More money, more problems?

The median income of the town where we worked (and often work) this past Monday is $250,000 a year. The approximate value of the property where we worked is 6 million dollars. The woman of the house, with all at her disposal felt the need to 'rant'--her word, not mine--about those whom she hires for various and sundry around her property. We were not spared her ire, unfortunately. 

We were gutter cleaning on one side of the house when I heard her yelling. She'd pause, slam something, and then yell some more. At one point I needed to go to the work vehicle for something passed by her standing on the front porch, cell phone in hand, speaking loudly, I think, to no one in particular. I can't recall the words she used, but felt that her outburst somehow included our job as well. I asked 'Is this about us?' She then said with a sweeping flourish of her arm, 'It's about the whole game. And I'm SICK OF IT.' 

I returned to what I was doing, but made sure to tell my workmates what was going on.

The client is upset about something. And I think we're included. I just want to let you know she's not in a good way and to be prepared. 

Greg, whose client this was, said: What? We haven't done anything wrong. 

I know, but I just wanted to give you a head's up in case she comes round the corner and starts yelling. 

Unfortunately, she did come round to our side of the property to yell. She seemed to be deeply mistrustful of those who worked on her property. She said she felt the house, too, had let her down (thus needing workmen and the like to be at the house more than she would like). Even though she'd already told us at the start of the job not to bother with the gutters on the guest house, she reiterated loudly that we were not to 'touch the guest house' and that she wanted our work vehicle to move from the driveway as she felt 'penned in'. My other workmate and I said we would move the van 'right now' trying to keep a lid on the pot that was clearly already boiling over, but then came Greg's response and it was out of left field. He said to the client, and I kid you not, 'What's your problem?'

He kind of kept repeating that question and I don't recall her response. We kept telling him to 'leave it' and I think at one point I just blurted out 'Greg, shut up!' -not my finest moment, but it was clear to me that the client was not doing well and to provoke her further would be a mistake. 

At this point, I wanted to throw in the towel and leave, but we wound up staying and finishing the job. It was also fairly hot out, so instead of forgoing a break, so we could split sooner, we sat in the shade on one corner of the driveway and ate lunch just past midday. The client came out as we were eating to 'rant' some more, but the upset was directed at the bin men who had apparently not picked up the recycling that morning. It still made for an uncomfortable break, but at least she wasn't yelling about something we'd done. 

At the end of the work day, the client paid Greg even leaving a small gratuity. I sort of don't get the gratuity bit, but maybe it's about her trying to normalize what happened or pretend that it did not. Of course, I have no idea of knowing what was really going on for the client to make her behave appallingly toward us, but found it illuminating to be reminded that regardless of one's tax bracket, shit can still be super fucked up. And you can put that on a t-shirt!

Not the actual house, but you get the point, eh?