Your opinion requested



  • A coworker has placed himself in an unusual situation, and doesn't believe my critique. I suggested we ask a wider, impartial audience. He has proof-read this for accuracy before I submitted it.

    He has a 17 year old daughter who is putting together a professional dance recital-type show. They have hired dancers, choreographers, dance studios, etc. My friend is footing the bill for the entire show (upwards of $50,000 over a year). One particular singer/songwriter (between ages 25 and 30) is your basic 1960's hippie holdover. He's broke and living out of his car. He doesn't charge to perform, but collects a few bucks from the sales of CD's of his music.

    This singer travels the country, counting on the cd-sales at each show to get enough food and gas to make it to the next show. The singer came from a rich family, but rejected the money, preferring to live the "hippie" lifestyle. He recently hit-the-wall, what with car repairs and no money.

    My friend, at the time knowing this singer for a total of 3 hours, paid for all the car repairs, bought him a winter coat, and gave the guy his sprint wireless card so he'd have internet access, added him to his AAA plan so he could get free service, and gave him his credit card for gas so he could go on his cross-country performances. The singer will (hopefully) return next Feb to work on my friends' daughters' show. My friend just admitted he didn't even write down the number of the credit card he gave the guy and doesn't know what the credit limit is.

    Having just proofread all of the above, my friend is now laughing at himself.

    What do YOU think?

     



  • I think that you should post your friend credit card number here so that we can check that, I promise that we won't tap it out :)

    Also, what drug was the hippie sharing with your friend?, that could come really handy sometimes.

    Other possibilities are blackmail, sexual favours, future in-law, "don't get near my daughter" bribe, etc....



  •  Sometimes people are just nice and go out of their way to help someone random, nothing wrong with that.



  • @locallunatic: This guy is particularly nice and trusting... I hope he doesn't get burned.

     


  • 🚽 Regular

    @locallunatic said:

     Sometimes people are just nice and go out of their way to help someone random, nothing wrong with that.
     

    If it was just paying for the cars and coat, I'd say yeah... he's a really generous guy and has some altruism in him, which is cool and all, but seriously, he gave a total stranger his CREDIT CARD? That's not altruistic, that's just plain dumb.

    What I would do, assuming I've already done these things which I'd have to do while severely intoxicated or through extortion of some kind, is cancel my credit card immediately.



  •  I think that a "basic 1960's hippie holdover" who's "between ages 25 and 30" has figured out the secret of time travel!  I wouldn't sweat the credit card.



  • @snoofle said:

    This guy is particularly nice and trusting... I hope he doesn't get burned.

    There was a quote about lions throwing their cubs in ravines so that they learned about the harshness of life, perhaps it is time.

    The cuddly part of me rejoice at the innocence of this guy and is touched that such people still exist but the other part is thinking "chump" so...

    Regards



  • @RHuckster said:

    @locallunatic said:

     Sometimes people are just nice and go out of their way to help someone random, nothing wrong with that.
     

    If it was just paying for the cars and coat, I'd say yeah... he's a really generous guy and has some altruism in him, which is cool and all, but seriously, he gave a total stranger his CREDIT CARD? That's not altruistic, that's just plain dumb.

     

     @locallunatic said:

    Filed under: nice but stupid, why can't I meet these kinds of suckers

    Missed the Tags did you?



  • @snoofle said:

    A coworker has placed himself in an unusual situation, and doesn't believe my critique. I suggested we ask a wider, impartial audience.

    What did they say?

     



  • If the credit card has a reasonable maximum (i.e. something that your friend can afford to pay off) then I think he should hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.  Not everyone is inherently untrustworthy and not everyone would take advantage of the situation that you outlined, but obviously some people would.

    I have a basic faith in human nature which I retain despite the knocks it sometimes receives.



  •  

    @snoofle said:

    coworker

    @snoofle said:

    My friend

    These are the same person?

    @snoofle said:

    doesn't believe my critique

    @snoofle said:

    my friend is now laughing at himself.

    I see a contradiction here.



  • @snoofle said:

    A coworker has placed himself in an unusual situation, and doesn't believe my critique. I suggested we ask a wider, impartial audience. He has proof-read this for accuracy before I submitted it.

    He has a 17 year old daughter who is putting together a professional dance recital-type show. They have hired dancers, choreographers, dance studios, etc. My friend is footing the bill for the entire show (upwards of $50,000 over a year). One particular singer/songwriter (between ages 25 and 30) is your basic 1960's hippie holdover. He's broke and living out of his car. He doesn't charge to perform, but collects a few bucks from the sales of CD's of his music.

    This singer travels the country, counting on the cd-sales at each show to get enough food and gas to make it to the next show. The singer came from a rich family, but rejected the money, preferring to live the "hippie" lifestyle. He recently hit-the-wall, what with car repairs and no money.

