Banks and major corporations are pigs. Financial ones. Anything for a dollar. Squeeze every penny out of a deal.

A perfect example is what is going on in the Keys involving Waste Management. Monroe County entered into a 10 year $75 million contract with Waste Management last year. No bids were entertained. Waste Management got the deal outright because there were those who thought it had done a good job in prior years.

A problem has arisen. Waste Management says Monroe County owes $110,000, in addition to monies already paid. Waste Management claims the contract is supposed to be for $87.15 a ton. The county says only $85.50 a ton.

Both sides seem to agree there is a clerical error in the contract. Waste Management said it missed the error when it signed the contract.

The whole thing is confusing.

My point a simple one. Waste Management should eat the $110,000. Waste Management was the beneficiary of a no bid $75 million 10 year contract. How much better could God have been? The $110,000 is a drop in the bucket in comparison to everything else involved.

If Waste Management refuses to do the right thing, Monroe County should sue to have the entire contract voided on the basis of mutual mistake of fact or whatever is appropriate under Florida law. Monroe County should also announce that the new contract will be a bid one. See how fast Waste Management toes the line.

Lunch yesterday was at the Pier House’s Beach Bar.

Sitting next to me was a couple I had briefly met the night before at the Chart Room. At the Chart Room, the wife indicated yesterday would be her 50th birthday.

When I sat at the Beach Bar, I wished her a Happy Birthday. She told me how 50 did not bother her, that 30 did. Forty was a walk through.

Two people in their early 20s walked up. She jumped, hugged them, and cried. They were her children. Surprise! Her husband had them fly down for Mom’s birthday. They had just arrived.

A nice birthday gift, a nice Mothers Day surprise.

Happy Mothers Day, one and all! My mother has been gone roughly 25 years. I miss her every day. A painting of my mother hangs over the desk I work at. The first thing I sat down this morning, I wished her a Happy Mothers Day! With a tear in my eye.

Jenna and I were supposed to have dinner together last night. She had to back out at the last minute. All was not lost, however. Dee called me about 15 minutes later and said lets have dinner together tonight.

We met at Geiger Key. Mosquitoes and all! We sprayed everything, hair included. The last time I eat at Geiger Key after dark.

Dee had bad cancer and went through two years of hell. Operations, chemo, etc. Now on the mend. Last night was the third time I had seen her in three years. All in the past six months. The previous two, she looked terrible. Ripped my heart out to see her appearance and suffering.

Last night, a change! She looked fantastic! I was taken by her return to beauty. I kept telling her all night. God bless her!  May she stay that way!

Before I run, let me tell you the story of Bimla Nayyar.

Bimla was an 81 year old woman living in Belleville, Ohio. In 2012, she went into the Dearborn Hospital for what is referred to as a simple jaw realignment. Something, someone screwed up. Brain surgery was performed instead.

Five holes were drilled into her head, the right side of her skull was sawed out and replaced. Bimla died 60 days later.

There was a lawsuit. The hospital admitted there were errors, but denied any wrongdoing.

The verdict was $21 million.

There are occasions where a malpractice suit is valid. This is one of them. In my career, I was involved in a wrong leg being amputated and in another case the wrong eye removed. The cancerous eye left in.

The $21 million will not stand on appeal. An appellate court will significantly reduce the amount. The law does not place as much value on human life as Bimla’s jury did.

Enjoy your Sunday!