Neighbor Asked My Son to Wash His Car for a Month, Then Refused to Pay – I Taught Him a Lesson of My Own
When my 14-year-old son, Jake, was asked by our neighbor, Mr. Thompson, to wash his car every weekend for a month, he was thrilled. It was his first “job,” and he was excited to earn some extra money for a new bike he’d been eyeing. They agreed on $20 per wash—$80 for the month. Jake took the job seriously, spending hours making sure the car sparkled.
But when the month ended, and Jake politely asked for his payment, Mr. Thompson brushed him off. “I’ll get you next week,” he said. Weeks passed, and the excuses kept piling up. Finally, Mr. Thompson told Jake, “You’re just a kid. It wasn’t a real job.”
Jake came home deflated, and seeing his disappointment lit a fire in me. I decided it was time for a lesson—not just for Mr. Thompson, but for Jake too.
The next weekend, I borrowed Jake’s determination. I grabbed a bucket, sponge, and hose, and walked straight over to Mr. Thompson’s driveway. But instead of washing his car, I started splashing muddy water on it. When Mr. Thompson stormed out, demanding to know what I was doing, I calmly replied, “Since you didn’t think my son’s hard work was worth paying for, I figured I’d give you a job that wasn’t worth paying for.”
He was furious, but the message landed. The next day, he showed up at our door with $80 in hand, muttering an apology.
I handed the money to Jake and said, “Always stand up for your work—and never let anyone take advantage of you.”
Jake learned more than just how to wash a car that month. He learned the value of fairness—and that his parents always have his back.
