of the appointment on their whim. That money would have gone to Charles Stanley's ministries as well.
Cheers to all! Hope you enjoy your Christmas festivities. Keep cancelling appointments, referring institutionalized rapists to call and threaten lawsuits and include me in photo shoots over the success of others while throwing $10 around on a Sunday. I assure that God's watching over how all of you extremely wealthy well to do folks here in San Francisco treat his child as well as how I respond with prayer, patience and forgiveness.
See also
About Sarah Hicks, CEO Comma Design