Solving a Conflict - Part 2

As we saw last week, a Czech man who owns a pub asked another person to do him a favor. That person agreed, and made it their "job one" to get things done for him. This person not only delivered what was asked, but did so quickly.

REAL friends are people you think of and communicate with when you do NOT need nor want something | foto: Profimedia.cz

Angličtina na iDNES.cz
VŠECHNY LEKCE ZDE

---

---

The information this person provided was not only accurate, but it was "the best of the best" per se.

In order to obtain this data which had been requested, money had to be spent. More than 50 phone calls were made to the USA and Canada, and it is obvious from the total amount charged for these calls, that the person even made a point to use the cheapest phone service possible, which were provided by cyber cafes.

In other words, this person didn’t call from a mobile phone and try to rack up the charges. In fact, this person spent more than 7,500 czk of their own money helping their "friend" out, only to find that this "friend" could care less about what was spent on his behalf, and never had any intention of ever reimbursing such costs, despite claiming that he had "one million crowns" and had specifically talked about "spending money" to obtain this data.

After speaking with both parties, it is clear that the owner of the Czech pub is wrong. Indeed, everyone who knows about this (which includes his customers and friends) are unanimous: the owner is wrong.

Not only is he wrong, but the fact that he doesn’t even care if people spend any money to help him and wouldn’t even offer to reimburse them on principle, proves that he is a "friend" but in name only.

As the popular expression goes: "REAL friends are people you think of and communicate with when you do NOT need nor want something."

On the other hand, the other party should have asked the simple question: "Will you pay me back?" before spending their own money on this "friend," although it was required in order to do the favor he had asked.

While it does seem a bit "stupid" to have to ask someone what can only be called "the obvious" at this point, it still should have been done.

People often "forget" that the excuse is worse than the crime.

There is also the matter of principles. Principles either mean something, or they mean nothing at all.

When someone DOESN’T care that you put yourself out for them, they are a "friend" in name only.

The money isn’t the "issue" here, it is the principle of whether one cares.

Joke of the Day

U.S. President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney were speaking with each other when Bush suddenly complains to Cheney that, "I hate all of those ‘dumb George Bush’ jokes people keep telling. I’m NOT dumb."

Cheney, feeling a bit sorry for Bush, says "Don’t worry, they’re just jokes. There are a lot of really stupid people in this world. Here, let me prove it to you."

Cheney then escorts President Bush outside and hails a cab.

"Please take me to my home to see if I am there," says Cheney.

The taxi driver takes both men to Cheney’s house, and says nothing.

"See, Mr. President, that man was stupid."

"You’re right, Dick. But why didn’t you just call your home?"

Angličtina vychází od pondělí do pátku.

Najdete ji také v bezplatném deníku Metropolitní expres.

Kalovi pište na adresu: [e-mail]