“Our solicitors are clear: you have no recourse in law to this spurious demand. We expect a full retraction and confirmation of such by return.”

Collecting cash / commercial credit control can become tribal.

“Forget the signed contract – we are ripping it up – law doesn’t apply to us – we are too important.”

And the legal process is time-consuming and costly and always an uncertain outcome.  And even if we win – there is the time, cost and more uncertainty of actually collecting the sum not yet paid.

On this occasion I was on my own.  Usually I would discuss our company’s response with my manager and MD.  But they were away.  And all my other colleagues were either “front office” sales, or “back office” admin.  All would venture an opinion.  None would be helpful.  I was stuck.

“What would manager / MD say … ?” 

Have you ever done that?  A person you know, a real living person, a real living person absent at a crucial moment.  Just like a real imaginary friend but real: “What would they say?”

And I had had enough (real) conversations to know what would be said: “Bullshit!” And (more importantly) … “Here is the why … So tell them we are coming for them and for them to pay that invoice now.”

And they did.

– – – – – – – – –

My God Soft Hands Jesus, GSHJ, has been likened to an imaginary friend.  And grown-ups shouldn’t have imaginary friends.  Particularly not ones that “indwell”.   Certainly not ones that are living in the present.

Imaginary friends are for children – like Father Christmas and the tooth fairy.  They are childish, silly and “plain wrong!”  And (depending upon your belief system) “toxic to real relationships” that deserve better than an “outside agency” judging all the time.

– – – – – – – – –

Is that really “unbelief” compared to my “belief” … ?

– – – – – – – – –

Please put your hands together for your friend and mine …  Conscience – we are all happy with that.   Morals – we seem happy with them too. Ethics – we should all behave ethically (whatever that means).

But GSHJ … an “imaginary friend” … I really should grow-up and put-down such things.

“When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – he said to the paralytic – “I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”” Mark 2:1-12

I have conversations like this all the time.

Look at them behaving badly!  Why do you see them “behaving badly”?  Because that is just not right!  And what is not “right”?  Because they should know better!  And what is “better”?  Alright … I am in a bad mood today and anyone would tick me off … “better” is not getting in my face today – and they should know that!  Happy now?  Only if you are.

Whether I call it “conscience, morals or ethics” – or even GSHJ … why does that make one “okay” and one “not”?

And if it does …

Why?

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