They could be on the lam

Just about 2 months ago, another business similar to ours moved in next door. They literally appeared overnight, with very little baggage, and opened for business immediately. We were impressed with their speed and efficiency.

Within a month, their reception started filling up with people who just seemed to be sitting around and waiting for long periods of time. I couldn't help noticing because they have a floor-to-ceiling glass panel separating their office from the common corridor. Very patient clients, it seemed, that they had.

Until one of them came charging through our door the other day with criminal allegations against their firm. I guess you could read the situation in a few ways:

(1) if this carries on, that firm might, unwittingly, become a very good source of client referrals for us;

(2) I hope they pick their victims carefully, since at some point, someone will be sending a hit-man; and

(3) I hope, at that point, the directions given to the hit-man would be sufficiently clear so that he turns left, not right, after entering the common corridor.

Yesterday, they were closed for business and the entire office was empty and dark as the Landlord had taken it upon himself to administer some self-help remedies under the terms of their lease agreement. I looked at the padlocks and chains on the door (2 sets! 2 different sets!) and the pile of uncollected mail on the other side of the door and immediately felt better about my practice.

Today they are open again - I guess the rent got paid - and we are bracing ourselves for the onslaught of another bunch of their angry clients. In the meantime, we have taken a leaf from the book of the Amish, and have shunned them, which is probably the best that we can do under these circumstances. If they have stolen money from a client and cannot pay it back, then God only knows what will happen next.