Deceitful Exchange

It was a pleasant fall day outside. The perfect place to take my 20 min break from work. Ted also came out to take his break at the picnic tables..

"Could I get .60 cents from ya for a pop,“ he asks.

“Yea sure,” I said. “I have no problem with that.” Of course I said that because I had no idea that a week later he would prey upon my graces
...
And at about that time, which was the following Sunday, I was enjoying my afternoon at the county fair. It’s something I look forward to doing every year. I normally go for the food and for an occasional game of skill. Well mostly luck. At least from my point of view. Half of the games aren’t even worth spending your money on. Neither is giving money out to Ted as I was soon to find out.

While walking around trying to find this one game, I ran into Ted. Or you could say he ran into me. “Hey! How’s it going man. What are you doing out here?”

“I’m trying find this one game. I have you seen the game booth with the pool table,” I asked. “I win just about every time I play this game.” Of course all I had to do was sink 4 balls in numerical order. Pretty easy for me considering I can run a game of 9-ball.

“No man,” he said. “I can’t really say I have.” He then asked me if he could borrow $5.00. And in good grace I gave it to him. However, considering the past stories he had told me about building a time machine…. yea you heard me correctly, I figured it was a financial loss.

“Now you make sure you pay me back this Friday,” I said.

“I will man,” he said trying hard to be innocent and soft spoken.

With that being said, we parted our ways. I went and got myself some fries and ended up spending a good several minutes sitting down, taking in the smell of food, and trying to figure out his next move and how I was going to counter it.

I figured that during the next week I would continue to give him a ride home from work, but I would deny him any more money until he had paid me back the $5.00 he owed me. If after a week he had not paid me back, I would simply deny him a ride home. I figured that cold and rainy weather would force the exchange since I already knew that everybody thought he was a sponge. He was bound to come back crying to me for a ride home.

I was right. He didn’t pay me back. Oh but he asked a few times. Can I have .60 cents or can I get a ride home. I just told him that he still owed me the $5.00 and I would not grant him any privileges until he came through.

“Well, you got to understand, I have a daughter to support,” he said. Now I knew that was about as true as the damn time machine story he had fabricated. However I went along with it.

“Then you should not have asked me for the $5.00 with the promise of promptly paying me back if you are so indeed strapped for money. If you had not made that promise, then I probably would have given you the five dollars anyways.”

You might think that I was being rather unreasonable. But to me it’s not about the money, it’s a matter of principle. “You need to pay me back,“ I said. He just looked as guilty as the cat that swallowed the canary after I told him that. So it no surprise that he was offering me beef jerky a few minutes later.

God damnit, I thought. “What I really want is that $5.00,” I said. “Two rights don’t cancel a wrong.”

He just told me that he would pay me the following Friday. However, I knew that he wasn’t going to pay me.

Sure enough several weeks went by and still no pay. Honestly I was content at this point. I didn’t even care about whether or not he had any intention of paying me. I had accepted the loss. Going against principle, I decided to start giving him rides home agian because the weather had got'n really cold outside. I didn’t really want him to brave the elements and come down with something. Now you would think he would be gracious for a warm ride home. No strings attached right? Ha!

Once again I was on a 20 min break from work. Ted had also come out at this time.

“Are you doing anything tomorrow night,“ he asks. .

“No,” I said. “Other then going home like I always do.”

Well, Do you want to go to Wal-Mart with me so I can cash my check? I can then go ahead and give you the $5.00.”

At this point, I was really getting pissed. What nerve does he have to ask me if I wanted to drive him to Wal-Mart in order to get my money? That clear across the fucking town, I thought.

“No,” I snapped. I’m not paying for your trip so that you can milk from me three out of the five dollars that you owe me! Now you have two choices. You can either pay me now, or you can use that $5.00 dollars to help buy yourself a ski mask, gloves, and a heavy coat, so you can walk home! I'm sick of your shit man!"

I could tell he was pissed that I caught on to him. So he just stomped off back into the factory. I guess he choose to find someone else to sponge off of. I’m not as stupid as he thought I was. His deceptive exchanges with me were over.

There are just some people who don’t get it. I guess the moral of the story is don’t loan money and your time to people who tell wild stories.