Good turn gone bad

[pls1911]

Have you ever done a good turn for someone then asked youself why?
Hurts my head at some folk's dumb luck and my own , er, just dumb...

A goofy friend fawns over my Dillon 550b set up and comes to my place whenever he wants to reload.
So we were at a big gun show in Dallas and as usual went our own ways once we were in....
I ran across an old gent carrying a Dillon 550 frame, and talked with him for a minute and confirmed he wanted $85 bucks for it.....
Smart guy that I am and thinking we could build it up on the cheap, said I'd take it and agreed to meet the old gent at a specific table in 30 minutes.

I found my friend and told him what a good deal I made him, and he gave me $85.
WE went to pick it up and my buddy looks it over and says wow that's great ...thanks....We'll order parts from Dillon!!

Then the old gent says "HEY!!Wait a minute.. Here's the rest of it..." and lifted the cloth covering the table.
You guessed it, not only the rest of the Dillon assmbly, but a lifetime collection of dies of every caliber imaginable, dillon kits and tool heads for every die, trimmers, tools, leadpots, bullet molds, at lest 200 pound alloyed lead, lubers, lubes, powder, measures, and boxes of special "stuff" we all accumulate. It took three dolly loads to haul it all to the truck, my friend laughing at "his" purchase all the way. I figure there was at least a couple of thousand buck worth of treasure there, and all I got out of it was a burger and a beer.
The worst part is that it's been four years, and he still comes to my house to reload, laughing about his purchase, and enjoying cold ones from MY refigerator...
Of course there's 30 years of paybacks ol' Patrick is working off, as he's been our group's source of humor for decades.
I figure the gear will be mine before its all over, about the time I'm the old man at the gunshow, hawking the frame of my old Dillon.

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

Just goes to prove "No good deed goes unpunished"

[John J]

You need to start going over to his house to reload with all his new found equipment

[DLCTEX]

You're just too good hearted for your own good. Don't worry, it will come back to you.

[pergoman]

Wednesday I was paid for the use of my reloading equipment and $2 worth of powder with a pizza lunch. Today I got a fresh case of Rolling Rock for enough powder to stuff up 500 38's on my equipment. He loaded on my machine each day while I stayed nearby and lubrisized a few thousand tips.

[quasi]

It will come back to you, ever heard of Karma?

[MBTcustom]

Nah, you did the right thing. Ever had something good dropped right in your lap? If not, dont worry everybody has their day.
Besides, if you ever need to borrow something from that deal, the guy would have a hard time turning you down right?

[Freightman]

Gave my niece's husband a press to load 38 special a few years back, still haven't got a thank you or go to on that deal. In today's world freebies are expected and demanded, look at our health care system. Face it you owe him for his friendship.

[Finster101]

If it's four years later and he is still loading and drinking beer at your house I'd say there is more to the friendship than what we are reading. I have friends that I load ammo for and wrench a little in the driveway and I hate turning wrenches in the driveway. Those are the same guys that would come pull me out of a ditch at 2am or help the wife if she had a house or car problem and I was out of town. They are far and few between, enjoy them while you can. Oh yeah, if you are thin skinned you usually won't last long around us either.

[cigarman454]

I have one of those good friends. Man he drinks a lot of my beer. I think I already have a lifetime supply at 48. Give and it is given unto you pressed down shaken together and running over.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

Always close your end of the deal first then make the 2nd part. I'd start charging him $5/beer from now on

[W.R.Buchanan]

I've been caught on this exact same type of thing many times before. Now,,, if there is a really good deal I buy it!

First Rule of Business: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"

Second Rule of Business" "Procurrement is more important than dispersal."

I would have procurred the $85 press, and then had my buddy help pissant the stuff to the car and then sold what I didn't want to him for more. He would have been happy to get that press for $200, and you'd still have all of the boot.

You'd also have money that he gave you to buy beer to feed to him when he came over. Win Win!

The deal with maintaining a friendship type relationship is to keep the "Exchange" part even. When you let someone get too far ahead of you or behind, then they start causing problems.

This guy is way ahead of you and you need to make him get "in exchange" You do this by making him do stuff for you or you get stuff from him with no outlay on your part until it feels like you are even.

Sorry to say,,, if you don't keep score, and maintain the exchange part, any relationship goes to ship. This one really does kill marriages too. It's all about give and take and if it's all one way, it don't work.

Just basic human nature.

And ,,, just my .02.

Randy

[Kevin Rohrer]

It seems to me that you sold your "buddy" the press only; the rest of that stuff is still yours.

Just a thought.

[.357MAN]

I have to say that if you do start to keep score, you'll find out how miserable it is. Your friendships will fall apart and you'll be bitter about everything. I'm not saying let everyone run all over you, just to give and don't expect anything in return, and if you don't get anything in return you won't be upset, and if you do get something out of it, count it as a gift and a blessing. Greedy people always get the short end, if it's not in money it's in happiness, and if there really greedy it's in both. It's best described by "love". Relationships such as marriage, family, BF, and etcetera do need both parties to have love to blossom. I am not perfect. I have struggled with loving people, but I am trying, and with God's help I hope to be as loving and generous as my grandparents, parents, and family.

.357MAN

[Crawdaddy]

Two things came to mind when I read your post. karma and no good deed goes unpunished. Both were already mentioned so I can't add much. Shrug it off and know you are a better person than him. Use it as a learning experience for next time.

I have this philosophy. Never look back, always forward. It makes it easier to deal with life's unpleasant happenings.

[Circuit Rider]

Cigarman454, your last sentence says it all !!! CR

[jsizemore]

What are you out that you had before you started? What did you gain?

[trixter]

Stuff is just stuff. Relationships are something you cannot put a price on.

Have you ever seen a hearse towing a u-haul?

Even though your friend seems to be there a lot, I would consider it a privilege to have someone who thinks enough of me to want to hang out with me.

[maxidiesel]

You need to start going over to his house to reload with all his new found equipment

You've been a bad friend...waiting 4 years to go by, before going over to his house to set up his press and adjust the dies. It's the Christmas Season (surely he has some "good" beer) and reload some of your stuff there. Maybe you can Ohh and Ahh over some of the stuff he doesn't need (and offer to buy it...cough...) maybe you'll get it for Christmas....

[cp478]

Sounds like we have the same kind of luck!