WHEN I WAS A KID and first heard the expression “No good deed goes unpunished”, I didn’t know what to make of it. I could understand bad deeds being punished. But why should anyone suffer for doing good?In my teens I figured it was some type of caustic sarcasm.Unfortunately, life taught me that it is true. It can be applied to me and to others who have been “generous to a fault” and extended kindness, good deeds, things and money to those with sob stories.A letter to the Editor signed by Abigail K. Myers and headlined Be Careful When Lending highlighted the situation of lending money without collateral or interest. She writes (writhes): “They are your friends when they need to borrow money, but when it’s time to repay, you’re the enemy.”I can understand if repayment is a challenge, and the person has to do so in small instalments, or if they have to ask for more time to get the money together. If you are willing to accept they could even offer you jewellery or other valuable items in lieu of cash back.One would expect their attitudes to be apologetic, humble, and pleasant.Not so.When you ask for monies owed – often because you are then balancing on a precipice of near bankruptcy or are cash strapped – those who owe you get blue vex. They puff up themselves, making much of it if they once spent $10 on you, when they owe you $10 000!If they did you a thimble-full of favours and you did them a bucket-full, they moan and groan about how they did this and that for you, and if you remind them of the things you did for them – prepare to get bombarded with emotional blackmail. Comments like “I thought you were my friend . . . I thought you liked/loved me”.When you reply it is a matter of dollars and cents, and nothing to do with liking or loving, you are then their worst enemy.A nasty tactic is to “cash and dash” that is, to stop speaking to the person they owe, and to hide out if possible. Apparently, they wrongly believe that if they don’t see you, meet your eyes when you do cross their paths, or speak to you, then the money they owe you somehow disappears!When you borrow money from a bank or credit union, and get angry with one or more of the staff, you still have to pay the principle and interest. Being vex and pouting does not remove repayment responsibility.If I had a friend or relative who lent me money, or let me live in their property while I could not pay the rent for a period, I would be forever grateful. Certainly, polite, pleasant, and doing them any favours possible, repaying as soon, and as much as I could.So I repeat the advice offered by Myers – get any loans or delays in rental payments in writing as owing to you, with a start and finish date for payments, basic interest if paid in time, and added interest for late payments.• Dawn Morgan is a NATION senior reporter (Advertising) who fortunately does not have enough money to lend to any sobber.
