What would you do?

[MilitantB0B]

I figured I would bounce this off the comunity and see what you guys would do in this situation:

I have this freind, a very, Very, VERY irresponsible friend. He recently got a loan from a rather militant fellow to the sum of 45 dollars (which may not seem like a lot to you, but he doesn't/hasn't work so he is litterally broke). Several weeks later the debt is stil unpayed, and the angry little loan shark of a man is up in arms. I tried to calm the loan shark, but all I did was get him angry at me. Bassically my friend needs money and he is asking me. He already owes me about 60 bucks, and that is just the stuff I can recall off the top of my head.

So, the question I pose to you is, whould you let him get his face busted up and his stuff taken from him, or would you pay the debt, knowing you will never see that money again?


PS: all this stuff is on a high school level, in case you where wondering. Honestly, I just assume let my friend dangle for this, but be there when the shark takes the 45 out on his face, cause I just don't like the shark and wouldn't mind a few justified blows in defence of a freind. Thats probably not the smartest move though, cause the last thing I need right now is a dedicated enemy...

[Dharkbayne]

If the loan shark is smaller than you, beat his ass. Bigger, give your friend the money. But warn him you're only doing this once, if he needs money again, he'll have to pay you back for this, no exceptions. At all.

[Pilgrim]

Let him get his ass kicked.

He'll probably hate you in the short term, but maybe he'll learn something about being responsible (shit another word I can't spell!)

Of course, if you're really smart you'll wait till he's a bit weak from the first ass whippin and then give him one yourself for the 60 bucks. This tards a leach, and all he'll ever be is a leach unless he takes some hard knocks now and learns that it's not the way to be.

Just my 2 cents

[MilitantB0B]

If the loan shark is smaller than you, beat his ass. Bigger, give your friend the money. But warn him you're only doing this once, if he needs money again, he'll have to pay you back for this, no exceptions. At all.
I could soundly thrash him, but he isn't the sort to be triffled with. Like I said he is Militant (a man after my own heart in alot of ways, which is kinda why I dislike him) and will find the most creative ways to get even, then I'll have to get even, and back in forth we go till one of us ends up drugged and dropped across the border or something. Besides, I can't protect my freind at all times.

The problem is that if I give him the momey, he will just get into this kinda situation again. Part of my wants to settle it for him, and part of me wants him to get his butt kicked so maybe he will be more responsible next time...

[Rayder]

Beat both of them, and then give the shark the money, then smack your friend around again, and tell him this is the last time... and then beat him again for good measure.

[Acaila]

If you classify him as a friend, lone him the money.

[OneManArmy]

kick him in the nuts. him being either the loan shark or your friend. your choice really. or hell kick them both in the nuts, take your 60 bucks go down to mexico for body shots off hookers.

[ZeusCali]

get a video camera and record the guy that owes you 60 $ getting his ass kicked for the 45$ then sell the taps and make 100 :-D that way you win he gets a lesson(times 10 as you show everyone him getting his ass kicked)
then if you feel like being nice when you get 200$ out of it you can say nah its okay you dont owe me any money then he'll shut up and go leach another person. :thumbsup:

[UncleDynamite]

I would give him the money, but I wouldn't blame you if you let him get beaten up. Your friend should have known about the dangers of loan sharks.

[jedi]

Pay off the debt to the loan shark.

[Macster]

yeah...i would definetly say...pay the money for him (if you have it and it's not a big deal)and let him know that u r doing this ONCE and that's it, next time he's on his own.

[ViperGTS]

Hmmmmm.....pay the lone shark. Wait theres more. Make your friend your personal bitch untill he pays back the money. Bitch slap him offten, make him your slave, kick him in the nuts some times. You know....what ever comes with being a bitch.

[Mango]

I would pay the loan shark, but make it clear to your friend that he owes you one. And if he doesn't do anything for you at all, I would seriously consider finding a new friend.

[Liquidtide]

Nah, this is High School. Before this guy becomes a drain on society he needs to learn not to borrow if he can't come clean. You said he borrowed 45 bucks a few weeks ago... he hasn't come on 45 bucks since? Very irresponsible and he deserves what's comming to him. Once your're out of HS you can't be kicking peoples butt for not paying back so hopefully this will teach him a lesson now...

Then you tell him, see what happened to you last week (when he get's his jaw beat in) tell him you'll do the same if you don't see half your money in a week.

[Madcow]

Give your friend the cash, if you can. Yes, I said give. If he's truly a friend, if he truly is in need and if you can afford it then it's the right thing to do. If he's in such dire straights as you describe, the last thing he needs is another burden right now. If he has personal pride, he will not accept the cash as a gift and will demand to repay it anyhow. If he accepts the cash and gets himself in the same predicament again, then you try to decide if you are truly helping or just enabling.

It's only money.

[SilverLord]

Lend him the money but make him get a job and make him work to pay you the money back and gain some god damn responsibility.

[Madcow]

Lend him the money but make him get a job and make him work to pay you the money back and gain some god damn responsibility.


It's his friend, not his kid.

[SilverLord]

But you have to get him to be responsible, it's for his own good.

He can't go out of high school expecting friend loans.

[Madcow]

But you have to get him to be responsible, it's for his own good.

He can't go out of high school expecting friend loans.

You have to get him to be responsible? He's a friend, it's not your job to make him anything. It's your job to be a friend, nothing more. The idea that his friends are responsible for raising him is absurd.

Give him the money. If it doesn't come back, you aren't disappointed. If it does come back, you're pleasantly surprised. More importantly, you're a true friend. It's only freaking money.

