I operate a very small business and have worked for this hearing aid clinic for about 3 yrs mowing, trimming, weed control, brush, leaves, yard cleanup, etc with no concerns, problems, nor refusal of payment. In fact, "terms" have always been on stated trust, previous work, confidence, good faith, handshake/"small town" relationship, etc. "They" (clinic) hired me to mow their property and things went so well that I became "our yard guy". They hired me to do odd stuff around the property, never once asking me for a bid or estimate for anything. They asked me to do undertake a large landscaping project. No request for bids, estimate, etc. I told them I couldn't "guestimate" what would be involved in this massive undertaking, but the owner said, predictably, "We trust you Andrew." From March of 2021 until Dec. of 2021, I worked at their site a little at a time and began transforming the property. I communicated with them the entire time on what needed to be done to accomplish what "their" desire was for the landscaping. After the supplies were purchased, and I carried the $ burden, then I told them I would bill them for the supplies only and when I finished the labor part of the work, I would bill them for that. They paid for things I had specifically billed them until the final bill in late Dec./early Jan. of '22. "They" called me in to the clinic to discuss with the owner the bill. Everything changed about what I knew of him. The labor of my landscaping work came up to be about $4200. He was angry, refused to pay that amount, raising his voice, made up stuff about "should have billed me monthly!" "I thought I was paying for it each time I wrote out a check these past few months!" "I'm not paying you $$$! I could have put up new siding for that amount!" etc etc etc. He yelled at me to get off their property, threated to call 911 if I didn't leave immediately, etc. I was fine. I wasn't angry. I was dismayed and bewildered. I have written him two letters and one email requesting final payment since that last "meeting" at his office. At that meeting, he told me he would only give me $600 for the labor and pays me in $100 increments per month. I had enjoyed working for him and I've been so conscientious about being fair, I even passed on to him the cost of supplies at cost. I finished in appx. Dec. so I have 6 mo's to file a lien. Is this my best case scenario to get my money back? I am also 52 and my mowing business is extra $$$ for my livelihood, so what he owes me has been a financial burden for me to absorb. I am not licensed as a small business owner, but I am insured and hand out business cards with my business name and contact info. I've thought about small claims court, in MO that can get up to $5000 but with an attorney I believe you can get up to $10000. I don't have a lot of money to get an attorney. Also, I did not bill him any interest, I did not mark-up or have a profit margin for supplies, I carried that debt for several months until I was done purchasing. There was no agreement outside my past work history with him...1. He tells me the need 2. He asks if I can do it 3. I tell him what I can or cannot do 4. I do the work and turn in the bill 5. He mails me a check. All work has been under a $1000 in the past. This job took me several months to finish (not a rush job/no timetable/no deadline/no expectations/no terms) and I did a little at a time and when it was done, he and his wife praised me for the way it looked and how much work I put into it. He was adament and determined to put me in my place and spell out terms that were never previously mentioned or discussed, and he told me after my last "meeting" at his office, "I'm done with you! I'm done with you! You are now tresspassing! Leave now or I am calling the police!" I have the receipts, although he has paid me for the supplies, and I kept a calendar of when I worked and also a record of the days I worked on my phone. He's turned into a bully and an angry/hostile person. What I was going to do within the next few days is to send a demand letter. Please tell me, what would be in my best interests right now to get the labor money he owes me and which I billed him as historically I've always done?