Can you bill me?

Vets hear this every day: Can I pay you next week when I get paid/my inheritance will arrive/my settlement comes in/when I can cash a savings bond?

The answer is, unfortunately, no.

But I promise to pay/always pay my bills/I'm one of your best customers (let the record show that usually the person has been in once or twice in the last 5 years for 'just the rabies shot').

If a vet had a nickel for every time he heard this, he could retire and live in the lap of luxury in the South Pacific.

Blame the hundreds of people before you that have used that line and failed to follow through. Every vet has wanted to be the good guy and has gotten burned in the process. Yes, you may be the exception. But the vet can pull out the drawerful of empty promises that precedes yours.

Think about it. What if you went to your job, put in a full day's work, and at the end of the day, your boss said, hey, can I pay you next week? Would you say yes? Would you keep working week after week if your paychecks didn't materialize? I didn't think so.

Promises to pay don't put food on the table for my family. I work a long day and deserve my paycheck as much as you do. Every penny I don't collect comes directly out of my pocket. Think about it.