I'm Back! You Miss Me? I Missed You!
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
August 8, 2010 4:42pm CST
How this week has flown by staying at my Mum's. Despite the bad weather we did get out and about, walking to places or on the bus.
One incident that will live in the memory for a long time, however, is my Dad's "friend" Greenwood giving us a lift to Lytham (usually a £2.20 bus ride for me or nothing for the over 60s) and charging Mum £10 for the privilege.
I mean, friendship is dead isn't it? On the outside world at least.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
9 Aug 10
My point is; if my Dad was still driving and gave his friend a lift..he wouldn't charge him. That's what friends are for.
He does take my Dad shopping for nothing but I bet he is seething inside about it. The way he gets around it is by letting Dad know that he's not well enough to take him. He's done that when he feels he's been taken advantage of..which, of course he isn't. My Dad would pay him if he asked.
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
8 Aug 10
Hi Janey,
Thats no friend at all, if he happens to drop by your mum one day, then she should charge him for his meal.
Tamara
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
8 Aug 10
Hi Tamara! To be honest, he's more Dad's friend than Mum's but my Dad was in the car at the time of this Greenwood bloke telling Mum he wanted "a tenner" off her and I could tell he was shocked. The thing is my Dad doesn't have a car anymore so is reliant (to a certain extent) on his friend to take him shopping once a week. Fortunately, my Dad has never coughed up any money as the place itself isn't that far away, it's just that he is a bit dodgy on his feet nowadays and cannot carry heavy bags of shopping longer distances. I'm hoping that he doesn't offer him any because who knows when it will stop! As for Mum, she's told me that she will never ask Greenwood for help ever again.
Put it this way; if the boot was on the other foot there's no way Greenwood would be charged for being driven around by my Dad.
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
9 Aug 10
Hi Janey,
I know we all need money but to take a tenner fro your mother its a pits, my hubby takes my friend home and she lives about 20 miles from us but never ask her for no money, she is not my hubby's friend but mine, so what are friends for/ if you can't do things for each other, this man is a scrooge, good for your mom to say she never ask him for help again,. I'd rather take a taxi.
Tamara
@kalav56 (11464)
• India
9 Aug 10
The problem had its root here Janey. Your father had been given a lift earlier quite a few times. .THe 'friend' obviously took this as a great favour bestowed and so he took his counter obligation from your mother.THere are some people like that and to them there is nothing as 'simple freindship' but everything is a transaction.
We must be wary of not taking anything from such people.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
14 Aug 10
10 pounds!? yikes..
yea we have a friend local that wants money for rides.i can see a small amount for gas,but then he asks for favors later.
you want a favor?now YOU pay ME! LOL
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
14 Aug 10
Mum said all along that she would pay him for the petrol but NO WAY was it £10 which is why she got £5 out of her purse, initially. He was going off what a taxi fare would be but my argument is...he's not a taxi driver, he's a friend of my Dad, therefore should respect my Mum more than he did.
Anyway, she won't be asking for anymore lifts off him. Good for her!
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
18 Aug 10
Well dang, how generous of him. I hope he doesn't invite them over for dinner and charge for that!
@thedailyclick (3017)
•
9 Aug 10
Good to see you back. If I was your Mum I would have charged him £20 for the pleasure of her company,
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
9 Aug 10
Hiya! Yes, I agree with you. The man's a t*sser, pure and simple!
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
9 Aug 10
Welcome back Jane. It is good to see you here once more!
That is so wrong to charge your mum that much for a lift. He should not charge at all in my opinion. That is what friends do for each other. I drove over two hours the other day to pick up a friend from her house and drive her to the airport and then back home again. I did not even think to charge for it! My wife will be picking her up from the airport tomorrow and doing the same trip in reverse. What goes around comes around. Friends help each other and that is all there should be to it in my opinion!
That is so wrong to charge your mum that much for a lift. He should not charge at all in my opinion. That is what friends do for each other. I drove over two hours the other day to pick up a friend from her house and drive her to the airport and then back home again. I did not even think to charge for it! My wife will be picking her up from the airport tomorrow and doing the same trip in reverse. What goes around comes around. Friends help each other and that is all there should be to it in my opinion! 
