Today I received an email from Dave Reynolds of San Francisco, California. Dave writes: "Dear Grandmother Winsome, I recently moved into a much nicer apartment building, one that has a doorman. Wanting to establish a good relationship with the doorman so that he would be more willing to look the other way when certain guests and packages arrive, I decided to give him a fifty-dollar tip for Christmas. Well, the day after the holiday he quit, taking my money though he must have known then that it was his last day. He has an unusual name, which made it easy for me to track him down online. I'm confident I have his correct address. In the spirit of the holiday, I feel that he should still get something, but not fifty dollars. How much should I demand back from this unscrupulous doorman?"
Sweetie, I understand your frustration. But you probably want to let this one go. Even though you've been at the building for only a short time, it's possible he might have some incriminating evidence on you. Doormen have keen eyes, and though they may look the other way when residents receive suspicious packages or questionable guests, it is likely they are taking note. You don't want to risk raising his ire over fifty dollars. In the future, tip the doorman only twenty-five dollars at Christmas, and, if he's still around, another twenty-five in July.
