Do you have a dump sticker on your truck?

My most recent deal, scheduled to close this morning had some hurdles to overcome during its journey to consummation. There were the ordinary ones, and others I am not at liberty to discuss. The final hurdle was soliciting a signature from the neighbor to make the century long shared driveway agreement a legal one rather than an assumed one. One would think a neighbor might appreciate this happening at no expense to them so in the event they would choose to sell the home, it would be taken care of. One might (especially me) not expect that the neighbor would have such an ill opinion of me, that they were unwilling to discuss it. As a Realtor I am fortunate to hold one of the three least trusted professions. Car salesmen and lawyers. are they good company to keep?
Regardless, he was not going to deal with me because of what he had heard of my dealings. Fortunately I have not sold so many houses that I have lost track of people that may or may not think I am a schmuck. In fact, I can still count them one one hand. Not one of them was a client, but people who felt they, as innocent parties to a transaction, tenants, or buyers with other agents, that felt my duties to my client infringed on them.
So how does this get back to the dump and my truck? I am always trying to do more than the next guy, be better, faster, smarter. Today before the 11 am closing, I will play garbage man so that a seller can walk away knowing he left the home in as good a condition as he could and a buyer can cross the threshold of their new home and feel that much better about it. Short of wishing I had not worn a bright white shirt to make a run to the dump in, I do it gladly. I also imagine that it is something not all agents do, and something though a small gesture, in concert with all of the other things I do for my clients makes me better and their experience better in the end.