Matthew surprises Dad

Matthew was very pleased with himself. "Come outside! I have a surprise for you!" I came.

Matthew and his friend Joseph had washed my car! It was a six year old job but it was cleaner than it had been so on the whole definitely a good surprise.

Then Matthew asked, "How much are you going to pay us?"

Hmm, that makes two surprises.

I explained that I'd be happy to hire them next week but I wasn't going to pay for a service I hadn't been consulted on. Not very magnanimous, I guess, but I'm a little leery of setting a bad precedent. Matthew took this news graciously but I think his friend was pissed. (I wonder if it was his idea to ask for a gratuity...)