"Hi Mrs XXX, I need to speak to you about YY."

"Is this urgent?"

"Yes, it is urgent. I can't continue to give YY tuition anymore."

"Ok."

Hmm... Interesting. Her answer was just a simple OK in an unfriendly tone. Didn't even have the courtesy to pretend and ask me why I'm quitting.

"I've been messaging YY to contact you. I'm sorry that I have to stop."

"I've been very busy. I had also wanted to contact you about this matter."

This matter? So she had already harboured thoughts of letting me go! Why can't she just tell me earlier? I was beginning to feel irritated.

"So what's your address? I'll post you a cheque for the 3.5h tuition you gave."

"It's 4h. Not 3.5h, Mrs XXX."

"No. It's 3.5h. The last lesson was 1.5h. YY told you the last lesson was 1.5h."

"No, the last lesson was 2h. YY told me the next lesson would be 1.5h. We never had the next lesson."

"No, I checked the clock. It was 1.5h."

"No, it's 2h. I came for tuition for 2h."

"No, it's 1.5h. You purposely stretched the lesson to 2h."

At this point, I was exasperated and wanted to give up. It was all going in circles. The mother insisting that it was 1.5h and me insisting it was 2h. After a quick thought, I decided I should not give in. It was my hard-earned money. I earned it the right way and I should not give in to overbearing and rude people like her. Moreover to people who call me a cheat. So I insisted my way.

"No, Mrs XXX. The last lesson was 2h."

"You didn't stay for 2h. You stayed for less than 2h. Maybe about 1h 45 minutes."

Aha! See? Now she admits. I definitely stayed longer than 1.5h.

"No, I stayed for 2h. Do you remember you had to rush YY for lunch? I gave tuition for 2h."

"Ok. I'll pay you for 4h. What's your address?"

"I have to collect the pay from you personally. I have two books still with YY."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. One is a Sloman Economics textbook. Another is a Math 10-year series. You can check with YY."

"Call me again to arrange a time to drop by."

"Can we arrange now? Then I won't have to bother you again."

"No, call me after Christmas to arrange a time. I'm very busy now."

"But it won't take long. Why don't we just fix a time now?"

"I'm very busy and rushing for an appointment now. Call me after Christmas to arrange."

"So I'll call you on 27th? Is that ok?"

"Yah, yah, call me then."

The student and mother from hell.

Minyi wishes them happy holidays. Merry Christmas and a Happy Hot Year.