a good investment

[cellio]

There's a saying to the effect that if you lend someone $20 and you never see him again, it was probably a good investment.

There's this guy who comes around a couple times a year with a kid in tow and some sort of fund-raising project for said kid's school, and Dani gives him money. (One can raise questions about whether that's really where the money goes, of course.)

Recently he came by (not on schedule, and sans kid) with a story about how a family member had just died and he needs to raise money for a bus ticket and if he could just borrow $30, he'll repay it when he gets back in a few days, etc. That scam is as old as the hills, but Dani and I looked at each other and shrugged, and he gave the guy $30. After he left, we simultaneously said it was probably a good investment.

And it seems we were right; it's been two weeks and he hasn't been back to repay the "loan". But that's ok, because he can't reasonably show his face looking for money for the school any more.

Comments

[moose]

Once upon a time on Craig street someone came up to me asking for money. He was fairly reasonably dressed (by which I mean, neat and clean) and gave me this 5 minute convoluted but almost intriguing tale about how he wasn't really begging for money but his car had broken down and blah blah blah.... I wish I remembered more of the tale - 'cause I said, "Here's $5. That was worth it just for the tale!"