A Rubber Cheque

I knew this builder's family well. I went to school with his older brother, his sister was best friends with one of my sisters, and I knew his dad who was a well known painter in town. I had no hesitation when he asked me to paint this new house that was under construction. This new subdivision was just getting underway and I was anxious to to be able to say that I was doing work in this up and coming area of town. I met Gus here for the first time, the fellow I blogged about a while back. You know, the fellow who was cremated and then got up our nostrils. Gus was bragging about his workmanship and made sure to show me his portfolio before he packed up his tools to leave me to the painting. As he was leaving, I called him back to take a look at the 20 ft. long spindle rail that he had just completed. There was one spindle up-side-down. He thought I was joking until I literally grabbed him by the arm and would not let him leave until he fixed it. He was immensely embarrassed, but we became friends after that and ended up having a long history together.
Anyway, getting back to this house, it was a big job for one guy (in those days I worked alone) and when I was finally done, the builder, who I absolutely trusted, wrote me a cheque for the total amount of my contract and I went to the bank, anxious to pay some bills. The cheque bounced! It was not the first time it had happened to me, but it was the biggest. I phoned him that night and he seemed surprised, but in a way, not surprised enough. He apologised and promised me another cheque in three days. I was nervous, but still wanted to trust him because he came from a good family and he seemed like a great guy, honest and hard working.
I did get the second cheque a few days later and with great trepidation, went to the bank with it and much to my relief, the funds were there this time to cover it.
He never got me to paint another house for him. It could be that he was ashamed of what had happened. But it did relieve me of the decision I would have had to make had he asked me to work for him again. People can lose my trust rather quickly.