Emails, emails everywhere

Trevor ended up getting involved with the pool hullabaloo because Bob started to get defensive and a little unnerving. 

If you don't know Trevor, you might not know that despite his goofy outer shell, he's wicked smart. He's a fantastic writer, and he doesn't suffer fools. He asked me to get an invoice from Bob before another cent was paid, and Bob tried to give me the runaround. He seemed not to know what I meant by "invoice" or why I would want one. This is the next text that Bob received:

As you might imagine, after dealing with me and my sweetness, Trevor's text was a bit of a shock. RED FLAG #14: It was also a shock when we received the emailed invoice and saw the "extra's [sic]" that had been added to the original contract. (And when will people learn that apostrophes aren't necessary to make something plural? It shows possession or a contraction, y'all. Really.) Trevor wrote back that we would give the same haste to paying the bill as Region Pool and Spa had given to completing our project. Zing!! All in all, the job that was guaranteed to have us swimming by July 4 wasn't finished until September 26, and even then, some of the contracted work still hadn't been finished. Bob replied that he would put a lien on our home because, according to him, the work was done. Even though I wasn't in charge of the communication anymore, I was reading everything, and my stomach started to churn. The last thing I wanted was to get into a legal battle with anyone, but it looked like that was exactly what was about to happen. 

So began the litany of emails that would fly back and forth between us and Region Pool and Spa. Bob continued to blame everyone and everything but himself, and we continued to tell him to simmer down and quit demanding immediate payment while we were still looking things over. Bob was good at rage emailing and ending every other sentence with a snide "sir," as if the fake respect would get him somewhere. He also reminded us that he was a "small family business who employs people with kids." Eventually, Trevor informed Bob that he was never to set foot on our property again. On October 1, Trevor sent a brilliant email to Region Pool and Spa in an attempt to get 'er done. He pointed out the addition of the "extra's [sic]" that were added after the original contract was sent to us; he also pointed out the fact that no one on either side of the fence had ever signed a contract. Yes, that is correct: we had never actually signed a contract, and neither had Bob. Bob tried to fight us on that point saying that he had a contract signed by my dad, but when pushed to show it to us, he never came up with the document. Let's go ahead and just take a peek at that email, shall we? It's a long one, so grab your glasses and maybe a bowl of popcorn. 

I'm married to the guy, but even my heart started skipping a few scared beats when I read that email. Half of me was nervous because I knew there was no backing down after this; half of me was thrilled and running around the house doing a dance because I knew there was no backing down after this. We ended up offering an amount to settle due to the potential lien on our home and the fact that we had no desire to pay attorney's fees for Region Pool and Spa. Entering a lawsuit would take a lot of time and an emotional toll. However, Bob decided he wasn't going for it. He even sent an email threatening to void the lifetime warranty on the pool shell if we didn't pay up. The very best email regarding the situation was when he called Trevor "Mr. lawyer guy" and threatened to go after my parents and their assets. Out loud, I said, "Ooooooooooooh" when I read that because I knew that it wouldn't sit well with anyone. 

I was right.