No Good Deed Goes Unexploited

I’m on vacation with a group of friends. We stop for breakfast before heading out for the day. While we’re on our way out the door, a man approaches us.

Man: “Excuse me, ladies. I’m sorry to bother you. I ordered more than I can afford. Can any of you help me out?”

He shows me an order slip with several sandwiches, soups, and frozen drinks.

Friend #1: *Immediately suspicious* “How much did you order?”

Man: “Uh, I got, like, $6 in stuff.”

Me: “All this is $6?”

Friend #1: “Why did you order it if you can’t afford it?”

Man: “I forgot my wallet. Can you help?”

Me: “I’ll pay if it’s only $6.”

My friends look at me like I’m crazy.

Man: “Oh, great. Thank you!”

Our group goes to the register again, the girls not willing to let me go alone with him. The cashier scans the order.

Cashier: “Okay. $23.”

Me: “He’s covering the rest.”

I hand her $6 in cash.

Man: “Wait, you said you would pay—”

Me: “$6.”

Friend #1: “You said it was $6. The rest is up to you.”

Man: “Well, maybe you can all pitch in and—”

Friend #2: “F*** no. Just because she was nice enough to help you, it doesn’t mean the rest of us are.”

Man: “But I—”

Me: “You can pick what you want and I’ll pay for what you quoted me. Everything else is up to you.”

Man: “Ugh. You can’t do a good deed?”

Me: “I was going to. Now you’re on your own.” *To the cashier* “I’d like my cash back, please.”

Cashier: “Okay.”

She hands it back without another word.

Cashier: “Sir, how would you like to pay?”

My group walked out. We could hear the man behind us, asking someone else to pay for his food using the exact same line. I felt a little bad for saying no but I wasn’t going to pay for nearly four times the amount he had asked for. We went back a few days later and the same man was there. He almost approached us again but thought better of it.