The Gardner and the Leaves

A few days ago I get a warning in the mail from the city about the pile of leaves that my gardner dumped on the street. Included in this warning was a pic of my house with the pile of leaves on the road. It mentions that the private contractor is supposed to bag the leaves, not just plough them on the street. Okay, makes sense. So yesterday I see my gardner after he has blown all the leaves off my lawn and again, he has left little banks of leaves in the street.I ask him whether he intends to bag the leaves, explain why and show him the warning. He tells me that it's okay and kind of mumbles on with a yeah-yeah-type of attitude. He asks me if I have clear plastic leaf bags, which I don't (he just finished bagging leaves on the house he was working on). Later in the afternoon I see that he has left and not disposed of the leaves. While driving through the neighborhood, I see him working on another lawn. I stop my car and tell him that he hasn't cleaned up the leaves. Here's how he answers me: It's ok, everybody does it. (Not true, I reply. Just saw a gardner shoveling leaves into his pick up yesterday). Then he tells me again, it's okay, nothing will happen. (Then why did I get a warning?) You're not doing your job, if you just leave the leaves in the street, I tell him. It's your responsibility to comply with city laws. It must be a new law, he replies...more bullshit. When I insist he must clear those leaves off the street, he tells it takes too long and besides, I owe him money from an increase he put into his rates 8 months ago....but errr...had never told me about. Great to time to ask a client for a rate increase, like what a complete jerk. I've actually wanted to fire him for years, never could stand the guy and his sub-par services. Anyhow, the job still needed to be done, the jerk wasn't going to do it and I did not want to get a hefty $250 fine. The upshot to all this was that I rolled up my sleeves and shoveled those leaves and disposed of them properly like the jerk should have done in the first place. I snapped a few pics of it, in case I get fined and have to contest it in court. Still, what an aggravation, cannot get over the turkey's response. Talk about customer service, the guy has been my gardner for more than 15 years now. Can't wait to fire his ass...