I once had a very good customer, a physician. I would call him to pay me and he said come by and tell his receptionist and she would. After the first time I knew the drill. She would take a cigar box from under the counter and pay me.
Once I went and she hauled out the cigar box and it was empty. She just shrugged and said “sorry, Some one else beat you to it...... maybe Thursday”
HA! Did you get paid?
I remember my boss taking money out of his wallet for payments.