Image is always key!

So I got a call to go pick up some Ewaste from a family members friend house. I talked to the guy on the phone for twenty minutes about vintage IBM's he wanted to get rid of and some monitors and other junk. The day before I leave, my suspension on the rear of my SUV dies (air suspension). I am forced to drive my wife's car with her and my two year old son. It turned into another episode of your scrapping business comes first before the baby and me. I meet the guy for breakfast where we supposedly were to review what he has and what I will pay. The diner was across the street form a park with huge slides and swings. I was forced to woof down breakfast and get slapped around by my son who was flipping out for slide time.
Nonetheless the guy paid for breakfast for me, wife, son(didn't eat), my mother-in-law and aunt. Crazy right. After all that he and I get to his place and the dozen vintage IBM's turned out to be IBM's from '98. He had a ton of old ram and other things. Turned out I didn't bring enough cash and still needed a way to transport home. Took some pictures and notes and left with wife to things for her all day Saturday. Anytime I was checking websites for business leads I was reminded of how her and the son come first. Finally called him at 9pm and he said for me to stop over early Sunday to negotiate. Great.
My buddy back home said I could borrow his truck and then changed his mind last minute because of a big hauling job. I pick up the phone and call dear old dad. He fronts me the money and the keys to his new SUV. It's a GL550 Mercedes. I'm like "I can't go" and he will back out on the deal for way more money. I get to the guys house and he is like a deer headlights checking out my ride. Every time it give him a price he blows it way out. Large motherboards at $1.50 an he's like how about $3. He wanted $20 each for CRT's and $30 for super old scanners. No thanks.
I rounded up on weight for most of low end stuff but not the CPU chips. He didn't sort anything and wasn't very experienced with scrapping. I showed him a few basic things and bought a dozen towers and everything else except for monitors and scanners. I said I appreciated him buying my family breakfast and putting up my son. He ended up giving me the monitors and scanners. Overall it finally all worked out, but talk about a bumpy road.

My car was totaled, and the rental place gave me A fully loaded Jeep until I get the check from the insurance company. I feel your pain, when I went to one of my regulars to pick up a dozen computers, I felt a need to apologize for it. The wreck and the fact it was a rental came up in our small talk. Luckily in my case, I didn't feel awkward, and I don't think it affected negotiations. He was fine with my first (low) offer.

I will say on the comment of family time vs work - you and your wife have to find the right balance, and support each other. While the bank won't give out free money, you have to remember no one ever says on their deathbed "I wish I would have spent more time getting scrap." I never watched Breaking Bad, but I heard about this scene, and think of it every time I hear "I'm working to support you." Sometimes you say that and are right, sometimes you say that and really mean "I'm working for myself"