Stall Tactics

Last Sunday I was working out logistics on delivering a chippy painted bench to one of my customers who lives right near the shop when who should pull into the parking lot but Claudia. Talk about impeccable timing, she offered to deliver the bench and drove off, with an added bonus offer for a tour of the woman's house (this lady has the coolest stuff). I went back into the shop and minutes later the phone rang. "It's Claudia. My van stalled, I'm around the corner right across from Never Open Antiques." Oh, I replied, did you run in and ask Mack for help? "No, but I'm pretty sure he saw me..." and just when I'm wondering how could he MISS a bright red and orange former rescue vehicle she added "he waved and then turned around and went into his shop." WHAT! Fast forward twenty minutes or so and Claudia pulled back into the parking lot coincidentally at the same time as MACK. I was busy hammering a backboard onto a hutch so I let them chat about the weather for a bit until I could no longer resist. "Um, Mack... did you not see Claudia's van stalled in front of your shop a few minutes ago?" and you know what he said? "No, I DID. I waved. It seemed like she had everything under control," all the while wearing this huge ear to ear grin. Claudia and I looked at each other and just shook our heads. You know that old saying 'Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer'? Let's just say we are REALLY CLOSE to Mack.