    My friend, at the time knowing this singer for a total of 3 hours, paid for all the car repairs, bought him a winter coat, and gave the guy his sprint wireless card so he'd have internet access, added him to his AAA plan so he could get free service, and gave him his credit card for gas so he could go on his cross-country performances. The singer will (hopefully) return next Feb to work on my friends' daughters' show. My friend just admitted he didn't even write down the number of the credit card he gave the guy and doesn't know what the credit limit is.

    Having just proofread all of the above, my friend is now laughing at himself.

    What do YOU think?

     

     

    So, he handed for all intensive purposes a complete stranger enough money to fix his vehicle, access to the Internet, gave free leeway to travel to God knows where, and on top of all that, a credit card with no recalled maximum, after knowing him three hours, on the predication that he would return in a few months to play some songs for a theatre production?

    Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.  Can I have this guys email, I have a bridge to sell him.



  •  Something doesn't make sense here.  He comes from a family with money but "rejected" it but will gladly take a credit card from someone?  isn't it free money for him either way?  If all he wanted was gas money it would make more sense to ask his family for it.  It sounds more like he was cut-off then he rejected it.  



  • @Master Chief said:

    So, he handed for all intents and purposes a complete stranger enough money to fix his vehicle, access to the Internet, gave free leeway to travel to God knows where, and on top of all that, a credit card with no recalled maximum, after knowing him three hours, on the predication that he would return in a few months to play some songs for a theatre production?

    Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.  Can I have this guys email, I have a bridge to sell him.

    FTFY



  •  The credit card may not be as reckless as it sounds.  When I was in high school, my father gave me a card that looked and worked like a credit card, but was only usable for buying gas at one particular chain of stations.  It's still possible to abuse it, but not through casual use (e.g. "Hey everyone, gas is on me!").



  • @dhromed said:

     

    @snoofle said:

    coworker

    @snoofle said:

    My friend

    These are the same person?

    @snoofle said:

    doesn't believe my critique

    @snoofle said:

    my friend is now laughing at himself.

    I see a contradiction here.

    Yes, it's the same person. Not really a contradiction. When he first told me the story, he swore everything made sense. Then I wrote the post and he read it. He stopped, gagged a little, and said (this is an exact quote) "Wow, when you write it down like that, it seems really stupid; I can't believe I actually did that."

    Addendum: he's not going to stop the credit card; he's decided he's using this as a test of his faith in his fellow man.


  • 🚽 Regular

    @snoofle said:

    Addendum: he's not going to stop the credit card; he's decided he [b]has a gambling problem[/b].
    FTFY



  • I've met three different guys who would take money from just about anybody BUT their own wealthy families. At least, not while they were alive. I never understood any of them.



  • @rudraigh said:

    I've met three different guys who would take money from just about anybody BUT their own wealthy families. At least, not while they were alive. I never understood any of them.

     

    So maybe it's not about money but about trying to prove sth to the family? If you don't understand that, I'm really happy for you.



  • As long as he has the money (is he saving for his daughter's wedding?), then I applaud his kindness. The fact that most people would take advantage didn't stop him from trying to do the right thing. Stay strong brother.



  • @Master Chief said:

    for all intensive purposes

    GAH



  • My father used to get money from his parents when he was studiyng. He always sent the cheque back. Only on Christmas he would take it to buy presents for his parents and sisters. So I can understand that there exist people like that but they tend to be hard to find.



  • @snoofle said:

    What do YOU think?

    I think you should use LINQ to solve the problem.



  • @rudraigh said:

    I've met three different guys who would take money from just about anybody BUT their own wealthy families. At least, not while they were alive. I never understood any of them.

     

    Could be they don't get along with the family, or it could be that they don't want to accept money from people who might feel compelled to give even if they don't really want to.



  • @Cat said:

    @rudraigh said:

    I've met three different guys who would take money from just about anybody BUT their own wealthy families. At least, not while they were alive. I never understood any of them.

     

    Could be they don't get along with the family, or it could be that they don't want to accept money from people who might feel compelled to give even if they don't really want to.

     There's one other scenario - sometimes certain people give, they expect something in return, even when they don't say it. Maybe he knew if he took money from his parents, he'd be indebted to return it somehow - even if its not money.



  • @pitchingchris said:

    he'd be indebted to return it somehow - even if its not money.
     

    With the devil you can at least duel on the violin or chessboard. With parents, that doesn't fly, usually


  • Garbage Person

     Car repairs? Sure. Of course, I'd do them myself (or just buy the prick a well-chosen $500 crapwagon - I'm quite good at finding those now - whichever works out cheaper).

    Winter coat? Sure. $6 at a damned thift store.

    AAA? As long as it's just roadside assistance and not actual insurance, I see no particular reason why not.

    Wireless card? Maaaaaaaaaaaaaybe, if it's unlimited.

    Credit card? FUCK NO WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOUR IDIOT COW-ORKER? A $2000 preloaded gift card [i]AT BEST[/i].

     

    I'm a nice guy. If I have the means, I'll help somebody out. But I'm also not financially suicidal.


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