Cash In Your Debts

There is animosity in the Box.

It seems as if there is a problem. Earlier today, Igor and Angel had a confront- ation. These guys are supposed to be close friends. So close that Igor sold Angel his ipod for $180.00. Now Angel didn't have the money, so Igor put him on a payment plan. $20.00 a week until it's paid up. Well today was payday number one and Angel was in his bed in pain from a toothache. He didn't get the money, but he promised Igor that he will as soon as he felt better.

Igor took this as a default and went straight to the Techs about the fact that Angel owes him money. The Techs, following the protocol for theft or robbery called the police and two officers came to talk to Angel downstairs. After a brief interview Angel was waved goodbye to. There was nothing that the officers could do because Igor lent him the money. Igor is leaving tomorrow, and no doubt wanted to start settling accounts because so many people in the Box owe him money. Actually a great deal of money.

But Igor played shelter banker when he came in, and started loaning money to everyone who asked even though the rules in the Box are no lending of anything to anyone. One must realize that the people here all have addictions. And these addictions cost money. So they are always looking for creative ways to get their hands on money because such is a means to an end. So everyone here asks to borrow cash, and if they think you have any, they start the incremental march on your ass. Which is $5.00 today, $10.00 next week, $20.00 the week after that...you get the picture, and they always pay you back on time until they hit you with the $150.00/$200.00 range.

Once there, they start having problems. Their story about paying you as soon as they get their social security check proves false as they realize that paying you cuts into their high for this week. You can wait until next month. They'll come up with a good story about hospital bills for a sick child, or some other bullshit. Angel to me seems pretty trustworthy and his problem might have been less of a deception than most. In either case, Igor should have known better than to go to the Tech's about something that could have been settled locally.

So now, once friends as close as brothers fully hate one another. If knives were lying about there would be trouble. Angel comes up to me, the first time in a long while since he was chums with Igor and recounts the entire story. This is very interesting to me because all of a sudden I'm Angel's best friend again. There isn't even a pause in the transition. Even explosions have a charge between detonation and the explosion itself. But here, this beats physics and the natural order. I listen patiently, wanting to get back to my blogging. Igor come in and senses that the conversation is about him and packs his stuff sullenly.

I keep out of it. I don't pass judgment. I'm never a part of the antics of the Dorm or the Box. I work on my articles and surf the web. That's my preoccupation. It keeps me from getting into trouble. I keep to myself mostly. I stay put.

That's my strategy, mind my business. Even when it comes to money. The world economic situation is melting down, unemployment is going to run rampant, companies are going to fold overnight, a financial Armageddon and these jugheads are going at it for a few dollars more. Funny, how even way down here, at the bottom of the socioeconomic totem pole as we are, that there is still the conniving ways, the heartless ways, the demanding ways of the lenders/borrowers.

I'm done with this, I close up shop and hit the hay.

Hobobob