[Everay]

well, my brother is the same way, he gets too many expenses, so he cant pay back his loans to people like me, or my mother, he owes me not only 30 bucks, but a computer monitor of mine he sold without me giving the okay, or without me knowing, or getting any money from it. he knows no resposibility, and we give him too many chances, and when we do say no, he acts as if he has never done wrong, and when we do, he acts as if were saints, and then in the end he treats us like shit. let that "freind" of your learn resonsibilty, noone ever wants the phrase "with freinds like these who needs enemies" be true for them.

[EarlyDawn]

Give him the money. If he pays you back eventually, you've hopefully taught him a lesson about borrowing money. If he dosen't, you've made a wise investment on seeing who's a real friend.

[BIGTROJANMAN]

let your friend get his ass beat for about 2 min. then tell the loan shark to stop pay him, then talk to your friend about his problem then when your friend thinks its cool kick his ass or do it the other way around kick his ass then tell him about the problem hes got an not to do it again because you wont be there for him next time.

[Infernus]

... I would let him get his ass beat... it ur money and u have goood uses for it...

[Red October]

Tough call. I guess it really depends on the situation. If he's just in a slump, such as inbetween jobs or just go laid off and is having trouble finding work, I'd say pay off the sharkie and giver your "friend" some verbal abuse. Let him know that your upset and that he owes you big time. If he's your friend, he'll make it up somehow someway. If he isn't, then he won't and just walk away.

But if he's consistently into this kind of trouble, let him get beat. Especially since your only at the High School level. Otherwise, he'll always think that someone will always come to his rescue. Furthermore, he'll treat you like a leech for as long as you are "friends". High school friends can dissappear over time, but if he see's you as some kind of cash cow...he won't ever dissappear. Best he learns his lesson now, rather than later where it could be much worse. Example, my mother-in-law! My wife (before we met) would come home with her paycheck and my mother-in-law would take it. Claiming need for bills and such, which is understandable, they were poor and I've been at that point too. But when I met my wife and started getting serious, her mom tried to end the relationship (probally fearing the loss of income). Later I learned that my wife wasn't just her only source of income. She was getting alimony from her seperated husband, relatives, etc. She was getting quite a bit. When she asked for money from me and my parents, we gave. But, that didn't stop there, she kept asking. Of course we said no (didn't have much ourselves) but I found out from other relatives that she just keeps asking and the amounts keep getting bigger. She can never hold a job for long (I wonder if its on purpose) with her violent temper. She is so used to hand-outs, that...well...I think you get the picture. Every letter we get from her is about how she's about to lose the apartment, car, etc. Yet she manages to keep going. Her husband (my father in law) didn't want to seperate, she more or less (along with a sister she should have never listened to) pushed/forced him out. When she really is down and out, she's going to have to learn to swallow her pride (which will be a first, cuz its everyone else's fault in her eyes) and learn to live with her husband (who is willing to take her back). Ok , I rambled on enough.

[Madcow]

let your friend get his ass beat for about 2 min. then tell the loan shark to stop pay him, then talk to your friend about his problem then when your friend thinks its cool kick his ass or do it the other way around kick his ass then tell him about the problem hes got an not to do it again because you wont be there for him next time.

People have very different definitions of 'friend' than I have. To be perfectly honest, I'm pretty happy to not be friends with a number of you.

[Triggar]

Where are the debtor's parents, just out of curiosity?

I know if it was between me borrowing from Peter to pay Paul (as the saying goes) and getting my ass kicked, my mom would probably slide a few $10's my way in exchange for me being an angel (and being her slave) for that many weeks.

[BIGTROJANMAN]

People have very different definitions of 'friend' than I have. To be perfectly honest, I'm pretty happy to not be friends with a number of you.


Well I see what you mean,but some times friends have to learn a lesson. even if it means they have consequences. thats just my opinion its not like hes going to do what any of us says he wil know what to do when the time comes.

[Kikinchikin]

dont pay the money. It's important for him to learn his lesson now (in a setting where the worst that will happen is he gets punched a few times) rather than get into serious trouble later in life with someone willing to really harm him.

[EarlyDawn]

dont pay the money. It's important for him to learn his lesson now (in a setting where the worst that will happen is he gets punched a few times) rather than get into serious trouble later in life with someone willing to really harm him.I maintain my position, but this is a good point.

[Madcow]

Well I see what you mean,but some times friends have to learn a lesson. even if it means they have consequences. thats just my opinion its not like hes going to do what any of us says he wil know what to do when the time comes.

My point is that as a friend, teaching them a 'lesson' isn't your job. At all. Even a little bit. You're either there as a friend, or you're not. If you can't swing the $45, decision made and cheapo is on his own. If you can swing the $45 then your choice is whether or not the guy is truly a friend. If you're worried he's taking advantage of you, he's not a friend. If you're not worried he's taking advantage of you, you've answered your own question.

Give him the money.

[EarlyDawn]

I disagree. You're telling him "I'm not gonna do this again, I'm not your moneylender". Hopefully, in the process he understands that it's a bad idea to borrow what he can't pay back.

[MilitantB0B]

I think what I didn't make clear is the fact that he is a leach when it comes to money and stuff, but he is still a good freind. Hes had my back on many occasions. The only reason I am even considering not paying him is that he is starting to make a habit of borrowing money from folks (including the loan shark mentioned)

But anyways, heres how I handled it:
I payed the shark his moeny directly, not going to trust my friend at this point with my money. I told the shark that if he ever loaned my friend money again, me and him would have trouble. Then I went to my friend and told him that he was off the hook. He said he would pay me back, but I'm not holding my breath.

[BIGTROJANMAN]

see if you give him the money. He might think he could do it again and you will be there to pay for him again if he ever does it again. just do what u think is right give him the money if u want but whos to say he wount do it again.

[BIGTROJANMAN]

ok good, but if he does it again from some one else dont pay for him.