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
9 Aug 10
Hello again! Glad to be back.
I feel a row brewing between my Dad and Greenwood. Once that happens Greenwood will sulk and not speak to him for months like a sad little girl.
The thing is, Dad has lifts to the shop and I know he's on pins..thinking..will he suddenly decide he's not taking me anymore? That would be so cruel but I know it's coming..I only hope my Dad is prepared for it...then he can thump him.
Haha!
I feel a row brewing between my Dad and Greenwood. Once that happens Greenwood will sulk and not speak to him for months like a sad little girl.
The thing is, Dad has lifts to the shop and I know he's on pins..thinking..will he suddenly decide he's not taking me anymore? That would be so cruel but I know it's coming..I only hope my Dad is prepared for it...then he can thump him.
Haha! @kalav56 (11464)
• India
9 Aug 10
This is a bitter experience Janey 1966. I always have felt that we should never accept anything from our friends and this does not make us obliged to them in any way. Transaction spoils a relationship because it may not be equal all the time. Better not to get into such things at all.What your mother has decided is right. She should never accept anything from this 'friend' in future.You could have as well taken a bus instead of paying more to a 'friend'.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
9 Aug 10
The story behind this was the lift was to a carpet shop that is a quarter of a mile away from Lytham Town Centre. Because Mum wasn't 100% sure where this shop was she asked Greenwood for the lift. Now, if we had gone in a taxi it would probably be around £10 for the trip. However, what me and Mum could've done was take the bus to Lytham Town Centre like we have done many times before...then take a taxi from there to the shop. I know for a fact that wouldn't have been anywhere near £10 judging by the distance we travelled in Greenwood's car. The sad thing is Mum had a fiver ready to give him; then when he said "a tenner please" I just didn't know where to look. The man is a slimeball and I really feel she was taken advantage of there.
There was another time he erected a telly stand for her (after taking her to the shop) and charged her £25! I wasn't there at the time but when I saw the stand upon one of my visits I immediately realised that he'd done it wrong so had to re-arrange the glass shelves properly (one was upside down) and when Mum told me on the phone how much he'd charged I was seething with anger. How dare he charge such an extortionate amount!
We are both in an awkward situation though because he's my Dad's friend and we cannot really say anything to his face as it would jeopardise their friendship.
Having said that, though, my Dad will never speak to him again if he crosses him! I pray for the day that happens because Dad is a very proud man. If someone upsets him, that's it!
There was another time he erected a telly stand for her (after taking her to the shop) and charged her £25! I wasn't there at the time but when I saw the stand upon one of my visits I immediately realised that he'd done it wrong so had to re-arrange the glass shelves properly (one was upside down) and when Mum told me on the phone how much he'd charged I was seething with anger. How dare he charge such an extortionate amount!
We are both in an awkward situation though because he's my Dad's friend and we cannot really say anything to his face as it would jeopardise their friendship.
Having said that, though, my Dad will never speak to him again if he crosses him! I pray for the day that happens because Dad is a very proud man. If someone upsets him, that's it!
@margerydaw14 (735)
•
11 Aug 10
i am lucky to have really great friends who in the past before i passed my driving test would run me about (usually to or from work)for nothing. so i will always give people lifts for nothing. i have driven people home for parties , miles out of my way, but ensuring they get home safe. They offer money, but i always refuse. you never know when you might need to ask them a favour. But £10 and charging a pensioner.. how cheeky is that. with 'friends' like that, you don't need enemies !
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Aug 10
He's been at it again this week with my Dad. He's not charged him for a lift to the chiropodists but Dad couldn't find him when he came out again. Greenwood was nowhere to be seen even though his car was in the car park without him in it. Because Dad couldn't find him he came home (walking) on his own. Another driver saw him struggling (as Dad has trouble with his legs) and offered him a free lift home which Dad gratefully received. As for Greenwood, he rang him only to say that he was "on the wrong floor" waiting for him.
What a wally!
