ANGELS IN DISGUISE
Remember I wrote about this friend who was depressed?
She is still depressed, jobless and lurking in her own little world she created for herself. To make the matter worse, her credit cards’ interests are piling up and so do other bills. She owed the credit card companies a whopping RM13,000.
If you ask me, who would, in their right minds, loan her money knowing that your money might not be returned to you should she not recovered from this manic depression?
Most of her friends thought otherwise.
I was touched by the fact that two friends are willing to fork out RM3,000 and RM4,000 each to cover her debts. Another friend is chipping in RM2,000. This is not easy for salary earners to fork out that huge amount of money, considering some of them are getting married end of this year, some of them have other liabilities like mortgage, car loan, old parents, medical bills, etc. There are many more friends coming in to assist.
I am ashamed of my own selfishness. All these friends put her interest and well being on top of their own priorities. Hoping that by settling her debts, she would be able to concentrate on getting herself well, up and running again.
She insisted that she didn’t need our help and struggled to get up her own two feet to fend for herself. But this sickness proved far too strong for her to overcome. She was helpless.
The old Italian saying, “Un amico nel bisogno รจ un amico effettivamente” which translates as, “A friend in need, is a friend indeed” remains true to the very core.
Let’s hope by settling a huge portion of her worries, she would be on the road to speedy recovery.
She is still depressed, jobless and lurking in her own little world she created for herself. To make the matter worse, her credit cards’ interests are piling up and so do other bills. She owed the credit card companies a whopping RM13,000.
If you ask me, who would, in their right minds, loan her money knowing that your money might not be returned to you should she not recovered from this manic depression?
Most of her friends thought otherwise.
I was touched by the fact that two friends are willing to fork out RM3,000 and RM4,000 each to cover her debts. Another friend is chipping in RM2,000. This is not easy for salary earners to fork out that huge amount of money, considering some of them are getting married end of this year, some of them have other liabilities like mortgage, car loan, old parents, medical bills, etc. There are many more friends coming in to assist.
I am ashamed of my own selfishness. All these friends put her interest and well being on top of their own priorities. Hoping that by settling her debts, she would be able to concentrate on getting herself well, up and running again.
She insisted that she didn’t need our help and struggled to get up her own two feet to fend for herself. But this sickness proved far too strong for her to overcome. She was helpless.
The old Italian saying, “Un amico nel bisogno รจ un amico effettivamente” which translates as, “A friend in need, is a friend indeed” remains true to the very core.
Let’s hope by settling a huge portion of her worries, she would be on the road to speedy recovery.
Comments
yuin | 07.21.05 – 12:56 am | #
Do not worry about your selfishness. Being a friend does not mean you must lent monetary support. Like Yuin said said, support can come in whichever forms.
Jon | Homepage | 07.21.05 – 5:08 am | #
Hi Gina. I had a friend like that. We were friends for ages, over a decade, when she went through a really bad patch. I loaned her money repeatedly over that down period. I even paid for some of her bills and I paid for all bills when we were out. I thought I was being a good and reliable friend. But she never made any effort to repay me and when I asked her about it (after seeing her in a new dress), she turned around and said that I have no proof that I loaned her the money. I felt so stupid and used. All that years of friendship.. down the drain over money.. I should have bought myself a brand new car instead.. cos that was how much she took from me..
And the amazing bit.. there was not one bit of gratitude from her..
It is true that money can show the true character in a person.. but it sure was a very expensive lesson for me..
Clover | 07.21.05 – 11:15 am | #
I consciously try not to turn out negative from this experience and to learn from it but one thing I know for sure is.. never loan any money that you cannot afford to give away..
Good luck to you and your friends..
Clover | 07.21.05 – 12:52 pm | #
I saw a modern variation of the idiom on a bumper sticker this morning:
“A friend with weed, is a friend indeed.”
Jason Tan | 07.21.05 – 4:44 pm | #
hey clover are u boy or girl?
ryuu | Homepage | 07.21.05 – 6:39 pm | #
Clover: I am glad you survive this and take it as a bitter medicine instead of a phobia to help friends in need. I guess there were a few of you who would go to this extent for a friend. Heck.. I would even give my kidney if a friend is in need of a kidney! Like what you said, you escaped hurt but unharm. What don’t kill you only makes you stronger. Thank you for your wishes. I wish you well too.
Jason Tan: I would like to know the owner of the bumper sticker.
Ryuu: Apa ni?? Hehe.
Gina | Homepage | 07.22.05 – 1:07 am | #
ryuu | Homepage | 07.22.05 – 2:06 am | #
sorry gina, i didn’t mean that you were selfish by not borrowing her money. its just that she’ll get used to the idea that there will always be friends to pay her debts and just end up like that for the rest of her life. sorry if i meant it the wrong way.
yuin | 07.22.05 – 8:30 pm | #
Hi Gina..
Is it too late for me to answer Ryuu’s question here?
Err.. I dont mean to be sarcastic at all but isnt Clover a female’s name.. So you could say that I was the female version of “suey yee”.. also known as “waterfish” or sucker..
Clover | 07.22.05 – 11:23 pm | #
Ryuu: Why ah? I still don’t get it.
Yuin: Aiyah. Why say sorry?? Yes, I know what you mean. Of coz we can’t be paying her debts on her behalf all the time. This is a one-off thingy. After settling debts, we would cut off all her credit cards, and then help her to get over her depression. I know you meant well. No worries, dear.
Clover: No “suey yee”, clover.. You are just too compassionate. It is alright to feel compelled to help someone that much. You had done nothing wrong. Too bad she didn’t appreciate it. It is good you have moved on. Just take it you had done a good deed, and you would be rewarded handsomely one day.