what's your opinion of this situation?

AlanB · Jun 30, 2008

Heck, Rollingsfarms, I got $200................

The guy is not your freind.

There is a group of us that I call friends here that loan stuff around in circles. I know the "dont loan stuff" crew is here, but for us, it lets us use tools, and have stuff available, that you would not normally need.

How often do you need a hardwood floor stapeler, or a concrete mixer etc. etc.?

Freinds, are the guys that call you at 5 in the morning Monday, where everything went to crap on what you were working at Sunday and tell you they took the day off from work to come help you sort it around and get it going in the right direction.

Good luck, but that guy would be an "aquaintance" of mine, because he sure would not be what I call a freind. My freinds would be embarresed and would have brought the $200 or the gun back that night and apologized that they had not handled it sooner.

MikeD74T · Jun 30, 2008

Rollingsfarms, In reading this thread an odd thought struck me, I'm in the same situation with my best friend but from the opposite direction. We borrow each other's stuff when one has something the other doesn't. He just comes & gets what he needs & I do the same. Often I have his stuff longer than he has mine because if I'm at his house he'll remind me to take my stuff home & if I do the same he'll say just to keep it & he'll get it when there's a need. I suppose he's taking advantage of my storage space which is ironic because he owns 6 self storage buildings. I'd never give up the friendship for even a few thousand dollars much less a couple of hundred, but I don't share that level of friendship with anyone else. Despite your friends financial situation he seems to need constant confirmation of your friendship ( or maybe he's just a mooch). It seems to me that you're both more comfortable with your situation than you might admit.

MikeD74T

WTA · Jun 30, 2008

I used to be like this with one of my neighbors. We just went and got each others stuff without asking and took it back usually when we were done. He started getting weird on me this year though. It's costing everyone more to run a small farm these days then it used to and everyone is feeling the pinch but to me that's no excuse to start charging a good neighbor money to use your stuff. That's what he did. He wanted to charge me to use his baler and swather.

I went out and bought my own instead. Now he wants to "borrow" mine because mine is better. MUCH better. I haven't made up my mind yet on it but I'm leaning towards charging him too. I also don't want my equipment hooked up to any other tractor. I don't want the hydraulic fluid in my new tractor contaminated by a 40 year old unfiltered JD's system. I'll have to charge extra for the use of my tractor too I guess.

I just never dreamed of asking a neighbor for money before this year. Where I'm from we just helped out because it was the neighborly thing to do.

Charlesaf3 · Jun 30, 2008

Yeah, Rollingfarms, I think you're wrong.

Not about the gun or the money, but about calling that guy a friend. He's a user. And you know it of course, but you really shouldn't loan him anything. You sound like a really good guy who has bent over backwards and is getting abused.

I'd happily loan just about anything to a friend. And borrow anything. But it would have to be a real friend...

Podunkadunk · Jun 30, 2008

Tell him about TBN. Let him read this thread. End of story.

I'm glad I don't have any friends like yours.

Podunk

RobJ · Jun 30, 2008

Nah you did ok, we all have good things and bad things with some of our friends. Maybe this friend is better at other things??

.243 for $200? I'll take it for $225!! Rem 700?

RollingsFarms · Jun 30, 2008

RobJ said:
Nah you did ok, we all have good things and bad things with some of our friends. Maybe this friend is better at other things??

.243 for $200? I'll take it for $225!! Rem 700?

it's a Savage youth model .243. bolt action, no scope, just eye sights and has a sling. gun is about 15 years old or so.

RobJ · Jun 30, 2008

RollingsFarms said:
it's a Savage youth model .243. bolt action, no scope, just eye sights and has a sling. gun is about 15 years old or so.

Around here you can't even GIVE those away!!

.. kidding

RollingsFarms · Jun 30, 2008

RobJ said:
Around here you can't even GIVE those away!! .. kidding

that's why when the guy said $200 and he wanted it, i was more then happy to offer it to him!

Alden Plowen · Jun 30, 2008

Well now, it appears that you have become the latest victim of a rip-off artist with less honor than a common thief.

Look at it this way. A thief breaks into your house and steals your $200 rifle. He is in effect saying, "I stole your rifle and I am going to keep it or sell it. You ain't ever going to see it again. Sorry, it's just business."

The result is that you have lost your $200 rifle.

On the other hand, your rip-off artist "friend" borrows your rifle and says that he will pay you $200 for it, but has no intention of ever paying you.

The result is that you have lost your $200 rifle.

I would suggest that the common thief is the more honorable. He only stole your rifle. Your "friend" has in effect not only stolen your rifle, but has caused you aggravation and and has hurt you as a fellow human being by stringing you along saying that he will pay you with no intention of doing so.

So, what to do? It depends. Is he a nutcase? Do you want to play hardball with this guy or would you rather use less drastic measures to talk him into paying you as he should? How much energy do you want to put into getting paid?

Let us know how much the $200 means to you, and I and others may have some solutions for you. We will have a little fun on the way through and everybody will be happy. This fellow needs a lesson in honorable behavior.

Have a good day.

Alden